Flamengo is the champion of the South American League for Clubs:
SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO (South American League for Clubs) - Flamengo Petrobras Rio de Janeiro won their first championship in the South American League for Clubs by beating Asociacion Quimsa Santiago del Estero by the score of 98-96 in the final game of the competition.

An excellent job by shooter Marcelinho Machado (199-F/G-75, agency: Interperformances) was key in the win by scoring 41 points, 30 of them in the first half. In 40 minutes played the star of Flamengo shot 10-12 from three point range and 11-16 from the free throw line. The 33 year old player was named the MVP of the tournament.

The game was tough and intense from start to finish where Flamengo depended on the offense of Marcelinho in the first half while Quimsa was consistent with their great team game and using their figures on the paint to put some key players in foul trouble, among them was Baby Araujo (211-C-80, college: BYU)..

Flamengo started the game scoring from three point range to take the lead early and a basket by Baby Araujo gave the Brazilians an 11-6 lead with seven minutes left. The host team made their adjustments on defense to force turnovers and score. The Argentinean team made a 12-0 run to take an 18-11 advantage. The lead continued increasing until they were up by ten points (30-20) but Marcelinho made five straight points to leave the first quarter 30-25.

Both teams continued to fight for the lead until a three pointer by Marcelinho gaave the Brazilians a 42-40 advantage and finished the first half up 49-48 after a couple of free throws with just seconds left. Marcelinho had 30 points, shooting 10-8 from three and 6-6 from the free throw line at halftime. Julio Mazzaro (190-G-79) led Quimsa with 12 points.

In the third quarter Flamengo stopped depending on Marcelinho and Helio along with Jefferson were scoring to keep them on top. Vanderson along with Gabriel Mikulas (201-F-80, agency: Interperformances, college: E.Carolina) didn't allow that the Brazilian to go too far and the first 30 minutes finished 72-68 in favor of the visitors.

In the final quarter Flamengo made a 7-0 run finishing with a three pointer by Duda Machado to take a 82-71 lead with 6:57 but Vanderson along with Jonatan Treise, Ramel Allen and Gabriel Mikulas helped Quimsa come back in the score.

A three pointer by Treise gave Quimsa a 94-92 lead with 1:39 left but Marcelinho answered quickly to regain the advantage. The last tie was at 96 after free throws by Mikulas but Duda made 2-4 from the line to leave the final score. Quimsa had an opportunity to tie but was missed by Mazzaro.

In the loss Vanderson Camargos scored 25 points, Julio Mzzaro 20 and Gabriel Mikulas 17
Source : FIBAAMERICAS

Liga-Sudamericana Round: 3 (Finals) - Mar. 13, 2009
Regatas C. - Canoneros 86-92
Colombian Canoneros clinched the third overall spot in Liga Sudamericana as they overcame Regatas Corrientes in the final game. Edgar Moreno (191-G-81, agency: Paris Global Sports, college: UTEP) scored 22 points, issued 7 assists and pulled down 6 rebounds to lead the charge. Curtis Williams added 18 points and 8 boards for the winners. Federico Kammerichs responded with 27 points and 16 boards for Regatas.

Quimsa - Flamengo 96-98
Marcelinho Machado (199-F/G-75, agency: Interperformances) exploded with impressive 41 points to lead Flamengo to their first ever Liga Sudamericana title. Flamengo narrowly defeated Quimsa in a dramatic final game to grab the title. Helio Vitor Lima and Duda Machado added 15 points apiece in the win. Quimsa fought bravely but were not rescued by 25 points from Wanderson Trigueiro. Julio Mazzaro finished with 20 points as Quimsa claimed the second overall spot.

Liga-Sudamericana Round: 2 (Finals) - Mar. 12, 2009
Canoneros - Flamengo 82-115
Flamengo made another step towards the Liga Sudamericana title as they trounced Canoneros. Baby Araujo (211-C-80, college: BYU) scored 26 points and pulled down 9 rebounds to lead Flamengo. Duda Machado added 23 points for the winners that would fight for the title with Quimsa. Monty Wilson came up with 21 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists for Canoneros.

