HAVANA, Cuba, March 16, 2005.- The Cuban National League enters its final stretch this Friday with the women’s playoff at the Kid Chocolate Pavilion in Havana, while the men traveled to Santiago de Cuba where the third and final preliminary round will be played.

Camaguey and Havana, at the top of the standings since the beginning, and fairly superior than the sides of Santiago de Cuba and Sancti Spiritus, are ready to stage an attractive show with both teams looking pretty equaled.

Some experts consider the host Havana as the favorite mainly due the consistency showed throughout the event by the best players of the team, like Nancy Carrillo, Rosir Calderon and Rachel Suarez.

Meanwhile, the followers of the girls from Camaguey are confident of the ability of players like Liana Mesa, Natali Grinan, Yanelis Santos and Daimi Ramirez, if the latter has finally recovered of her hand injured.

The best –of- five women’s championship playoff will be stretched until March 22 if goes to the limit. Just before the conclusion of this final round it will be announced the 16 players that will travel to Guatemala on March 23 where a training base is going to be established to define the composition of two national squads. The first team will go to Russia and China and then will come back directly to Dominican Republic for the Pan American Cup, a qualifier for the 2006 World Grand Prix. The second one will compete in the Yeltsin and Montreux Tournaments.

In the men’s side, the National League presents the unbeaten Santiago de Cuba (8-0), who appear determined not to lose its privileged position, while is the last chance for Havana and Santa Clara, both with 4-4 record, but with a better set-average for the former.

The men have also their own preparation program with the sights on the World League: Matches in Argentina and Greece before their debut in Bulgaria with continuation to Italy and France.

Some statistics with only five remaining eliminatory matches:

Women. Standings: Camaguey 8-1 (26-5), Havana 7-2 (23-8), Santiago de Cuba 2-7 (8-24) and Sancti Spíritus 1-8 (6-26).

Top scorers: Rosir Calderón (Hav) 107, Nancy Carrillo (Hav), 105, Kenia Carcacés (Cam) 95, Natalí Grinán (Cam), 85, Liana Mesa (Cam) 75 and Yanelis Santos (Cam),72.

Attack: R. Calderón (80), K. Carcacés (67) and N. Carrillo (62).

Block: Rachel Sánchez (Hav) 25, N. Carrillo (22) and Yeniset González (17).

Serve: N. Carrillo (18), K: Carcacés (18) and Yanelis Santos (14).

Men. Standings: Santiago de Cuba 8-0 (24-8), Havana 4-4 (19-13), Villa Clara 4-4 (16-15), Pinar del Río 3-5 (10-20) and Matanzas 1-7 (8-20).

Scorers: Walter Aguiar (PRío) 160, Joan Llanes (SCU) 101 and Rolando Junquín (SCUB), 92.

Atttack: W. Aguiar (140), J. Llanes (75) and Junquín (74).

Block: Oriol Camejo (Mat), 25, P. Pimienta (SCub), 25 and Ariel Gil (VClara), 20.

Serve: Llanes (18), Aguiar (17) and Yaznier Bécquer, PRio (14).