Venezuelan Basketball All-Star Game

The LPB All-Star Game was an annual basketball event in Venezuela, organised by the LPB. It started in 1974 and it was first organised by the Liga Especial de Baloncesto.

It is the oldest basketball All-Star game event in South America. Former NBA players like Carl Herrera. Rubén Garcés and Óscar Torres have featured in the event.

The All-Star Game was played between the Criollos (Venezuelan players) and Importados (Foreign players) since 1974 and the creation of the Liga Especial de Baloncesto (LEB). In 2013, the Venezuelans recorded their 13th victory, while the Foreigners had won 21 games until then. A different formet based on geographic location was used only twice throughout the years.

The first over time between the two selection was recorded in 2014, with the Importados finally beating the Criollos (137-134). The 2014 edition was the 37th out of 41 seasons and was played in front of 10.000 spectators. The All-Star Game was not played on three occasions: in 1978 due to the Central American Games, in 1983 due to the Pan American Games and in 1992 due conflicts between the LPB league and the Venezuelan Basketball Federation.

The 2010 edition also featured the Future All-Stars Game for players from the newly founded Liga Especial (LEB), a development league (named after the historic Liga Especial, Venezuela's top division between 1974 and 1992). The players were split into two teams, the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference, with the former winning the game with 114-93.

The All-Star Game has also included a slam-dunk contest a three-point shootout and the Skills Challenge that was introduced later. The latter combined free-throws, dribbling and three-point shots.

Bold: Team that won the game.

Source:[1]

• All-Star Game 2000:

DATE: June 2000
VENUE: Gimnacio of the Central University, Caracas
SCORE: Venezuela Criollos – Imports Team 119-125

Venezuela Criollos: Richard Lugo 31, J.C.Espinoza 24, D.Dominguez 13, Carl Herrera 11, Roque Osorio 11

Imports Team: Alvin Sims 29, Ruben Nembhard 21, Darren Henrie 20, L.Booth 11, Andre Riddick 11, Ruben Garces 10

• All-Star Game 2001:

DATE: 22 May 2001
VENUE:
SCORE: Venezuela National Team – Imports Team 103-101

Venezuela National Team: Victor David Diaz (c) 25, Óscar Torres 20, Tomás Aguilera 17, Alex Quiroz 15, Henry Paez 12, Vallenilla 10, Rafael Guevara 4, Vladimir Heredia 4, Ernesto Mijares 3, Hebert Bayona 2, Ruben Pachano 1, Richard Lugo (DNP)

Imports Team: Ronnie Thompkins (c) 33, Anthony Douglas 14, Ryan Hoover 13, Ruben Nembhard 13, Tariq Kirksay 10, Mike Campbell 8, Kerry Blackshear 7, Askia Jones 2, José Vargas, Tim Moore, Rashel Tucker, Fred Williams, Reggie Freeman

• 31st All-Star Game 2004:

DATE:
VENUE: Ginasio Jose Beracas of Naciones Unidas National Park, Caracas
SCORE: Nationals – Imported Stars 144-134

Nationals: Victor David Diaz 40, Ernesto Mijares, Tomás Aguilera, Henry Paez 26, Luis Julio 21 (starters) ;

Imported Stars: Aki Thomas, Ruben Nembhard, Jermaine Walker 22, Ronnie Fields, Sam Clancy Jr. (starters) ; Jack Hartman 20

• 32nd All-Star Game 2009:

DATE:
VENUE: El Limon Colisseum, Maracay
SCORE: Nationals – Imported Stars 110-114

Nationals: Heissler Guillent 18, Amber Marin 18, Richard Lugo 17, José Vargas 16, Eduardo Torres 16, Luis Bethelmy 12, Victor David Diaz 6, Carlos Morris 3, Pablo Machado 2, Jesus Centeno 2, Ruben Pachano 0, Diego Guevara 0, Alejandro Barrios (DNP), Jhon Romero (DNP). Head coach: Nestor Salazar. Assistant: Carl Herrera

Imported Stars: Carl Elliott 23, Kenya Capers 18, Mark Bortz, Michael Gale 17, Hatila Passos 11, Alejandro Flores 10, Ruben Nembhard 8 , Rogers Washington 6, Brian Latham 4, Gustavo Barrera 0, Torraye Braggs 0, Mike Campbell 0, Omar Quintero (DNP). Head coach: Guillermo Narvarte. Assistant: Manolo Cintron

• 33d All-Star Game 2010:

DATE: 22 April 2010
VENUE: Ginasio Jose Beracas of Naciones Unidas National Park, Caracas
SCORE: Nationals – Imported Stars 136-123

Nationals: Heissler Guillent, Gregory Vargas, Jesus Centeno, Diego Guevara, Hector Romero, Juan Herrera, Luis Bethelmy, Axiers Sucre, Tulio Cobos, Richard Lugo, Roque Osorio. Head coach: Sergio Rouco (Marinos de Anzoategui)

Imported Stars: Ruben Nembhard, Kojo Mensah, Marcus Elliott, Alex Galindo, Ryan Forehan-Kelly, Donta Smith, Clarence Matthews, Kevin Young, Evan Brock, Jack Michael Martinez, Brown Ernest. Head coach: Nestor Salazar (Cocodrilos de Caracas)

Victor David Diaz is the only ever player to receive four MVP awards: in 1997, 2004, 2006 and 2007.

Bold: Team that won the game.

• Superliga Profesional de Baloncesto

• SB Liga website
• Latinbasket.Com