Marinos de Anzoátegui 86 – 84 Spartans Distrito Capital

In a thrilling contest that went down to the final possession, Marinos de Anzoátegui edged out Spartans Distrito Capital 86-84 in the Liga Profesional de Baloncesto on May 22, 2026. The home crowd at the Gimnasio Luis Ramos witnessed a back-and-forth battle where both teams traded leads until the last second. The narrow victory kept Marinos in the hunt for a top playoff seed, while Spartans suffered a painful defeat despite a resilient performance.

Match Overview

From the opening tip, the intensity was palpable. Spartans Distrito Capital came out firing, establishing a 10-point lead midway through the second quarter behind sharp outside shooting and aggressive transition offense. However, Marinos responded with a 14-2 run before halftime, trimming the deficit to just three points going into the locker room (46-43 to Spartans).

The second half saw Marinos seize control, using their size advantage in the paint and forcing turnovers with a full-court press. By the end of the third quarter, the home team had built a 69-62 lead. But Spartans refused to fold, launching a furious fourth-quarter rally that tied the game at 84-84 with 30 seconds remaining.

Key Moments

• Clutch free throws: With 8.4 seconds left, Marinos guard Jesús “Chucho” Rodríguez calmly sank two free throws to put his team up 86-84.
• Missed opportunity: Spartans had a chance to win at the buzzer, but a contested three-point attempt by forward Luis Betancourt rimmed out, sparking celebration from the home bench.
• Defensive stand: Marinos center Marcos Díaz blocked a layup attempt by Spartans’ leading scorer Anthony Pérez with 1:12 left, preserving the two-point margin.

Tactical Story

The game hinged on tempo and rebounding. Marinos dominated the boards (46-35 rebound advantage), converting 14 second-chance points. Spartans relied more on perimeter shooting, hitting 11 three-pointers compared to Marinos’ 7, but they struggled to contain dribble penetration in the half-court. Marinos’ zone defense in the third quarter disrupted Spartans’ rhythm, forcing five turnovers that led to fast-break points.

Standout Players

• Marinos de Anzoátegui: Jesús Rodríguez led all scorers with 24 points (8-of-16 FG, 4-of-6 FT) and added 5 assists. Forward Edwin Moya contributed a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
• Spartans Distrito Capital: Anthony Pérez poured in 22 points (9-of-19 FG) but was limited to just 2 rebounds. Point guard Carlos Briceño had 10 assists to go with 8 points.

Standings Impact

With the win, Marinos improved to 18-12 on the season, solidifying fourth place in the LPB standings as the regular season enters its final stretch. The defeat dropped Spartans to 16-14, placing them in a tight race for the sixth playoff spot. Both teams will look to build on this intense encounter when they meet again in the regular-season finale next month.