The Capitanes de Arecibo are a Puerto Rican professional basketball team based in Arecibo that competes in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) league. In 2010, the team also had the distinction to play in the Premier Basketball League (PBL) under the name Capitanes de Puerto Rico. The team began play in the league in 1946. Home games are held at Manuel Iguina Coliseum, which the team shares with the Capitanes de Arecibo men's volleyball team.
The team has won eight BSN Championships (1959, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2018 and 2021) and has had a total 17 finals appearances, being a runner-up 9 times (1932, 1946, 1948, 1961, 1966, 1992, 2007, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017). Capitanes is the only team to participate in all editions of the FIBA Americas League, having entered the final four twice (finishing 2nd in 2010 and 3rd in 2013).
History
Early years In 1946, coached by Wilfredo Franco, Tingo Díaz, Piro Méndez and for a pre-Olympic tournament, the Capitanes emerged. A group of young athletes, mostly from Arecibo, like: Manuel Gilberto (Petaca) Iguina, Quicón Iguina, Abdiel de la Rosa, Alberto Renta, Joaquín Balaguer, Armando Villamil, y Pipe Beníquez showed themselves to be a part of it and dominated the sport in Puerto Rico, finishing in second place.
On August 19, 1959, the Capitanes won their first basketball championship against the Rio Piedras Cardinals at the Rodríguez Olmo Stadium in Arecibo. They were coached by Lou Rossinni, and the heroes of that series were Jaime Frontera, Francisco Pancho Padilla, Felipito Colón, Bill MacCadney, José (Fufi) Santori Coll, Moisés Navedo, José Rodríguez Gómez, Eddie Martínez, José Vázquez, José Aponte, Angel Morales, Jaime Miranda, Joe Phillip Padilla hijo, Ramón Siraguza, Enrique Miranda, and Sitín García. This team is the only team in BSN history to have gone the entire season, including the playoffs, undefeated.
In 1992, coached by Alfred “Butch” Lee, the Capitanes returned to the BSN Finals with elite players Ferdinand Morales, Rafael Hernandez, Giovanni Colón, Fitz Roy Brow, Juan Griles, Orlando Febres, Bryan and Mark Santiago, losing a hard-fought series against the Ponce Lions.
Restructuring The Capitanes in 2002 wrote another page in the history of their city and the BSN when the so-called "kids" broke the predictions of the media and basketball analysts by taking a semi-final series to Game 7 with young talents Giovanni Jiménez, Rick Apodaca, Buster Figueroa, Pachy Cruz and David Cortes; and veterans Félix Javier Perez, Javier Rolón and Oscar Chiaramello.
In 2005, general manager Regino Babilonia hired Carlos Mario Rivera as head coach and the Captains again won the BSN Championship (4-0) over the Bayamón Cowboys.
In 2007, with David Rosario at the command of the Captain Ship, and the fiery players Rafael “Pachy” Cruz, Ángel “Buster” Figueroa, David Cortes, Carlos Payano and Marcus Fizer as reinforcement, the Capitanes returned to the BSN Finals. In a historic, sold-out Game 7 at the Jose Miguel Agrelot Coliseum, where 75% of the attendees were from Captain Correa City, the Arecibo Captains came back from a 20-point fourth-quarter deficit to force an overtime. In a hard-fought and emotional series of plays and calls, the Captains came up just short of another championship.
During the 2008 season, the Capitanes advanced again to the finals against the Carolina Giants. The series went to seven games, with both teams winning three games at home. Arecibo won the seventh game, 99-94, for the third championship in the franchise's history. Ángel Figueroa was selected the Finals' Most Valuable Player.
2005 Championship It was forty-six years since the Captains succeeded in that first championship. That was on August 19, 1959. They came short in 1966 when they lost in overtime against Ponce and in a seventh game finals held at the court of Manuel Carrasquillo Herpen Country Club. In 1992 the attorney Hiram Ruiz saw the Lions come from behind in the series to thwart another major celebration in Arecibo.
In 2005, there were doubts. However, unlike the team of 1959, the 2005 edition played with many ups and downs during the regular season and also in the "round robin", for example beating the best in the league but losing to last-placed teams. The reason for not dominating as expected was the failure of the team's "Refuerzo" (reinforcement player), former rebounding leader and prolific scorer, center Nick Davis, who did not meet the team and fan's expectations, as well as his following replacements until the arrival of Richard Lugo.
In the "round robin" the Captains won five and lost as many games. The team was torn between changing Dickey Simpkins or staying with the player that looked more like a fifth man with the added reinforcement that was hurt.
With all that were chosen as a finalist in the analyzes that the Cowboys favored above all others for having excelled in the second stage of the tournament. Unlike the 1959 champion who went undefeated, these Captains had to earn their stripes.
The Captains got a breaks with the elimination of Ponce. The Lions were the best team that could match-up with the Captains and successfully handle the full-court press.
The Captains then faced a remodeled Santurce, with former Nigerian NBA player Olumide Oyedeji. The series became complicated and unpredictable.
It was then that Edgar Padilla appeared on the scene.
Bayamón could not run with Arecibo and Flor Melendez knew that he could control the tempo of the game in the first two games of this final series. Both were very close games. Despite these woes, the Vaquero fans hoped Bayamon would come back. This was dispelled as soon as Richard Lugo was able to play for the Captains in game three.
