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Andrade Now Battles Gomes Only For Minutes On The Court
Portugal boss Moncho Lopez will probably wear a permanent grin for the rest of the month after discovering recently that veteran forward Carlos Andrade will no longer have to compete for the one naturalized spot in the national team.
The 31-year-old Andrade, now a near certainty to make the national squad for this summer's Additional Qualifying Round, was born in Cape Verde but moved to Portugal as a small boy yet only became a citizen four years ago.
That meant that two years ago, Andrade had to go head-to-head with another Cape Verde-born player, Joao Gomes, and lost out on the battle for naturalized spot for EuroBasket 2007.
Late last month FIBA cleared Andrade's appeals and now all he wants is a chance to do something for the first time in his career.
He is desperate to compete in the Final Round at a EuroBasket.
"Now, all Joao Gomes and I have to do is to fight for more minutes, nothing else, which is a healthy challenge," Andrade said to Basketball World News.
"All my colleagues saluted me. Everybody is happy with the FIBA decision."
Gomes does not have an automatic berth in the squad as he could face competition from Guinea Bissau-born Manuel Sicó in the fight for the naturalized spot.
Getting Ready For Big Games
Portugal are at a training camp in Almada, near Lisbon, preparing for the Additional Qualifying Round.
In the AQR, they will take on Bosnia and Herzegovina and Belgium in Group A and if they finish top, Lopez's team will square off against the winners of Group B (France, Italy or Finland) in a home-and-away tie for the right to advance to the EuroBasket in Poland.
"Both teams (Bosnia and Herzegovina and Belgium) are difficult opponents, but what we are aiming for is to top the group and then do even better in the next round," