The short version
- NotiCel and El Nuevo Día reported that Moca finished the regular season with an 8-10 record after three consecutive victories for the first time this campaign
- Hillary Martínez led Moca with 25 points, four rebounds and four assists in the win over Ponce, which ended with a 7-11 record and eighth place
- The BSNF 2026 postseason begins Saturday, Nov. 7 with Carolina vs Santurce at 8 p.m. on Telemundo; other quarterfinal series start Sunday and are best-of-five
- Moca will face Caguas, while Ponce meets top-seeded Isabela in the first round according to both outlets
Regular season concludes with decisive matchup
The Explosivas de Moca defeated the Leonas de Ponce 73-65 on Friday night at the Auditorio Juan “Pachín” Vicens in Ponce, El Nuevo Día reported. Both teams entered the game with identical 7-10 records. The victory gave Moca its first three-game winning streak of the 2026 BSNF season and secured sixth place in the global standings with a final record of 8-10. Ponce finished in eighth place at 7-11.
Hillary Martínez was the standout performer with 25 points, four rebounds and four assists for Moca. Ashley Torres added 13 points and Cierra Burdick contributed 12 points, 13 rebounds and five assists. For Ponce, Ariel Colón scored 15 points while Brittany Brewer had six points, 15 rebounds and two blocks, NotiCel reported. The game was closely contested, with Moca leading 40-37 at halftime and 55-53 after three quarters before pulling away late.
Also on PuertoRico.com: Carolina travel guide
Playoff bracket set
The 2026 BSNF postseason begins on Saturday, Nov. 7. The first game is the Series B matchup between the Gigantes de Carolina (11-7) and Cangrejeras de Santurce (9-9) at 8 p.m. at the Coliseo Guillermo Ángulo in Carolina, to be televised on Telemundo channel 2. The remaining three quarterfinal series start on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. and will be streamed on YouTube, Metro Puerto Rico reported.
The matchups are Isabela (14-4) versus Ponce (7-11), Manatí (13-5) versus Juana Díaz (8-10), Caguas (12-6) versus Moca (8-10), and Carolina versus Santurce. The first round is best-of-five and runs through Monday, Nov. 16. Earlier results, including Moca’s 99-60 win over Ponce on Tuesday that clinched the final playoff spot and eliminated Hatillo and Fajardo, had already shaped much of the bracket, El Nuevo Día reported.
Where the sources differ
All four sources agree that Moca defeated Ponce 73-65 on Friday to finish 8-10 in sixth place while Ponce ended 7-11 in eighth, and that this was Moca’s first three-game win streak of the season. They also concur on the playoff start dates, television and streaming details, and the quarterfinal matchups. NotiCel’s earlier article from Nov. 6 provided context on prior wins by Moca, Fajardo and Ponce but is consistent. Minor differences exist in emphasis: El Nuevo Día and Metro Puerto Rico gave detailed fourth-quarter play-by-play, while the Nov. 4 El Nuevo Día article focused on Moca’s earlier clinching win and other midweek results.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not specify the exact dates or times for each of the other three quarterfinal series beyond Sunday at 7 p.m., nor which specific YouTube channels will carry them. They also do not provide attendance figures for the final regular-season game or detail any injuries that may affect teams entering the postseason. Future opponents beyond the first round and any format changes for later rounds are not addressed.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Reporting Moca terminó la temporada del BSNF con tres victorias al hilo
- Reporting Triunfos para Moca, Fajardo y Ponce en el BSNF
- Reporting Las Explosivas de Moca cierran la temporada regular con su mejor racha del año en el BSNF
- Reporting Moca conquista el último boleto a la postemporada del BSNF, eliminando a Hatillo y Fajardo
- Reporting Victoria de Moca concluye la temporada regular del BSNF
How we checked this
NotiCel, El Nuevo Día and Metro Puerto Rico all covered the final Moca-Ponce game and resulting playoff bracket. The three-win streak claim and statistical leaders rest on the reporting of all three outlets that covered Friday’s contest, while earlier elimination details come solely from El Nuevo Día’s Nov. 4 article.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.
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