Regatas C. - Quimsa 72-104
Quimsa coasted past Regatas Corrientes to set up a mouth-watering title decider with Flamengo. Jonathan Treise (182-G-85) scored 19 points, while Juan Manuel Torres added 18 to lead Quimsa to the second straight win in the Final round of the tournament. Sebastian Acosta responded with 16 points for Regatas as they dropped the second in a row and lost a chance to defend the title.

Liga-Sudamericana Round: 1 (Finals) - Mar. 11, 2009
Flamengo - Regatas C. 92-72
Flamengo stunned the Liga Sudamericana reigning champions Regatas Corrientes to open the final round of the tournament. Marcelinho Machado (199-F/G-75, agency: Interperformances) accounted for 25 points and 5 assists to lead Flamengo. Helio Vitor Lima produced 19 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in the victory. Mariano Fierro responded with 16 points for Regatas.

Quimsa - Canoneros 93-85
Quimsa opened the final round of Liga Sudamericana with a tough win over Canoneros. Julio Mazzaro (190-G-79) poured in 28 points to lead the Argentinean team. Jonathan Treise and Gabriel Mikulas provided 19 points each in the victory. Jermaine Walker answered with 22 points and 6 rebounds for Canoneros.

Liga-Sudamericana Round: 6 (Regular Season) - Feb. 27, 2009
La Salle UPB - Regatas C. 60-93
Regatas Corrientes reached the Final Four of the Liga Sudamericana after they crushed La Salle in Group B. Durelle Brown (202-F-79, agency: Interperformances, college: Manhattan) netted 21 points and grabbed 8 rebounds to lead the charge. Damian Pineda added 18 points in the winning case. John Thomas fired 27 points and collected 10 rebounds to lead La Salle.

Quimsa - Pitagoras/Minas 96-90
Quimsa completed their Liga Sudamericana Group B campaign undefeated as they held off Minas in the third round. Gabriel Mikulas (201-F-80, agency: Interperformances, college: E.Carolina) notched 22 points, 10 boards and 7 assists to pace Quimsa. Jonathan Treise contributed 19 points for the winners. Murilo da Rosa finished with 20 points and 6 rebounds as Minas failed to advance from the pool.

Liga-Sudamericana Round: 5 (Regular Season) - Feb. 26, 2009
Pitagoras/Minas - La Salle UPB 110-67
Pitagoras/Minas knocked down La Salle to improve at 1-1 record in Group B of Liga Sudamericana. Evandro Soro (190-G-80) notched 32 points to lead the charge for Minas. Joseph Shipp added 16 points, while Murilo da Rosa had 14 as Brazilian team stayed in the race for the tournament's Final Four appearance. John Thomas answered with 27 points for La Salle as they slipped at 0-2 record.

Regatas C. - Quimsa 91-96
Quimsa secured the second straight win in Liga Sudamericana as they held off their archrivals Regatas Corrientes. Gabriel Mikulas (201-F-80, agency: Interperformances, college: E.Carolina) stepped up with 21 points and 10 boards for Quimsa. Julio Mazzaro (186-G-79) added 23 points, while Jonathan Treise finished with 20 points in the win. Sebastian Acosta topscored with 24 points for the tournament's defending champions.

Regatas and Quimsa take wins in Liga Sudamericana Group B - Feb. 25, 2009
Argentinean Regatas that looked forward to defend their Liga Sudamericana title tipped off the 2009 campaign yesterday. They faced tough opponents Minas from Brazil in Group B opener. The game turned into a real basketball drama that needed two overtimes before coming up with the conclusion.
Regatas looked better in the first frame due to Damian Tintorelli (202-C-81, agency: Players Group) as he nailed 7 points to put the Argentinean team ahead 28:23. But it all went wrong for the reigning champions in the second term. Minas took over and cruised 28:12 to pile up a 51:40 advantage at halftime. Minas kept their opponents at bay throughout the third stanza enjoying an 11-point lead with one quarter to go. But Regatas came back from behind in the final term and forced overtime after two free throws from Luis Cequeira (180-G-85) in the dying seconds.
The teams kept it close in the first overtime and after Joseph Shipp missed a three-pointer they had to go extra mile for the second time. However Federico Kammerichs (203-F-80), Durelle Brown (202-F-79, agency: Interperformances, college: Manhattan) and Sebastian Acosta (178-G-82) all delivered in a 10:0 run from Regatas in the second overtime that doomed Minas. Luis Cequiera came up with 26 points to lead Regatas. Sebastian Acosta added 13 points, while Federico Kammerichs had 12 points and 10 boards for the winners. Murilo da Rosa (208-C-83, agency: Arik Krayn Services) responded with 21 points and 10 boards for Minas. Evandro Soro (190-G-80) had 16 points in defeat.
Regatas will next take on Quimsa, while Minas will test Bolivian La Salle.

