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Mexico national team

  • Thread starter Thread starter Edgar Lopez2
  • Start date Start date
Gustavo Ayón has offers from the Phoenix Suns and the San Antonio Spurs.
 
MEX - The big change for Gustavo Ayon

MADRID (NBA/Liga Endesa) - New Zealand international Kirk Penney offered some good insight to Gustavo Ayon of the New Orleans Hornets when he was asked about his former Fuenlabrada teammate on Saturday night.

Penney, who had just torched Valencia Basket for 27 points and led his team to a 76-69 upset win on the road, played alongside the 2.06m Ayon this season before the Hornets acquired the Mexican forward before Christmas.

"Gustavo is such a joy to play with," Penney said to FIBA.com.

"He moves unbelievably well off the ball for a big guy.

"He runs the floor better than any of us, and he's a big guy.

"You've seen him in the NBA that he's already playing so well.

"He's so gifted, so active."

So for those who feared Ayon, the Liga Endesa Player of the Month for November, was headed for a season on the bench with New Orleans, you need not have.

He is not only playing, but quickly making his mark.

After brief appearances in his first four games, Ayon played 13 minutes against Minnesota and 20 in the ensuing clashes with Memphis and Portland.

Against the T-Wolves, Ayon had seven points, four rebounds, a block and a steal while in the clash with Memphis, Ayon finished with nine points, seven rebounds, five assists, two blocks and a steal.

On Monday night against Portland, Ayon had eight points, five boards, two assists, two blocks and two steals.

When the Hornets met the $1.5million (€1.2million) buy-out clause to acquire the 26-year-old from Fuenlabrada, they clearly knew what they were doing.

Going To Europe

Ayon had played in America before.

He was in Mexico's national team at the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship in Las Vegas.

Ayon also represented his country at the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship in Puerto Rico, and most recently at the 2010 Centro Basket Championship.

When Fuenlabrada signed Ayon to a four-year contract in late March 2009, he had just led Halcones UV Xalapa to the Mexican title.

When he arrived in Spain, Ayon wasn't ready for the rigors of the ACB.

He played a total of five games with Fuenlabrada through the 2009-10 season.

Ayon spent time with CB Illescas in the LEB Plata and with Tenerife Rural in the LEB Oro.

His only full year in the ACB turned out to be 2010-11, when he averaged 10.8 points and 6.3 rebounds.

Those numbers jumped dramatically this season when he averaged 15.9 points and 8.2 rebounds in 10 Spanish top flight games this season.

Fuenlabrada tried to convince Ayon to finish the season in Spain but with his opportunity in the NBA in front of him, he elected to go.

"You don't replace a player like Gustavo," Penney said.

"You just try to fill the hole with a collection of players."

Getting the right NBA opportunity

Now the question is, will he make it in America?

The early evidence suggests yes, Ayon has the tools and the work ethic to be a player in the NBA.

He is also in the right situation.

The Hornets are struggling and looking for players that can help.

"It's tough (to make it)," said Penney, who had some spells in the NBA but wasn't able to cement his place in the league.

"It all comes down to opportunities.

"If you play, you produce statistics.

"Gustavo is most definitely someone that can play in the NBA.

"It's the same with (Minnesota's) Ricky Rubio, who's got confidence and is playing unbelievably.

"But he's getting an opportunity."

Ayon didn't arrive in New Orleans beating his chest, telling the city that he was the cure to their ills.

He knows the NBA is different to the Liga Endesa.

"Spanish basketball is very tactical, very difficult to adapt to the tactics," he said.

"In the NBA, there are more physical and athletic players."

Hornets fans would like nothing more than for Ayon to duplicate his numbers from this season at Fuenlabrada.

"It's totally unrealistic at this point," Ayon said.

"It's going to take time, this is a big change for me.

"There is going to be a period of adaptation to the league, to the culture, to everything.

"Once I'm settled, I'll try to improve every day and do the best for the team."

Ayon, it appears, is ahead of schedule.
Click to expand...
http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews/p/newsid/50358/arti.html
 
- Gustavo Ayon started the last game for New Orleans.
- Paco Cruz scored 16 against ranked UNLV in a win.
- Jorge Gutierrez is doing his thing at Cal.
- Raul Delgado joins BYU next year.
- Romel Beck may soon be out in Greece. Last game,he played only 5 minutes.
- Pedro Maza plays in Venezuela.
 
