2012 London Olympics

[cardenales]

Ciscolie Horford, I think you are underestimate the puertorican team.

We won tournaments and clasify to the World Cup with talent and a very bad coach in Manolo Cintron. Now, we have Flor Melendez who is way better than Manolo.

Is true that Puerto Rico dont give much chances to their youngster. I agree with you, but Flor, does like to give chances to youngsters, so expect young people playing in are team. Even more, Flor already say that we are going to have to teams this summer. One and the best one for Mar de Plata and the second one with is going to be made with college players goes to Guadalajara for the Pan Am Games. So that is a good sign, that Flor wants to give a chance to the youngsters.

Brasil: Is a good team, What they have won lately? Yes I know, the last three versions of the Pan Am Games. This tournament is devaluate, teams are not going with their best weapons anymore. Ok, they got talent, but since 2007 Puerto Rico and Brasil are even with a (3-3) and Brazil with better coaching than us. Bottom line and not to sure about Brasil. Not even about Argentina, is true is the golden generation but age is showing up in that team. The only thing is that I think that the whistle in the tournament it might give them a hand.

By the way, Who is the 4th dominican in the NBA?

[cardenales]

About our players playing in bad leagues in the continent, you are right, but:

Dennis Clemente and David Huertas play Division I in the very strong Greek league.

Angel Vasallo play for a little while in div. I in France and he did well, he is going to be back in division I in some european competitive league.

Andres Rodriguez (not that young) and Angel Luis Garcia. They play in Spain in Leb Oro, you r right is not division I but is a very though league and they did well. The league can be stronger that any league of America's except the NBA.

Guillermo Diaz, doing well in Italy Lega division I.

Kevin Hamilton, Richard Chaney and Nathan Peavey, doing great in Germany's division I.

and list goes on...

Next years to come there going to be more puertoricans playing in the NBA and Europe. I know same with dominicans.




















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[cardenales]

Expect Alex Galindo, Johwen Villegas and Ricky Sanchez playing in Europe this year.

[cardenales]

I mean playing in Europe next year.

[saalsapr]

if you didn't you were a fool. There is a reason why Splitter is a benchwarmer, Varejao is the Starting center of teh worst team in the nba and Horford was an all star, a all NBA 3rd team and had the best PER for a center other than Howard and Andrew Bynum (but he only played for half the season anyway)

Man even Jamaal Magloire was an allstar, that dont make him one of the best in the NBA. The main reason I consider Horfor a better player was because he is a better offensive option than the flopper.

You must have forgot, the finals centrobasket, when Villanueva could not miss a thing and out-shot the whole PR team even though he was injured and could not even move one of his legs, and no one in the entire PR team could guard him, He butt-raped and impregnated Ricky Sanchez, Renaldo Balkman and Nathan Peavy 8, he was basically winning the whole game by himself, too bad at the end he didn't have any help from his teammates other than Fortuna

Villanueva was very Lebronesque jacking up shots in the fourth quarter. If it wasnt for him, Puerto Rico might have lost the game. Thats why I thought he was the MVP that Final game. And he isnt much better in the NBA either.

Varejao is not going to be there which is fine because they still have Splitter and Nene, IMO they are both better than Anderson "la maquina de flopeo" Varejao

Oh well a more winnable game for DR.

Flores is not going to be in the starting lineup so that Barbosa vs Flores matchup is not going to happen, Also, I heard that Barbosa had surgery this summer so he might not play. he is going to be our sixth man. We are trying to get Sammy Mejia, he was the French league MVP this year. but his wife is expecting a baby this summer, so he might not play, in that case James Feildeine would most likely be the starting 2, or even Kelvin Pena (if he make the team, but it is not likely to happen if everybody plays anyway)

therefore, the match-ups will:

Flores vs Alex, Huertas vs Garcia, Machado vs Mejia/or Feldeine, Splitter vs Villanueva, Nene vs Horford
Brazil has obvious advantages with Alex and Splitter, I think Huertas won't be able to stay in rhythm with a Garcia's height in front of him, and if Mejia comes, then Machado will have nightmares all year long with Mejia, if Mejia does not come then Machado will eat Feldeine alive for dessert.

Overall Brazil will win this game I don't not expect the DR to win, Brazil bench is much more stronger. I lot of people are making to much deal about Barbosa and Varejao absences. Varejao is more of an obstacle than anything else with Splitter and Nene, on the roster, and Barejao.

Vareajao might not be much on the offensive, but he gave Brazil much depth on defense for his flops and slaps. I still expect Brazil to win the game also.

