Dominican Republic NT

[rikhardur]

DOM – Horford wants to play in 2009 FIBA Americas Championship

SANTO DOMINGO (2009 FIBA Americas Championship) – Dominican center Al Horford said that he wants to play for the Dominican Republic in the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship to be played from August 26 to September 6 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The Atlanta Hawks player talked about his health in a press conference held at the Dominican Republic.

"I feel healthy and I am confident that I can play in the FIBA Americas Championship," said Horford.

During the NBA playoffs the Dominican star suffered an ankle injury and that is why he is not "100 percent sure" that he can play in the tournament who gives four berths for the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

"I have to wait for the clearance from my team and also the Dominican Federation has to get the insurance for the tournament."

The Dominican Republic is in Group B along with Argentina, Brazil, Cuba and Venezuela. Group A has Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands and Uruguay.

"It is going to be a very competitive tournament. I have all the desire in the World to represent my country," Horford said about the tournament.

In the NBA regular season he averaged 11.5 points and 9.3 rebounds with the Hawks.

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews/p/newsid/30614/arti.html

[alermac]

Toro was at the brink of signing wasn't he?

Yes. And so he did.

[Lewis]

Yes. And so he did.

Yep, He did

DOM - Toro to coach the Dominican Republic

ISLA MARGARITA (2009 FIBA Americas Championship) – Julio Toro has been named the new head coach of the Dominican Republic senior national team that will play in the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship to be played from August 26 to September 6 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The Dominican Baskteball Federation (Fedombal) named the Puerto Rican coach after talking to other candidates that included Flor Meléndez, among others.

The contract of Toro is for four years and that also includes the development of basketball in the country.

"We have a guaranteed development for our basketball with these four years that Toro will serve to the national team," said Cesar Hilaire to basketdominicano.com.

Toro will arrive next week to the Dominican Republic. One of his assistants is Melvin Lopez who was recently named to coach Soles de Mexicali. His other assistants are José "Maíta" Mercedes, José Diloné and Antonio "Chicho" Sibilio.

During his career he coached the Puerto Rican and Venezuelan national team. He won silver in the 1992 FIBA Americas Championship by coaching Venezuela. He also coached Puerto Rico to a 92-73 win over the United States in the 2004 Olympics.

The practices start on July 13 at Palacio de los Deportes Virgilio Travieso Soto.

Al Horford, Charlie Villanueva, Francisco García, Trevor Ariza, Luis Flores, Sammy Mejía, Jack Michael Martínez, Eulis Báez, Marlon Martínez, Kelvin Peña and Iván Almonte, among others will be called to the practices.

FIBA Americas

[Lewis]

-

DOM - Dominican Republic calls their national team:

7/8/2009

SANTO DOMINGO (2009 FIBA Americas Championship) - The Dominican Basketball Federation announced a list of 27 players that will practice ahead of the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship to be played from August 26 to September 6 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The team, coached by Puerto Rican Julio Toro, will start their training sessions on July 13 and will have many warm up games prior to their appointment in Puerto Rico.

The players called were:

Point Guards:
Joel Ramirez
Edgar Sosa
Carlos Morban
Juan Coronado
Richard Ortega
Alvin Abreu

Shooting Guards:
Francisco García
Luis Flores
Kelvin Pena
Jeff Greer
Sammy Mejia
Manny Quezada
Jose Olivero
Sean Ogirri

SMALL FORWARD:
Trevor Ariza
Franklin Western
Ricardo Greer
Santos Martinez

POWER FORWARD:
Charlie Villanueva
Jack Michael Martinez
EULIS Baez
Ivan Almonte
Josh Asselin

CENTER:
Al Horford
Alejandro Salas
Manuel Guzman
John Garcia

Coaching Staff:
Julio Toro (Coach)

Assistant Coaches:
Melvyn Lopez
Jose Maita-Mercedes -
Antonio-Chico-Sibilio
Jose Dilone

Dominican Republic is in Group B along with Argentina, Brazil, Cuba and Venezuela. Group B has Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands and Uruguay. The top 4 at the end of the tournament qualify for the 2010 FIBA World Championship

*names in black are some some of the names to watch

A lot of players from Europe and The NCAA

http://www.fibaamericas.com/noticiasread_us.asp?r=BFLAEDBFUA

[Mojado]

Ariza has been recently called up by the US NT for their perspective team.

I see a problem coming up at shooting guard as there are five players I would call up on that position...

[Lewis]

Sontos maritinez is out for Injury, Marlon Martinez is part of the Team now.

Ariza has been recently called up by the US NT for their perspective team.

Well, I just Copied and pasted the list from FIBA Americas, and Ariza name was in there. so don't blame it on the messenger, maybe they made a mistake, I dunno

I see a problem coming up at shooting guard as there are five players I would call up on that position...

how is that a problem isn't it good to be covered in a position besides, 5? I say there are only 3 players worth looking at the ponit.

