Ventspils dethrone Barons/LMT

Ventspils held off Barons/LMT in a dramatic seventh game of the LBL Final to claim the title. Ventspils needed two years to return the trophy after they defeated Barons for the golden medals in 2006. The decisive seventh game turned into an exciting battle of two best teams in Latvia.
Barons/LMT opened the game with two points from Vilums Ugis but Ventspils quickly answered. Warren Carter (206-F-85, college: Illinois) nailed 4 points in a 6:0 run as the hosts took the lead. The teams traded baskets before Mareks Jurevicus (198-G/F-85) secured a 22:18 lead at the first intermission. Janis Strelnieks gave the hosts a 6-point advantage early in the second frame. Barons/LMT replied with a 7:0 rally to regain the lead. Martins Skirmants and Martins Kravcenko (190-G-85, agency: Interperformances) stretched the gap to 7 points soon. Martins Jurevicus capped the first half with a three-pointer as Ventspils trailed 31:36 into the major break.
The lead changed hands for several time throughout the third quarter as the pressure mounted. Todd Abernethy (185-G-84, college: Mississippi) completed the third quarter with a bucket to tie things at 51. Ronalds Zakis and Warren Carter provided the home team with a 55:52 advantage midway through the final term. The teams kept it scoreless for more than two minutes before Pavels Veselovs stretched the margin at 5 points 57:52. But Todd Abernethy helped the visitors to save the game in regulation. Barons/LMT used the last-breath effort to force the extra period drawing things level at 64 after forty minutes of action. But Ventspils did not allow the visitors to celebrate. Akselis Vairogs (195-F-85) came up with some vital buckets in overtime to propel Ventspils to the triumph.