I also think, Brazil will be too much for Puerto Rico. 2 years ago or so Brazil and Puerto Rico were at the same level, but not now, Brazil has a new generation coming that will be the subject of much talk in the upcoming years but in Puerto Rico is going in the other direction, they don't give opportunities to the new young talent, so they go to waste and end up playing in bad leagues like in Mexico, Venezuela, third rated regional leagues in the RD and third world countries in Europe because they can't even get playing time in their own professional league in Puerto Rico. Remember this Puerto Rican team with all their best players abailable lost to the weakest team in the World Championship and was embarrassed by Trinidad & Tobago, and had trouble with a team like Belice in the first half of their match up in CentroBasket while Brazil was the only team in the World Championship talented enough to beat USA, they actually almost did but the refs gave the game to the Americans with a bunch of phantom calls. and they were the only team in the world that came even remotely close to doing that, the European super powers could not do it, they were all blown out by 20-30 points Brazil lost by 1 I think at the last second with the ball on their hands. I think Brazil is much a bigger threat than Argentina I don't care he they have home core advantage, have you been to Argentina anyway? their crowd isn't even loud all they do is chat football soccer songs all game long and start jumping around with local club banners and stuff, that is not a hostile environment for a professional basketball player that is a party on the honor. I can not wait to see a 60 years old semi-retierd Fabricio Oberto who has not played basketball for like 2 years try to defend Nene

I dont know if you remember but that game against T&T was like a scrimmage for Puerto Rico, alot of guys with contracts in PR while a bunch of nobodies from T&T. Because of the slippery floors PR decided to not play. Argentina, Serbia and Puerto Rico could have done the same to the americans that day. Also you are nuts to think the Brazil that faced USA was good/great. In fact the roster wasnt much different from the one in Fiba Americas. Only diffrence was that against Puerto Rico, Varejao played, while against the USA Varejao was injured. Besides, Argentina without Ginobili and Nocioni showed Brazil why they where still kings of South America in that tournament. Puerto Rico has just made a program to develop the young talent this year, so we are getting better at that, while we now have around 40 NCAA players. Check that, our 2003 u19 roster featured Barea and Ramos, and finished sixth at the worlds. Our 2009 lineup that also finished sixth at the worlds, featured Rosario and Young Morales. If Im right, Brazil will particpipate in just their second Fiba World u19 championship this year, so either their development program must have been worse than Argentina and Puerto Rico, or they have just lacked the talent this decade.

[saalsapr]

Also Horford, if you think for some reason that the

Reyes
Villafañe
Dalmau

Trio that participated in the Fiba Americas 2009 in the same team that beat Brazil by 4 and later lost by 1 was somehow better than the

Balkman
Peavy
Barea

trio in the Worlds, then you should stick to watching baseball. Puerto Rico is getting more talented by the competition. Wether you want to see it or not is up to you.

[cardenales]

Are you serious that Puerto Rico was with their best player available whe we lost to T&T? Berdiel, Cortez and Life are good players but they are not of the main players to be in the national team. Luis Villafañe? Are you kidding me, that Puerto Rico was with their best players in Centrobasket!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I dont take credit away of T&T, but you also has to see Manolo, doing his stupid stuff. In that game, he puts James Life a 6"4" shooting guard to play PF. Only Cintron does that. Cintron make many mistakes in that tournament and we paid the price. With Flor Melendez the team is going to be a lot better coach.

Puerto Rico should have a way better team for this America Tournament. Imagine how good that a player like Guillermo Diaz is not sure in the national team.

[cardenales]

mmmmmm, one more thing, is true that Charlie Villanueva almost beat us by hisself in that Centrobasket. Now, with Manolo Cintron, Puerto Rico was very bad in defense, even we did well in that departement in Turkey. Expect now a lot better perform in defense because Flor like his teams to play good defense. We are going to see a lot of improve in that. We already see it in Turkey, its going to be a lot better this year in Argentina.

[rocketstar47]

Philippines will be the new Champion from ASIA

[cardenales]

I will love to see the Phillipines winning the Fiba Asia tournament. Now, for that to happen, the phillipines need to change their philosophy of game.

[saalsapr]

I will love to see the Phillipines winning the Fiba Asia tournament. Now, for that to happen, the phillipines need to change their philosophy of game.

I agree, if I where the director of Phillipines basketball, I would hire Freddie Roach to coach Team Pilipinas and put one guy to give hard fouls to each team's best players.

That way the Philippines would have a great chance of victory.

[inaminute23]

This is going to really annoy a lot of people now, but the Men’s tournament is virtually sold out!! I’m gutted I only got tickets for one evening session, and still it is not guaranteed it will be GB

http://media.ticketmaster.com/en-gb/img/sys/tournament/london2012/oly-basketball-a.pdf

[Red 7]

I applied for all the Mens quarterfinal and semifinal games and got the royal two finger signal ....

[Dtown]

On the one hand I'm happy to see basketball's still one of the top draws. On the other I wonder how many people that got tickets are actual fans as opposed to tickets reserved for sponsors.

[Ciscorlie Horford]

On the one hand I'm happy to see basketball's still one of the top draws. On the other I wonder how many people that got tickets are actual fans as opposed to tickets reserved for sponsors.

if you notice that they will take down the newly-built stat of the art basketball arena that the Brits construct for teh olympics, after the games. I would say that none are really fans, but are going to the games just for the novelty of it.