Argentinean Quimsa opened their Liga Sudamericana campaign with a comfortable win over Bolivian La Salle in Group B. The groups action is taking place in Santiago Del Estero so Quimsa was well-supported by the fans. Jonathan Treise (186-G-85) knocked down 8 points in the opening frame to help Quimsa to the quick start. The hosts outgunned La Salle 25:16 to enter the second period with confidence. The Bolivian team managed just 10 points in the second frame allowing Quimsa to clear off to a massive 28-point advantage at halftime. La Sale adjusted their offense in the third frame as they scored 22 points however their defense still demanded improvement. Quimsa accounted for 26 points and finished the third frame ahead by insurmountable 33 points. La Salle collapsed in the final quarter scoring only 8 points and suffering a hurting loss at the end.
Wanderson Trigueiro (203-F/C-81) had 18 points to lead Quimsa. Julio Mazzaro (186-G-79) contributed 15 points, while Jonathan Treise and Juan Manuel Torres (208-C-84) had 12 points apiece in the win. John A. Thomas (198-G/F-82, agency: DR. Carlos Sifuentes, college: Columbus St.) answered with 18 points and 6 rebounds for La Salle. Antonio Galarza (191-F-83) dropped 16 points in defeat. Quimsa outrebounded their opponents 34:26 and forced them into as many as 23 turnovers. Quimsa will take on Regatas Corrientes next. La Salle will try to rebound against Brazilian Minas in the second round.

Regatas - Minas 113:102 (2OT)
Regatas: Luis Cequeira 26, Sebastian Acosta 13, Federico Kammerichs 12+10 boards
Minas: Murilo da Rosa 21+10 boards, Evandro Soro 16

Quimsa - La Salle 97:56
Quimsa: Wanderson Trigueiro 18, Julio Mazzaro 15, Jonathan Treise 12, Juan Manuel Torres 12
La Salle: John A. Thomas 18, Antonio Galarza 16

