CARACAS (Venezuela) - Venezuela's youth national team leaders have a major reason to be excited about the new year as the country will be playing at both the FIBA U16 AmeriCup and FIBA U16 Women's AmeriCup for the first time since 2017.
That came after a historic 2024 as Venezuela won the title at both the FIBA U15 South American Championship 2024 and FIBA U15 South American Women's Championship 2024 - the first time the country did the U15 regional double.
Venezuela won the U15 men's tournament in Ecuador for the fourth time but first time since 2003. Those in the know in the country remember that 2003 team well as it featured Greivis Vasquez, David Cubillan, Nestor Colmenares and Luis Valera - a group that turned into a major core of the senior national team.
Julio Vasquez took home the Most Valuable Player award after averaging 16.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists, including 15 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists in the 64-58 victory over Brazil in the Final. The win over the 10-time champions Brazil came four days after Venezuela lost to Brazil 73-52 in the group stage.
"I think our key victory was the game against Chile, as it inspired us to move forward in the tournament since we had just lost to Brazil. And winning the next day gave us a lot of strength to have for that ‘rematch’ in the Final," said Vasquez, who scored 27 points against Chile in the game after the Brazil loss.
Venezuela added the U15 crown to their trophies from 1986, 1998 and 2003. This was the first time in 14 editions that neither Argentina nor Brazil had won the event - which is the qualifier for the FIBA U16 AmeriCup.
On the women's U15 side, Venezuela finally broke through for their first ever U15 continental crown after finishing second four times - 2006, 2012, 2014 and 2016. Venezuela, who were hosting the event in Barquisimeto, lost to Colombia 64-57 in the group stage and then after beating reigning champions and seven-time winners Argentina 74-70 in the Semi-Finals got a chance for revenge against Colombia in the Final.
Albanys Ramirez collected 24 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in a 72-59 victory over Colombia and Venezuela will now return to the FIBA U16 Women's AmeriCup for the first time since 2017.
"The experience of playing in front of your audience, in Barquisimeto, is something indescribable. It is something that you only feel when you are actually there, playing, because you are enjoying it. And, winning the tournament meant everything for us," said Ramirez, who took home MVP honors as she averaged 18.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists. "I say us because it includes the coaching staff and all of us who invested the time in getting this result. This was really worth it."
The titles were all the more impressive considering Venezuela did not participate in either U15 South American event in 2022.
Winning South American championships in both male and female is first of all a source of pride
"Winning South American championships in both male and female is first of all a source of pride and second, it is something that will be remembered in the history of my country," the U15 men's MVP Vazquez said.
"The main reasons we achieved those two titles are the effort, hard work, dedication of not only us the players but also the coaching staff and the Venezuelan Basketball Federation. All that joint work resulted in those two titles."
Former Venezuela veteran star Ivaney Marquez, who played for the women's national team from 1999 to 2023, spoke about how important the result was for the women's side.
"This historic triumph for our selection confirms the work that has been done with the formative categories, and motivates us to continue working in a planned way, to continue growing as a national squad," she said. "It is also important to highlight that we are seeing the new generation that we know has talent but we must have continuity in the work to continue achieving objectives."
The 41-year-old Marquez serves as a general manager of the country's women's teams.
"Venezuelan women's basketball is at a time where this goal of our U15 national team is due to the work that has been done since a couple of years ago with tournaments such as the Junior Super League, that has allowed us to see new talents. It also has allowed us to see the shortcomings we have in our formative categories," she said.
"As for the higher category, the professional side in our country, we know that a league that is consolidated over time is necessary, so that our athletes can have a run of games and that they can reach the shortlist for training camp on the senior women’s national team with a good physical and mental shape.
"I know that all this requires investment but I also recognize the efforts that the FVB makes to make adjustments so that our basketball grows and these objectives are achieved."
And the country can very much look forward to an exciting 2025 at the U16 AmeriCups.
FIBA