Marino de Anzoátegui wins Venezuelan LPB

The Venezuelan LPB finals series may have gone to the decisive game, but in the end Marinos de Anzoátegui cruised to a Game 7 win to take the title. A 95-81 win over Trotamundos de Carabobo was enough to give Marinos its 10th LPB title and the first since 2012’s success. The players took advantage of being at home to record an easy victory thanks to a comfortable second half.

Marinos de Anzoátegui vs. Trotamundos de Carabobo, 95-81
Trotamundos got off to the better start and controlled the early proceedings, taking the first six points of the game. The hosts took the lead for the first time after 7 minutes and led as the quarter drew to a close. However, errors from both teams made it a scrappy first 10 minutes on court, and at the first break Carabobo had recaptured the lead at 19-20.

The visitors started brightly in the second frame too, opening a gap of seven points to silence the crowd inside the arena. Ivan Déniz called a Marinos time out and refocused his players. The response was a better middle of the quarter in which the home team once again secured the lead, powering to 33-31 with just over four minutes left in the first half. Torin Francis and Aaron Harper started controlling the game for Marinos and the hosts cut the threat of Trotamundos power forward Jack Martinez, who had been working well in the paint. As the half time buzzer sounded the score was 43-37 in favour of Anzoátegui.

Martinez regained his touch at the start of the third as Trotamundos once again started a frame as the better team. Aided by Robert Glenn, the visitors pushed over the first five minutes of the stanza to tie the game at 52 apiece. However, the home team responded by reeling off a 9-2 run to retake command of the game at 61-54. Marino de Anzoátegui finished the third quarter in style and outpaced the away team 15-5 to hold a 67-57 lead with just the fourth period to play.

With a 10 point advantage the home team looked assured during the fourth quarter as the party atmosphere quietly built throughout the 10 minutes. Marinos stayed in control to see out the game and win the title.

Aaron Harper was inspirational in returning the title to Marinos de Anzoátegui. The American took a double-double of 24 points and 13 rebounds, while Jose Vargas claimed 21 points and German Gabriel 18.

Jack Martinez was the key man in most of the good things for the losing effort and scored 21 points while also snatching 13 boards. David Cubillan followed Martinez with 17 points.