After the Cowboys rallied to win game four and force a fifth game, the Captains closed out the series in game five. Larry Ayuso scored 40 points on offense and played defense well in that closing game.
2008 Championship On June 28, 2008, Capitanes de Arecibo defeated Gigantes de Carolina in 7 games to win their third championship, Angel Luis Figueroa scored 33 points and Roberto Jose Hatton scored 20 points. Ángel Figueroa was selected the Finals' Most Valuable Player.
2010 Championship The reconquest of the National Superior Basketball League Championship is a fact. The Arecibo Capitanes are the new Champions of the BSN. The national title was achieved Saturday, July 3, 2010, at the Rubén Rodríguez Coliseum in Bayamón at night. Incidentally, the Capitanes became the first team in the history of the BSN, to win a seventh and deciding game as the visiting team. The final score of the game it was 73 - 62. The match had to be stopped and subsequently confiscated, because the team's fans of Bayamón, began throwing objects onto the court and the game could not be terminated. We the game was stopped, there was still 1:42 on the clock, but Arecibo had absolute control of the game. It is noteworthy that this is the second Championship won by the Capitanes in the past three tournaments of the BSN.
At the beginning of the meeting the atmosphere was worthy of a seventh game. Donta smith immediately began the annotations for Bayamón, but Larry Ayuso did not remain with folded arms. In the first five minutes of action, Ayuso had already made three triples. Then, when the clock struck 4:48, Danilo Pinncok managed a basket that gave them the first lead in the game 13 - 12. After this move Bayamón managed to take advantage on the board 19 - 17. All this so that in the next moves, Guillermo Díaz scoring three free throws and Danny Santiago make a dunk that brought the Capitanes to dominate the first quarter 22 - 19.
The start of the second period for Arecibo was very explosive. The Capitanes opened with a push of 7-0, thanks to a triple by Larry Ayuso and two consecutive baskets by Danilo Pinnock. At that time, Arecibo took off on the scoreboard 29 - 19. Incidentally, those were the first points of a rally that did Danilo Pinnock. He scored eight consecutive points for Arecibo. The Vaqueros tried to answer with some baskets of Christian Dalmau and Robert Traylor, but the Capitanes managed to close strong at the half. After twenty minutes of action the Capitanes had twelve-point advantage, 43 - 31. During that first half, Larry Ayuso and Danilo Pinnock combined to make between them, thirty-three points. Captains also dominated the rebounds 20 - 11. Also they were perfect from the free throw line.
The second half began with an offensive push for the Vaqueros. They managed six points, but Guillermo Díaz was able to answer with triple when subtracted 7:53 on the clock. To this, Danilo Pinncok added two free throws, but Bayamón answered with a triple by Christian Dalmau. On the next play, Danny Santiago make a triple with 4:45 detracted. Then, Bayamón answered with five straight points, but Danilo Pinncok score four straight points and David Cortés scored two points to keep Arecibo in front. When subtract only 45 seconds of the period, Larry Ayuso achieved another triple. Arecibo closed the quarter 62 - 50 for Arecibo.
The fourth quarter began with an exchange of baskets by both, but the Capitanes knew how to answer on every possession. Larry Ayuso achieved another triple with 7:32 left and the score was 68–57 at the time. Plays later, Carmelo Lee scored a field goal by Bayamón, but this was answered immediately by the Capitanes. David Cortés managed a shot and Danny Santiago make another. In this way Arecibo was leading 72 - 60, while still detracted 3:45 left in the game. Bayamón managed to score three extra points, before they culminate the event. This was so because on the last play of the game, Danny Santiago achieved an impressive steal. After the steal, Andrés Rodríguez gets the ball and he received a hard foul that led him to the free throw line. Before Andrés Rodríguez could make his attempts, the fans from Bayamón began a relentless rain of objects and this forced the League officials to confiscate the game in Arecibo's favor. At that time, there is still 1:42 to play, but the game was largely dominated by Arecibo 73 - 62. Thus, the Arecibo Capitanes won their fourth championship of the BSN (1959, 2005, 2008 and 2010).
The best scorers for the team Bayamón were: Christian Dalmau with 22 points and Carmelo Lee with 11. While for Arecibo, four players were in double figures. The best it was, Larry Ayuso with 23 points. By the way, Ayuso was declared the MVP of the Final Series. Then followed by: Danilo Pinnock who scored 21 points, Daniel Santiago with 11 points and Guillermo Diaz, who had 11 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
2011 Repeating as Champions On August 1, 2011 Capitanes de Arecibo defeated Piratas de Quebradillas in 5 games (4-1) to win their fifth National Superior Basketball Championship. Guillermo Díaz was chosen as the Most Valuable Player.¡El Back to Back es un hecho!
The Back to Back is a fact! The Arecibo Captains succeeded for the first time in its history the feat of winning two consecutive championships in the National Superior Basketball League. Turn became the first team to achieve in the decade. He managed the Arecibo was reached on Monday, August 1, 2011 at the Coliseo Manuel "Flask" Iguina Arecibo, when the captains were able to defeat the Pirates of Quebradillas 79 74. For the Arecibo Championship fifth national title means (1959, 2005, 2008, 2010 and 2011) and in turn is its fifth finals in seven years. The Championship game was witnessed by over 12,000 fans.