Anyway

[J-Mart]

It's good to be covered in all positions but...
All those SG will want to be part of the team, all of them will want playing time, chemistry issues, SG playing as PG's, etc...

We will have to see what Ariza will do, he have options. I guess it's a blessing in disguise for DR that Ariza joins team USA. I seriously doubt his ability to adapt to FIBA basketball, and they could always move 'Cisco or other SG to SF and maximize the dept of the team.

[J-Mart]

According to Julio Toro, Franklyn Western is already on the team. He called Western a "VIP in the team". Link in spanish.

http://www.listin.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=108491

[Lewis]

According to Julio Toro, Franklyn Western is already on the team. He called Western a "VIP in the team". Link in spanish.

http://www.listin.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=108491

favoritism

[rikhardur]

DOM - Dominican National team almost complete

SANTO DOMINGO (2009 FIBA Americas Championship) – The Dominican Republic National Team is almost complete for the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship to be played in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Dominican Basketball Federation President, Frank Herasme, informed that the arrival of Al Horford and Luis Flores will be in August.

"Horford and Flores will join the team in the first week of August while Julio Toro (head coach) will be in eight days, after he finishes the BSN finals,” said Herasme to ESPN Deportes.

The Dominicans also confirmed center Josh Asselin who was naturalized and guard Francisco Garcia is already training. Carlos Morbán, Joel Ramírez, Marlon Martínez, Iván Almonte, Juan Coronado, Richard Ortega, among others already reported to the team.

Their arrival to Puerto Rico will be five to six days before the FIBA Americas Championship in order to warm up against the Puerto Rican national team or a club.

NBA star Charlie Villanueva already arrived to the Dominican Republic and he is happy after signing with the Detroit Pistons and at the same time he received permission to play in the tournament.

"I am close to fulfilling my dream of representing the Dominican Republic, the country of my parents and all my family. I was born in the United States but my origins are here and I feel Dominican," said Villanueva to basketdominicano.com

"I already have the Dominican passport, I came to get it in order to go into Puerto Rico," said Villanueva who will get his citizenship soon.

Villanueva will also join the practices at the start of August for the team that hopes to finish in the top four in order to qualify for the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews/p/newsid/31205/arti.html

[J-Mart]

The Argentinian Federation and the Puertorrican Federation are presenting a claim against Charlie Villanueva and Josh Asselin.

Argentina says that the autorization for CV31 to play for RD was processed to fast.

Puerto Rico argues that CV31 and Josh Asselin cant play together because both of them are naturalized players, since Josh is not dominican and CV31 already lost his dominican status by playing with USA.

[raft]

Villanueva never played on the Senior team, so he should be alright to play for D.R.

[J-Mart]

Villanueva never played on the Senior team, so he should be alright to play for D.R.

but he played on the U21, and that's enough to disqualify him to play for DR.
DR should have followed a process, which would have required a letter from USA Basketball allowing CV31 to play for DR, a time period, and a couple of things i cant really remember. On the other side, Tuto Marchand promised the DR Federation that if they could get CV31 a DR passport, he would be able to play. FIBA is evaluation the case at the moment.

The issue is not about him not playing for a senior team, the issue is that he declared his basketball nationality being over 18 years old. He was 19 years old, about to be 20 in Halifax when he represented USA, which under my limited understanding, makes him a property of USA Basketball unless they quit on his rights.

My understanding is that the DR Federation is trying to nationalize him by giving him a dominican passport. A passport and the constitution of a country doesnt make u elegible to play for a National Team according to FIBA rules.

The president of the PR Federation has denied that they filed a complaint to FIBA about the issue.

[raft]

I am pretty sure if he didn't play for the Senior team he is alright to play for another country. This is why Ben Gordon can play for Britain if he wants. Gordon played for a junior level US team a few years back when he was still at UConn and over 18.

[J-Mart]

I am pretty sure if he didn't play for the Senior team he is alright to play for another country. This is why Ben Gordon can play for Britain if he wants. Gordon played for a junior level US team a few years back when he was still at UConn and over 18.

ben gordon played for the seniors team at a Pan Am tournament in 2003 in Santo Domingo. The team was composed of then college players, but competing in the senior level. Played with the likes of Emeka Okafor, Josh Childress, Andre Barrett, Chuck Hayes, Ike Dioug, Luke Jackson, and others. The tournament was won by Brazil (Varejao, Machado, Splitter, Giovannoni), the dominicans finished 2nd (JMM, Cisco, Western, Filion) Puerto Rico finished third (Arroyo, Ayuso, Santiago, Dalmau) and USA finished 4th. Ben Gordon cant play for Britan. He has never played for Britain, and if he wants to play for Britain, he has to get a clearance from Team USA.

http://www.usabasketball.com/news.php?news_page=mpag_2003