Ayón grabbed 17 rebounds last night, two more than the previous record by a Mexican in the NBA (Eduardo Nájera). He also scored 9 points, dished 4 assists, stole 2 balls and blocked a shot.
 
Pep Clarós will guide the NT in Centrobasket.
Preliminary roster has been announced:

Selección A

Bases
Chris Hernández, Pedro Meza, Paul Stoll y Angley Manjares.

Escoltas
Orlando Méndez, Jovan Harris, Omar Quintero y Carlos Toussaint.

Aleros
Víctor Mariscal, Romel Beck, Andrew González, Sthepen Soriano, Arim Solares, Noé Alonzo,
y Héctor Hernández.

Pivotes
Gustavo Ayón, Eduardo Najera, Hiram López, Horacio Llamas, Lorenzo Mata, Adam Parada, Adrián Zamora y Michael Strobbe.

Selección B

Bases
Gabriel Girón, Jorge Gutiérrez, Steve Monreal y José Estrada.

Escoltas
Uriel Segura, Joel Reynoso, Jorge Casilla, Francisco Cruz y Forrest Fisher

Aleros
Lonnie Vázquez, Alex García, Jorge Chávez, Julio Martín del Campo, Anthony Esparza y Miguel Ayala.

Pivotes
Isaac Gutiérrez, Hugo Carrillo, Joaquín Villanueva, Mike Lizarraga y Fernando Benítez.
Click to expand...
http://www.lnbp.com.mx/web2/nota.php?idnota=12053
 
Mexico' NT: Víctor Mariscal, Horacio Llamas, Jesús López, Paul Stoll, Pedro Meza, Adrián Zamora, Omar Quintero, Forrest Fisher, Carlos Toussaint, Conor Turley, Orlando Méndez, Héctor Hernández, Brody Angley and Gustavo Ayon who is reporting this week to the team.

No Lorenzo Mata Real who is out for a year regarding hoops.
No Jovan Harris,Chris Hernandez,Jorge Gutierrez,Noe Alonzo...Najera (probably injured) and Romel Beck (?).
 
Ayon was shipped to the Orlando Magic as a part of the Ryan Anderson sign-and-trade transaction.
 
FIBA Americas: Gustavo Ayon should play in Venezuela this year and Paul Stoll just registered a great season in Israel. Romel Beck already announced he wont play if called up and I doubt that he will be ever playing again for Mexico. Jorge Gutierrez would be a good add to the team, lets see how he decides. Lorenzo Mata should be available again and I hope they take him over Parada who is just a shadow these days. Mariscal needs to play too...Mexican Oscar Schmidt.
 
Pre-select is known: http://seleccionmexicanadebaloncest.../07/fiba-americas-2013-excelente-noticia.html
Practices are being held in Mexico City.

Paul Stoll
Omar Quintero
Pery Meza
Orlando Méndez
Jovan Harris
Francisco Cruz
Víctor Mariscal
Román Martínez
Stephen Soriano
Gustavo Ayón
Héctor Hernández
Alejandro Pérez Zarco
Lorenzo Mata
Adam Parada
Brody Manjarres
Jorge Gutiérrez
J. A. Estrada
Steve Monreal
Jaime A. Serna Arreola

Players that I would have invited: Raul Delgado (BYU), Juan Anderson (Marquette) and Cezar Guerrero (fresno State).
 
saalsapr said:
Mexico beat Argentina 67-55 and will now face Brazil in the Super 4.
Click to expand...

Ayon ist joining the team soon. Still in Azlanta for medical check-ups. Gutierrez and Stoll are now with the team and Roman Martinez is on his way as well.
 
Mojado said:
Ayon ist joining the team soon. Still in Azlanta for medical check-ups. Gutierrez and Stoll are now with the team and Roman Martinez is on his way as well.
Click to expand...

Are Jovan Harris and Omar Quintero playing for the team also?

Mexico could surprise many in this tournament, if everything clicks for them.

Anyway Brazil vs Mexico 94-68; Mexico takes second in the Salta Super 4.
 
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