Cuban men's basketball team to advance to the 2025 Americup

HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 19 (ACN) Onel Planas Castillo, head coach (DT by its Spanish acronym) of the Cuban men's basketball team, said in Havana that they have the purpose of advancing to the AmeriCup 2025, in the qualifying tournament of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

We know that we are in a difficult group and that the task is big, but not impossible, so good preparation and playing well on the field will be very important elements, he said.

Presented last September as the new DT of the Cuban team, Planas Castillo told the Cuban News Agency that the national team has a mix of experienced players and young players with many conditions such as Michel Espinoza and Johan Carlos Gutiérrez.

Of both new athletes, the head coach stated that although they have not participated in foreign competitions, they have presented a great level here in the Superior Basketball League, and they have deserved that opportunity.

Regarding the debut next 22nd against the United States in Orlando, Florida, he said that it is always a big challenge to face any US team, given the high quality of their basketball players.

Cuban team, led by Jasiel Rivero, who has been playing for the Maccabi Haifa club in Israel since this season, is part of Group D along with the U.S., Puerto Rico and Bahamas, which they will face twice under the home-and-away format during three windows, to be held this month and in November this year, and then in February 2025.

For the FIBA AmeriCup, Nicaragua will automatically qualify as host, and the remaining top two teams in Group C (Canada, Dominican Republic and Mexico) will take the other two spots to that continental event.

Likewise, the top three teams from the A (Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Venezuela), B (Brazil, Panama, Paraguay and Uruguay) and D groups will also secure their ticket to the competition, with a total of 12 teams qualifying.