Brazilian team starts preparation for the Americas Championship

[asdzas]

Today the brazilian national team head coach Lula Ferreira announced the players that will be part of the last part of the preparations for the Americas Championship. The trainings will start this saturday.

Caio Torres - 2,11 - Adecco Estudiantes(Spain)
Nene - 2,11 - Denver Nuggets(NBA)
Rafael Araujo - 2,11 - Utah Jazz(NBA)
Tiago Splitter - 2,11 - Tau Vitoria(Spain)
Murilo Becker - 2,11 - Franca(Brazil)
Anderson Varejao - 2,09 - Cleveland Cavaliers(NBA)
J.P Baptista - 2,07 - Lietuvos Rytas(Lithuania)
Marcus Vinicius - 2,07 - N.O. Hornets(NBA)
Marcus Urban - 2,03 - Tarragona(Spain)
Guilherme Giovanonni - 2,04 - Vidivici Bologna(Italy)
Marcelo Machado - 2,00 - Zalgiris Kaunas(Lithuania)
Leandro Barbosa - 1,93 - Phoenix Suns(NBA)
Alex Garcia - 1,93 - Brasilia(Brazil)
Marcelo Huertas - 1,92 - Bilbao(Spain)
Nezinho dos Santos - 1,87 - Brasilia(Brazil)
Valter Apolinario - 1,90 - Unitri(Brazil)

[AK47]

I think Brazil and USA will be the two teams to get the qualification to 2008 olympics basketball games.

[PRSURF]

I think Brazil and USA will be the two teams to get the qualification to 2008 olympics basketball games.

Ok, will see!

[Mr.100%]

USA will have a hard time even with their superstars, but they'll eventually advance ... it's a toss up between Brazil and Argentina for the 2nd qualifying spot

[AK47]

But Ginobili/Nocioni/Oberto/Pepe/Herrmann are all out of NT. Can Scola and Delfino match Brazil NT ?

USA will have a hard time even with their superstars, but they'll eventually advance ... it's a toss up between Brazil and Argentina for the 2nd qualifying spot

[PRSURF]

USA will have a hard time even with their superstars, but they'll eventually advance ... it's a toss up between Brazil and Argentina for the 2nd qualifying spot

Yeah, only this two team have the second spot to the olympics!!

[asdzas]

Brazil is going to have a good team in Vegas, but other teams have all the chances to qualify. Argentina ,even without Manu, Nocioni(Maybe), Oberto, Hermaan, Pepe Sanchez and some other player, have a very good team. Puerto Rico always have a talented team, if they add some players (Ayuso, Arroyo, Apodaca, Diaz, Santiago, Dalmau ....) they will also fight for an automatic spot in the Olympics games.
The rest of the teams, I think they have a very small chance in the competition. Panama is a very dangerous team, but I don't think they can finish in the top 2. If the canadian team is the same that played in the panamerican games, they will have no chance. Venezuela never learned how to play defense. Uruguay is improving, but not enought to qualify for the olympics.
USA will probably win the championship. Of course they will have to play hard, because if they don't some team can surprise them.

[rycorpz]

this is the best NT of Brazil so far its a toss up between argentina and brazil for the 2nd spot

[J-Mart]

Nezinho dos Santos - 1,87 - Brasilia(Brazil)

Nene who? Leandrino what? Anderson que?

Nezinho is the most important player on this team

if Brazil wants to qualify directly Lula better play Nezinho 30+ minutes at PG

[alermac]

Nezinho is the most important player on this team

He is the best PG on that team, at least its offense gets better with Nezinho at the wheel.

[J-Mart]

He is the best PG on that team, at least its offense gets better with Nezinho at the wheel.

he had a great PanAm tournament, and Brazil has been a "decepcion" (cant find the appropiate word right now) so far with Leandrino at helm, its time for Lula to move him to the SG... Brazil is loaded

[asdzas]

he had a great PanAm tournament, and Brazil has been a "decepcion" (cant find the appropiate word right now) so far with Leandrino at helm, its time for Lula to move him to the SG... Brazil is loaded

Nezinho had a great PanAm tournament? I think the player you are thinking is "Valtinho", who was the starting point-guard. Nezinho was our 3rd backup PG (Marcelo Huertas is the backup PG), played very few minutes. Valtinho(Valter Apolinario) is a great player and has decided to return to the brazilian national team after four years (maybe more) of absence. Nene called him to return with him and he decided to come back either. Leandrinho already said that Valtinho is his "Steve Nash" in this brazilian team. Leandrinho is going to be the starting SG in the team.

The team will probably be:

PG - Valtinho Apolinario / Marcelo Huertas
SG - Leandro Barbosa / Marcelo Machado / Alex Garcia
SF - Guilherme Giovanonni / Marcus Vinicius
PF - Anderson Varejao / J.P Baptista
C - Nene / Tiago Splitter / Rafael Araujo (or Murilo Rosa)

[J-Mart]

well, that guy

itas too hard to remember all those Brazilian names for me

the one who killed Barea at the PanAm games

[asdzas]

well, that guy

itas too hard to remember all those Brazilian names for me

the one who killed Barea at the PanAm games

I know it's hard. It's a lot of Nezinho, Valtinho, Leandrinho, Marcelinho, Ronaldinho, Juninho, Marquinhos. Here in brazil a lot of people have nicknames that ends with inho.
I was surprised because Nezinho is an awfull player, I don't even know how he plays in the brazilian team(the coach likes him).

[LFGC79]

Brazil has always been problematic for the USA, even with a B squad. At the ToA I think Brazil has a great chance to beat USA. But is hard to beat them at their own court.