FIBA AMERICAS LEAGUE – MVP Kammerichs fires Regatas to Final Four glory

XALAPA (FIBA Americas League) - Regatas Corrientes are enjoying one of the finest moments in their history after beating Capitanes de Arecibo on Sunday to win the FIBA Americas League.

Regatas lifted the trophy after taking two wins in their three games, including the title-clinching 89-73 triumph over Capitanes de Arecibo.

Argentina international Federico Kammerichs poured in a game-high 23 points against Capitanes and was voted MVP of the Final Four.

Kammerichs, 30, had been waiting a long time for such a moment.

"When I returned to Corrientes, after my years in Europe, I always dreamed of this moment," he said.

"I wanted to be champion for the club because to me, Regatas is Corrientes.

"Now the title here in Xalapa, Mexico, far from our country and our friends, gives me great emotion and happiness because I want to share this with all Regatas, I mean with all Corrientes."

The forward spent several seasons in Spain, playing with Valencia from 2002-05 and then turning out for Akasvayu Girona (2005-06), Bruesa GBC (2006-07) and Polaris World Murcia (2007-08).

He was on the Argentina teams that captured a bronze medal at 2008 Olympics and finished fifth at the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

The triumph means that Argentinian teams have won three of the four FIBA Americas League crowns.

Penarol Mar del Plata, coached by former Argentina national team boss Sergio Hernandez, won the event in the inaugural season of 2007-08 and also 2009-10, while the Brazilians Universo/BRB lifted the trophy in the 2008-09 campaign.

Regatas began the 2010-11 Final Four with an 81-72 triumph over hosts Halcones UV Xalapa, a game in which Kammerichs had 18 points and a game-high 19 rebounds.

Ramzee Stanton weighed in with 17 points for Regatas in that success and Eduardo Villares contributed 15.

Xalapa's Lou Roe led all scorers in that contest with 23 points.

Also on Friday, Capitanes  got 20 points and nine rebounds from Danilo Pinnock in a 70-68 victory  over Halcones Rojos of Veracruz.

Rojos then hit back and beat Regatas on Saturday, but only by a 74-70 margin.

The victory would have been greater had Rojos shot better at the line but they made just 15 of 25.

Regatas lost that contest despite out-rebounding the Veracruz team 46-33, with Lee Benson scoring 10 points and pulling down 13 boards in defeat.

Capitanes then took the inside track to the title with a 75-67 win over hosts Xalapa.

Larry Ayuso, the Puerto Rico international guard, made five of nine shots from the arc in that victory and finished with 24 points to lead all scorers.

On Sunday, Regatas' victory over Capitanes left both sides with 2-1 records.

The Argentinians claimed the trophy because of the head-to-head victory.

Xalapa won the second game over Halcones Rojos 87-81 on Sunday night for their first success, which was good enough to claim third place.

Roe's 17 points and 10 rebounds led Xalapa while Panama international Jaime Lloreda ended up with 27 points and 10 boards in defeat for Rojos.

FIBA