Flamengo and Canoneros advance from Group A - Feb. 20, 2009
Colombian Canoneros ensured the Liga Sudamericana Final Four birth after they narrowly outscored previously undefeated Flamengo. Canoneros faced a must-win battle after Cocodrilos claimed the victory earlier in the day and the hosts threw all they had to reach the aim.
The first quarter was a tie game with neither side taking off. The sides were level at 23 after ten minutes of action. However soon Marcelinho Machado (199-F/G-75, agency: Interperformances) took the floor. He ignited the rally from the visitors that put them up by 10 points. But Canoneros cut the distance to trail by just 4 points at halftime. Monty Wilson (197-F-73, agency: Edge Sports, college: Tennessee St.) kept Cucuta in the visibility throughout the third frame as they trailed by the same 4 points with one quarter to go. It all came down to the final seconds. Canoneros were more consistent from free throw line taking an 83:81 lead. Helio Vitor Lima converted a freebie to get Flamengo closer. However Baby Araujo missed two free throws and Helio Vit Lima came up short with a three-pointer to seal the winning outcome for Canoneros.
Eduardo Torres (195-F-81, agency: DR. Carlos Sifuentes) came up with 24 points and 8 rebounds to lead Canoneros. Edgar Moreno (191-G-81, agency: Paris Global Sports, college: UTEP) contributed 21 points, 6 boards and 6 assists for the Colombian team. Marcelinho Machado finished with game-high 26 points for Flamengo. Jefferson Antonio (207-F/C-83) had 17 points in defeat.
Meanwhile Venezuelan Cocodrilos completed their Liga Sudamericana campaign in style crashing Argentinean Obras. Both teams were left outside the Final Four stage however. Elisma once again stepped up for Cocodrilos as he was dominant force in this one. He scored 10 points in the starting frame as Cocodrilos cleared off to a 25:19 distance. Obras found no easy shots in the second period all of a sudden and managed just 11 points to aggravate their situation. The Venezuelan team piled up a comfortable 14-point cushion at halftime. Obras woes continued in the second half. They looked inconsistent offensively and Cocodrilos easily kept them at arms length. The gap grew at as many as 17 points after three quarters of action. Obras had no answer for the onslaught and surrendered at the end. Juan Herrera (197-F-81, agency: DR. Carlos Sifuentes) finished with 20 points to lead Cocodrilos. Henry Paez (184-G-70) added 19 points, while Luis Bethelmy (200-C-86, agency: DR. Carlos Sifuentes) contributed 18 points for the winners. Tyler Field (206-F/C-78, college: San Diego) responded with 15 points and 9 boards for Obras. Gabriel Cocha (194-G-71) secured 13 points in defeat.
Cocodrilos had a chance of reaching the Final Four but Cucuta-Norte grabbed the victory against Flamengo and both Brazilian and Colombian teams advanced into the next round.


Canoneros - Flamengo 83:82
Canoneros: Eduardo Torres 24, Edgar Moreno 21, Monty Wilson 19
Flamengo: Marcelinho Machado 26, Jefferson Antonio 17

Cocodrilos - Obras 95:71
Cocodrilos: Juan Herrera 20, Henry Paez 19, Luis Bethelmy 18
Obras: Tyler Field 15, Gabriel Cocha 13 

Domine joins Quimsa - Feb. 20, 2009
Asociacion Quimsa announced that agreed in terms with veteran shooting guard Eduardo Domine (185-G-68). Eduardo will only play in Liga Sudamericana. Coach Carlos Romano asked for him. Eduardo played in liga A from 1991 to 2005. He also played in Argentinian national team in the 1994 world championship. Quimsa will host the group B of Liga sudamericana next week. The rest of the teams of the group are: Regatas Corrientes, La Salle and Minas TC.

Flamengo and Cucuta-Norte victorious on Day 2 - Feb. 19, 2009
Brazilian powerhouse Flamengo ensured the second consecutive win in the Liga Sudamericana yesterday. They defeated Argentinean Obras in a hard-fought battle to stay on top of Group A. Obras fell at 1-1 record and would face a decisive game against Venezuelan Cocodrilos.
Obras were the first to surge ahead as they led 8:4 early in the game. However an inspirational performance from Baby Araujo (211-C-80, college: BYU) allowed Flamengo to take the lead. The Brazilian team accounted for 29 points in the opening frame and enjoyed a 29:23 advantage after the first stanza. Flamengo tightened their defense in the second period and it resulted in Obras scoring only 10 points in the term. Flamengo thus piled up a comfortable 17-point advantage at halftime. But the Argentinean team refused to surrender. They did not let Flamengo run away in the third stanza trailing by 16 points heading into the final quarter. Obras went on a desperate comeback rally midway through the fourth term as they trimmed the distance to just 3 points 80:83. However Fred Santos (180-G-80) and Fernando Martins (199-F-80) secured key free throws at the death to win the game for Flamengo.
Marcelinho Machado (199-F/G-75, agency: Interperformances) came up with 23 points and 12 boards in the win. Baby Araujo added 17 points and 4 boards for Flamengo. Fernando Titarelli (183-G-82) responded with 18 points for Obras. Fernando Martina (202-F/C-81) and Daniel Chaher had 16 points each in the loss.
In the meantime hosting Cucuta-Norte stayed alive in the race for one of two available tickets into the tournaments Final Four. The Colombian team prevailed against Cocodrilos 74:64 to improve at 1-1 record. Cucuta-Norte will face Flamengo in the third round of action. Edgar Moreno (191-G-81, agency: Paris Global Sports, college: UTEP) fired game-high 28 points to lead Canoneros to the initial win. The hosts trailed by three points after the starting stanza but managed to get back into the game through outstanding performances from Edgar Moreno and Eduardo Torres (195-F-81, agency: DR. Carlos Sifuentes). Canoneros built an 18-point lead before the final stanza and cruised to the win at the end. Eduardo Torres knocked down 21 points for Canoneros. Jesus Centeno (190-G-85) answered with 18 points for Cocodrilos as they suffered the second loss in a row.

