In the absence of some of its great men, the men’s national basketball team will have to play with what it gets.
This was recognized by the captain and owner of the Puerto Rican team, José Juan Barea, who assured that they will have to bet on speed to try and get away with their debut this Friday in the third and final qualifying round for the 2022 AmeriCup. the bubble of the Roberto Clemente coliseum., the San Juan.
Puerto Rico will not have a center for personal reasons Jorge Brian Díaz; and forward Isaiah Piñeiro, who was unable to travel to the island due to restrictions imposed by the pandemic in Latvia, where he plays for club VEF Riga.
“We have to play with what is there. Basketball has also changed a bit. I understand that you have to play faster and open up. The big men will have to make an extra effort to compete with the big men of the other teams, ”Barea said during a conversation he had with the media on Wednesday in the company of Shabazz Napier.
The Mayaguez canastero joined the team last Sunday from Madrid, Spain, where he plays with the Movistar Estudiantes club.
And since he arrived, Barea has seen the Puerto Rican team led by manager Eddie Casiano “very well”.
“Everyone is in shape. We have a good group. The workouts look great. And we have everything: from shooters; good clothes, as always; and big men who, although we are a bit small, are the strongest who play and fight, ”he said.
“We have to play a fast game with a lot of ‘pick and roll’ and open the track. I think if we play our game it will be fine, ” said Barea.
Puerto Rico will play against Mexico next Friday and the Bahamas on Saturday as part of the action in Group D. Both games are scheduled for 9 PM and will be broadcast on WAPA Deportes.
Puerto Ricans need to win to secure their ticket to the AmeriCup 2022, a qualifier for the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima and the world windows starting in November.
The United States – already qualified – lead the group unbeaten 4-0, followed by Mexico 2-2 and Puerto Rico and Bahamas 1-3. The top three of each group will advance to the AmeriCup.