Abejas vs Diablos Rojos

Diablos Rojos stormed out of the gates, taking the first quarter 22-13 to establish a nine-point cushion. Abejas responded in the second period, winning it 21-18 to trim the deficit to six at half-time (40-34).

The third quarter was a dead heat at 18-18, leaving Diablos Rojos still in control at 58-52 heading into the final frame. Abejas made their move in the fourth, outpacing the visitors 16-13, but could not bridge the final gap — falling two points short at the buzzer.

Quarter scores: Abejas 13-22, 21-18, 18-18, 16-13 (73-75 FT)

The first quarter proved decisive. Diablos Rojos opened a 22-13 lead that forced Abejas to play catch-up for the remaining 30 minutes. Abejas matched or won every subsequent quarter (21-18, 18-18, 16-13), but the early deficit left no margin for error. A late Abejas basket in the closing seconds cut it to two, but time expired before they could force overtime.

Individual player statistics were not available from the official provider at the time of writing, but Diablos Rojos' collective efficiency in the opening quarter set the tone. They shot aggressively early, built the lead, and withstood every Abejas response down the stretch.

Abejas showed resilience by winning the fourth quarter 16-13, with their defence tightening in the final period, but costly misses in the first quarter proved insurmountable.

The 75-73 final scoreline reflects a game far closer than the first 10 minutes suggested. Abejas controlled three of four quarters on the scoreboard, but Diablos Rojos' single dominant quarter (Q1) was enough. The combined 148 points sits below the 169.7 average from the three previous H2H meetings, indicating tighter defence than the rivalry's history. Abejas' 13-point first quarter was their lowest output of the night and ultimately the difference.

The result improves Diablos Rojos' head-to-head record against Abejas to 2-1 since the rivalry began in 2024. Both sides continue their LNBP 2026-2027 regular-season campaigns in Round 14. Diablos Rojos will look to build on consecutive competitive performances, while Abejas will rue a slow start that undid strong second-half adjustments.

A classic case of early momentum deciding a tight contest. Diablos Rojos banked a nine-point first-quarter lead and managed the game expertly thereafter, absorbing every Abejas counter-punch. For Abejas, the lesson is clear: in a two-point loss, a poor opening 10 minutes is the difference between victory and defeat.