Obras defeat Cucuta in three-overtime marathon - Feb. 18, 2009
Cucuta-Norte - Obras 103:106 (3OT)

Argentinean Obras Sanitarias claimed a dramatic three-overtime victory in their Liga Sudamericana opener in Group A. Obras held off ambitious Colombian Cucuta-Norte who hosted the game. Cucuta marked their ambitions in the opening term as they looked confident enough. Enielsen Guevara (204-F/C-82) nailed 8 points in the starting frame and Cucuta grabbed a 16:15 lead after ten minutes. The lead changed hands for several times in the second period before Obras finally set it at 42:39 at halftime. But once again Cucuta-Norte did not wait for too long to surge back in charge. The hosts raced in front and built a 58:51 lead midway through the third period. But Obras cut the distance and trailed by just 3 points with one quarter remaining. Lazaro Borrell (202-F-72, agency: Interperformances) put Obras up late in regulation but Eduardo Torres (195-F-81, agency: DR. Carlos Sifuentes) drew things level and forced the first overtime in this one. Cucuta-Norte led throughout the first extra period but free throw from Fernando Titarelli (183-G-82) sealed the outcome at 86 apiece after 45 minutes of action. The home team led once again late in the second extra frame but this time it was Gabriel Cocha (194-G-71) who stepped up for Obras and sent teams into the third overtime. This time Obras grabbed the initiative and won the game from the charity stripe in the dying seconds.
Gabriel Cocha topscored with 30 points for Obras. Lazaro Borrell added 23 points, while Tyler Field (206-F/C-78, college: San Diego) had 15 points for the winners. Enielsen Guevara managed 29 points for Cucuta-Norte. Eduardo Torres contributed 23 points in defeat.
Obras will now take on Flamengo, while Cucuta will try to rebound against Venezuelan Cocodrilos later tonight.

Cucuta-Norte: Enielsen Guevara 29, Eduardo Torres 23
Obras: Gabriel Cocha 30, Lazaro Borrell 23, Tyler Field 15

Flamengo beat Cocodrilos at the start of Liga Sudamericana - Feb. 18, 2009
Flamengo - Cocodrilos 105:80

Brazilian Flamengo got to a winning start of their Liga Sudamericana campaign. Yesterday they defeated Venezuelan Cocodrilos 105:80 to take the lead in Group A. The teams looked aggressive right from the start. Cocodrilos accumulated a 20:15 lead late in the starting frame. But baskets from Jefferson Antonio (207-F/C-83) and Helio Vitor Lima (184-G-81) allowed Flamengo to draw things level at 24 at the end of the period. Flamengo however improved their defense in the second term and Marcelinho Machado (199-F/G-75, agency: Interperformances) found his rhythm. The shots started to drop for the Brazilian team as they ran away to a 15-point distance late in the half. However the Venezuelan team capped the frame with 5 straight points to trail 42:52 at halftime.
The teams slowed down in the third frame as defense worked hard for both teams. Flamengo won the quarter by a single point but it was still worth an 11-point buffer before the fourth stanza. Cocodrilos made the last final comeback effort when the clipped the distance to 8 points midway through the final term. But eight straight points from Flamengo sealed the outcome.
Marcelinho Machado dropped 24 points to lead the charge. Jefferson Antonio added 21 points and 7 rebounds for the winners. Eddie Elisma (205-F/C-75, college: Georgia Tech) answered with 23 points for Cocodrilos. Luis Bethelmy (200-C-86, agency: DR. Carlos Sifuentes) had 15 points and 8 rebounds in the loss. Flamengo will take on Obras, while Cocodrilos will face hosting Cucuta-Norte next.

