Indios de Mayagüez (basketball)
| Indios de Mayagüez | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| League | BSN |
| Founded | 1956 |
| History |
Indios de Mayagüez (1956–present) |
| Arena | Palacio de Recreación y Deportes |
| Capacity | 5,500 |
| Location | Mayagüez, Puerto Rico |
| Team colors | Red, silver |
| Head coach | Hector Porrata |
| Ownership | Ito Vargas |
| Championships | 1 (2012) |
| Website | Official website |
Indios de Mayagüez is a professional basketball team based in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. They play in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional. The Indios play their home games in the Palacio de Recreación y Deportes since 1981. The franchise first entered the league in 1956, and Mayagüez has been its home city for all but five of the team's active seasons given that the franchise has gone through several hiatuses in its history. Along with the Atléticos de San Germán, the Indians have been the only BSN team permanently based in the western part of Puerto Rico, after the Tiburones de Aguadilla relocated to Santurce and became the Cangrejeros de Santurce in 1998.
The team has advanced to the BSN Finals only once, winning the 2012 season championship over the Capitanes de Arecibo with a record of 22–8 after having just made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history in 2009. The team has qualified for the playoffs in 3 seasons of their 59-year existence.
After a failed first attempt during the 1956 and 1957 seasons, Mayagüez has had a BSN franchise since 1972. With hiatuses between 1958 and 1971, 1997 and finally during the 2005 and 2006 seasons.
The City of Mayagüez had its first BSN franchise 1956 where José E. Arraras (who in 2000, would end up owning the team) was a player. In 1957 Eddie Lojo joined a team that also had the "Marvelous Blondie" (rubio maravilloso) Jaime Frontera and Pedro ‘Golo’ Laracuente, his first season in the league and the only one with Mayagüez. Rafael ‘Bolote’ Selosse was the head coach. Gabriel Castro Rivera, known for the ‘Los Indios de mi Pueblo’ program, was a co-ownwer along with William Navas and Mario Quintero. Between 1958 and 1971 Mayagüez entered its first hiatus as a franchise, returning to the league in 1972.
By that year, the team owners were, Segismundo López and Enrique ‘Chino’ Vázquez Báez, the team played in the gymnasium/coliseum of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (RUM) until 1980. The 1972 roster included such legendary figures as Eugenio ‘Geño’ Borrero (72-79), John Burgos, José ‘Cheo’ Mangual (72-77 and 79-83) and ponceño Tomas ‘Guabina’ Gutiérrez. In 1973 Andrés ‘Conga’ Cepeda (73-80), ‘Piro’ Cabrera and Jack Allison arrived. The 1974 roster included Víctor Secuola and Ralph Menar and in 1975 José (Joe) Pacheco, was the best scorer of the team equipo with 18PPG. Pacheco only played for Mayagüez that year (beforehand he hap played for the Ponce Lions, Caguas and the Bayamón Cowboys). In 1976, Alex Vega, Cesar Fantauzzi (76-77), Elket Forbes (76,77,81) and Diego Meléndez (76, 81 y 82 with Mayagüez) arrived and took the quintet's offense along with Menar. Yamil Brunet (76-77) was there for two seasons and Alex Vega (76-82) played with Mayagüez for seven seasons.
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