Atlético Argentino de Junín 82, San Martín 79 — the home side held off a determined San Martín comeback to claim a three-point win in a tense, physical Liga Nacional de Básquetbol contest decided in the final possessions.

A Hard-Fought Liga Nacional Battle

Played in Junín, the game was everything a domestic league fixture should be: tight defense, low-scoring stretches, and a finish that kept the crowd on its feet until the final buzzer. Neither team led by more than nine points all night, and the lead changed hands repeatedly as both coaching staffs traded adjustments.

Atlético Argentino's victory was built on home-court defense and a decisive fourth-quarter burst, while San Martín's resilience kept the result in doubt until a contested three-pointer at the horn fell short.

Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown

• First quarter: Argentino 20, San Martín 18 — a cagey opening with both teams struggling from the perimeter.
• Second quarter: Argentino 22, San Martín 19 — the hosts pushed the tempo and took a 42-37 lead into halftime.
• Third quarter: San Martín 22, Argentino 18 — the visitors tightened their defense and trimmed the margin to a single point.
• Fourth quarter: Argentino 22, San Martín 20 — a nervy finish settled at the free-throw line.

Final score: Atlético Argentino Junín 82, San Martín 79.

Key Moments

The decisive sequence came with just under four minutes left, when Argentino converted a three-point play followed by a defensive stop to stretch a one-point lead to six. San Martín answered with back-to-back baskets to cut it to two, but a turnover on an inbound play with 40 seconds remaining proved costly.

In the final minute, the home team made enough free throws to keep San Martín at arm's length. The visitors had one last look from beyond the arc to tie, but the attempt rimmed out, and Argentino secured the rebound to run out the clock.

Tactical Story of the Game

Argentino's advantage came inside. The hosts controlled the painted area for long stretches, converting offensive rebounds into second-chance points and drawing fouls that put San Martín in early penalty trouble. Their half-court sets leaned heavily on post entries and dribble hand-offs, creating open shooters on the weak side.

San Martín, by contrast, thrived in transition and with ball-screen action at the top of the key. The visitors' third-quarter surge was built on aggressive on-ball defense that forced turnovers and generated easy baskets. Ultimately, though, their shooting from the perimeter abandoned them at key moments, and they finished the night well below their usual efficiency from deep.

Standout Performers

• Argentino's inside presence anchored the offense with a strong two-way performance, dominating the glass on both ends.
• The Junín backcourt handled pressure well and made the crucial free throws down the stretch.
• San Martín's scoring guard kept the visitors alive with a series of tough mid-range makes in the second half.
• The San Martín bench provided energy in the third quarter, briefly swinging momentum to the visitors.

League Context and What's Next

For Atlético Argentino de Junín, this is an important home result in a Liga Nacional season where protecting your own court is essential for playoff positioning. Wins against strong opposition like San Martín carry extra value when the standings tighten in the second half of the campaign.

San Martín leaves with a narrow road defeat but plenty of encouraging signs — particularly the defensive adjustments that nearly turned the game around. Both clubs will now look ahead to their next fixtures as the league table continues to take shape, with head-to-head results like this one likely to matter when the postseason picture is drawn.