Flamengo: Marcelinho Machado 24, Jefferson Antonio 21, Duda Machado (197-F/G-82) 16
Cocodrilos: Eddie Elisma 23, Luis Bethelmy 15

South American League for Clubs begins today:  - Feb. 17, 2009
CUCUTA (South American League for Clubs) - The 13 edition of the South American League for Clubs begins today with group A to be played in Cucuta, Norte de Santander, Colombia. The participating clubs are Canoneros Norte De Cucuta, Obras Sanitarias Buenos Aires (Argentina), Flamengo Petrobras Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Cocodrilos de Caracas (Venezuela).

Canoneros Norte De Cucuta won the Colombian Basketball Federation Invitational Cup led by Edgard Moreno and Monty Wilson. Both players return to the roster that also includes key figures like Herberth Bayona, Enielsen Guevara, Norbey Aragn, Curtis Williams, Jhon Jairo Hernndez, Eleuterio Renteira, Eduardo Torres, Juan Mrquez, Alvaro Contreras and Julio Ordoez. The head coach is Toms Daz Prez who replaces Puerto Rican coach Julio Toro.

Despite being out of international competition for two decades, Obras Sanitarias Buenos Aires has a rich history being the only team from Argentina to win a World Club Championship. The team from Buenos Aires won the 1983 William Jones Intercontinental Cup by beating Italian club Jollycolombani Cant.

Obras qualified for this tournament after being the runner up in the Super 8 Tournament held in their court. The team from Buenos Aires fell to Regatas Corrientes who is the defending champion of the South American League for Clubs.

The team is coached by Carlos Duro who has multiples titles in international competitions. The roster includes Lzaro Borrell Hernndez, Omar Cantn, Daniel Hernn Chaher, Gabriel Eduardo Cocha, Cristian Gabriel Corts, Tyler Thomas Field, Fernando Martina, Erron James Maxey, Sergio Ariel Ravina, Patricio Luis Rodrguez and Fernando Ariel Titarelli.

Flamengo Petrobras Rio de Janeiro is one of the most powerful teams in Brazil and was the runner up in the 2008 South American League for Clubs. The Brazilian champion has many key players from the national team including Marcelinho Machado and former NBA center Rafael 'Baby' Araujo. The other players in the roster are Duda Machado, Helio da Costa Lima, Fernando Martins Alvim, Frederico Lima, Wagner Carvalho, Rafael Paulo de Lara, Jefferson Andrade, Fernando Coloneze, Daniel Fonseca, Marcellus Sarmento and Julio Cesar Pereira.

During the 2008/2009 edition of the FIBA Americas League Flamengo finished in second place of Group C because of Goal Average to the later crowned champion, Universo/BRB.

Cocodrilos de Caracas enter this tournament as champions of the Venezuelan Professional League. The team coached by Nestor Salazar has imports Kevin Freeman and Eddie Elisma, both with experience in Venezuelan and International competitions. Juan Herrera Keving Palacios, Kenji Urdaneta, Windi Graterol, Luis Bethelmy, Jess Centeno, Vladimir Saavedra, Henry Pez, Boris Urbina and Derson Santos complete the rosters.

The first day of group A has Flamengo against Cocodrilos at 18:45 local time and then at 20:45 Obras Sanitarias Buenos Aires play the host Cucuta-Norte. The first phase of this group ends on February 19. The live stats will be available on www.fibaamericas.com.

Group B will be played from February 24-26 in Santiago del Estero, Argentina where the participants are Quimsa, Regatas Corrientes (defending champion), La Salle (Bolivia) and Minas Tenis (Brazil). The two best teams per group enter the final to be played from March 10-12 in a country to be determined later.

The winner of the 2009 South American League for Clubs qualifies for the 2009/2010 FIBA Americas League. One of the attractions in the 2009/2010 FIBA Americas League is two berths in the 2010 FIBA World Club Championship.

Courtesy of fibaamericas