Puerto Rico National Team '08

[rikhardur]

PUR – Ayuso: ‘"I want to show others what it means to wear Puerto Rico colors"


SAN JUAN (FBPR) - Representing Puerto Rico has meant everything to Larry Ayuso in his basketball career.

Ayuso, 31, plans on doing it as long as his country needs him.

"I will play with, or without pay," he said.

"I think this is an important step, to try to get my teammates of the national team to do the same."

Puerto Rico have been one of the most entertaining teams in the international game in recent years and their upset win over the United States on the opening day of the men’s tournament at the 2004 Olympics is one of their greatest moments.

Ayuso played on that team, and this summer he attempted to help the Puerto Ricans reach the 2008 Beijing Games but they missed out by losing to Germany in the final contest at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Athens.

"At this stage of my career," he said, "I have understood that things are not just about me, but of what I am able to do for my country.

"My legacy will not only be my past or future achievements but also my responsibility in contributing to the transition of the national team, just as José "Piculín" Ortiz, Rolando Hourruitiner, Jerome Mincy and Eddie Casiano did with me.

"My aim is to try to reach people like Guillermo Diaz (of Italy’s Eldo Caserta), the guys who are in the NCAA and the youth national team players who could eventually join the senior side.

"I want to show them what it means to wear the Puerto Rico colors."

Ayuso is doing much more, in fact, in a bid to help basketball thrive in Puerto Rico.

"My aim in the long term is that my foundation, X-For Life, can contribute to the development of prospects and programs in Puerto Rico, taking part in clinics and working alongside children of Puerto Rico," Ayuso said to the Primera Hora newspaper.

"I believe it´s important to work with talented children from the age of eight and teach them the same system of play that they will use as adults, just as the Europeans do."

Ayuso is currently looking for a team, having turned down several options to play in Europe in the hope of joining an NBA side.

He did not go this year without a trophy, helping Puerto Rico win the Centrobasket crown in Cancun, Mexico.

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews/p/newsid/28710/arti.html

[J-Mart]

oh well...

It's a mess. The NT sucks, the BSN sucks... and since the BSN wont demand me to change my cable subscribtion... i choose the BSN. Too many people trying to make money out of the NT, it just doesnt feel right anymore. I couldnt care less about the NT

[cardenales]

zy I havent heared anything about Nick Garcia.

[zyx96]

I Understand That The Bsn Wants To Be Succesful And Be Known As A Quality League But Some Of The Things They Do Really Mess Up With The Schedule And Tournaments Of The National Team. Honestly I Think That Most Of The Bsn Team Owners Just Worry About How Much Money They Make. The Preparation For The Olympic Qualifying Tournament Was A Mess Right From The Beginning For Puerto Rico: Theyre Was Hardly Any Practice Time, Some Players Said No To The Team At The Last Minute, There Were Players That Didnt Deserve To Be On The Team Ect... We Should Have Qualified For Beijing But With Felo, Manolo And The Poor Preparation It Didnt Shock Me When We Didnt Make It. Couldnt Find Anything About Austin Suarez Roots, Hopefully Allende Is Already Finding Out About Him. Carde Do You Know If They Figured Out If Nik Garcia Is From P.r.?

[cardenales]

I agree with you, Zyx96. It seems that the BSN dont care about the national team. What they dont know is, if the national team does not do well, in the future people will gave their back to the national team and to basketball. Unfortunately. If the national team does well, the leagues are going to receive support for its fans.

Talking about prospects there is a kid that plays for Tampa Berkley Prep School, his name is Austin Suarez plays Guard and is 6-6 tall. The question is, Does he is puertorican?

[zyx96]

I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT Josh Nirenberg A WEEK AGO, HE HAS SIZE AND POTENTIAL. IT SHOWS THAT LUIS ALLENDE IS DOING A GOOD JOB FINDING OUT ABOUT PLAYERS WITH P.R. ROOTS. I AGREE MOSTLY WITH YOU CARDE, YOU MENTIONED A GOOD NUMBER OF YOUNG GOOD PLAYERS WITH POTENTIAL. I AM TOTALLY NOT CONVINCED YET WITH ANGEL ALAMO, HE HAS SIZE AND CAN SHOOT THE BALL BUT THERE IS STILL THINGS HE NEEDS TO IMPROVE ON SO HE CAN JOIN THE NATIONAL TEAM AND PRODUCE. I WISH ALAMO THE BEST AND HOPE HIS KNEE IS BETTER. I LIKE ANGELO REYES BUT HE HAS SHOWN IN THE PAST THAT AT TIMES HE DOESNT SEEM TO CARE ABOUT THE NATIONAL TEAM. I DONT REALLY SEE REYES PLAYING MUCH LONGER WITH THE NATIONAL TEAM DUE TO THE YOUNG TALL PLAYERS COMING UP, HIS ATTITUDE AT TIMES AND HIS PAST KNEE PROBLEMS. ALEX GALINDO WAS A PLAYER I REALLY LIKED A FEW YEARS AGO BUT FOR SOME REASON HE HASNT IMPROVED LIKE HE WAS EXPECTED. GALINDO HAS SOME GOOD SKILLS AND I BELIEVE IN A FEW YEARS HE CAN MAKE THE NATIONAL AND REACH HIS POTENTIAL. I HOPE THEY INVITE JONATHAN RODRIGUEZ TO TRY OUT FOR THE TEAM. HAVENT SEEN MUCH OF JROD BECAUSE HE PLAYS FOR CAMPBELL WHICH IS NOT A VERY GOOD TEAM BUT JROD IS ONE THE FEW PLAYERS AVERAGING 20PTS AND 10REBS IN NCAA! ANOTHER PLAYER THAT SOME FORGET IS DENIS CLEMENTE, HE IS SUPER FAST, CAN SHOOT AND SCORE. HOPEFULLY DENIS DIDNT PICK UP GUILLERMO'S ATTITUDE WHILE PLAYING IN MIAMI. JUST READ IN ELNUEVODIA.COM THAT SOME PEOPLE WANT THE BSN TOURNAMENT TO START DURING THE SUMMER! THAT WOULD SCREW UP THE NATIONAL TEAM EVEN MORE!

