Venezuela's U18 basketball team bows out of Americup after loss to Dominican Republic

The Venezuelan U18 national basketball team has been eliminated from the Americup after suffering a narrow 74-68 defeat against the Dominican Republic. This loss marked Venezuela's third consecutive defeat in the tournament, securing their last-place finish in the group.

Venezuela started strong, closing the first quarter with a 22-18 lead. However, their offense faltered significantly in the second period, where they managed only eight points. This scoring drought allowed the Dominican Republic to take a slim 32-30 lead by halftime.

In the second half, the Dominican Republic's offense found its rhythm, outscoring Venezuela 23-17 in the third quarter to extend their lead to 55-47. Despite a late surge in the final quarter where Venezuela briefly regained the advantage, the Dominican Republic's consistent three-point shooting proved decisive in the closing minutes.

Kevin Gutiérrez was the standout performer for Venezuela, pouring in 25 points and grabbing eight rebounds. For the Dominican Republic, Marlon Martínez was the leading scorer with 27 points, complemented by Enmanuel Valera's 11 rebounds.