[cardenales]

zyx96, I think that the future of the puertorican basketball national team is a bright one. I see Puerto Rico is going to be very strong in each position and we are going to have a lot of height in the power forward position (Angelo Reyes 6-8, Victor Davila 6-9, Ricky Sanchez 6-11 & Carlos Lopez 6-10). Small forward (Angel Luis Garcia 6-10 and Angel Alamo 6-9), Center (Peter John Ramos 7-3, Jorge Brian Diaz 6-11 & George Nyremburg 6-9). Others with talent, David Sanchez 6-9, Darius Morales 6-9, Erick Rodriguez 6-9 and others.

The Guards: Pg we are going to be fine with a bunch of talented players but small. Jose Barea 5-10, Andres Torres 5-10, Josue Soto 6-0, Alfredo Lamela 6-2 just to name a few. As shooting guards we are going to have more height with Jesus Verdejo 6-4, David Huertas 6-5 and Angel Vasallo 6-6, this last one can be a small foward but he could end up playing sg with he also knows how to played the position. Other talented sg but smaller are Mike Rosario 6-2 and Isaac Sosa 6-3.

You see the future is bright. Now, what we need is a good coach that can take the best out of this guys and the international triumph will come. Yes, we can have a team to be in the top eight.

[zyx96]

Carde I Havent Heard Anything About David Sanchez In A While, The Last Thing I Heard Was That He Was Angel Garcia's Teammate A Few Years Ago While Playing High School Ball In Indiana And That He Had Division 1 Potential. Nobody Seems To Mention The 7 Footer Frank Monge. He Is Already 23 And Playing Juco, Seems Like He Will Be Another Raul Rivera. Carde You Really Know About P.r. Basketball, Want To Know Your Opinion About The Future Of Our National Team. In My Opinion We Have The Chance To Be 1 Of The Top 8 Teams In The World In Around 4 Years. What Do You Think?

[cardenales]

I knew ZYX96 those players you mention but I haven't heard about them in a while. By the way, Wheres David Sanchez playing?

Victor Rivera is another player, he is 6-8.

[zyx96]

Other Ones Are Christian Pellot 6'9", Mario Roman 6'8", Brian Deleon 6'9", David Sanchez 6'9" Ect... These Guys Havent Proven To Much Yet But They Are Young, Have Size And Potential. The Future Is Looking Really Good For P.r. We Will Have Size And Quality Players At Every Position. With Mike Rosario We Have A Combo Guard Who Has Nba Potential. Hopefully They Can Finally Get Rid Of Felo Rivera And Manolo.

[cardenales]

Erick Rodriguez 6-9 from Carmen Sol.

Erick did play this summer with the puertorican u18 national team.

Ruben Cabrera 6-7

[cardenales]

Add George Nyremberg 18 years old 6-9 260 Pounds Appalatian State freshmen.

[zyx96]

SEEMS LIKE JORGE BRYAN DIAZ WILL FINALLY BE PLAYING OUTSIDE PR. HE ALREADY HAS A VERBAL AGREEMENT WITH THE NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS. I HEAR THAT HE IS ALREADY 7 FEET TALL! HE IS ONLY 18 and might grow another inch. with players like him and Carlos Lopez 6'10"(STILL GROWING)who will be in UNLV next year, Angel Garcia 6'11" MEMPHIS, Victor Davila 6'9" VIRGINIA TECH, possibly Darius Morales 6'9" HS USA ECT... Along with PJ RAMOS 7'3" and Ricky Sanchez 6'11" we will have a good number of young tall talented players for the NATIONAL TEAm. i cant recall the last time we had these many options.

[cardenales]

I think that with or without Arroyo, Puerto Rico will not make it to Beijin anyway.

It will be nice to see the number of teams raised in the Olympics. 12 to 16 teams. The olympics was 16 teams taking part of it until Montreal 1976 that the number was down to 12.

Imagine what could happen with this picture:

Olympics

1 Spain
2 Greece
3 USA
4 Lituania
5 Argentina
6 Croatia
7 Russia
8 Germany
9 Australia
10 Angola
11 Iran
12 China
13 Slovenia
14 Puerto Rico
15 Brasil
16 Canada

That will be a better tournament, with good competitive teams.

[PRSURF]

Too bad Arroyo was injured. PR would have had a good chance with him.

Thats damm right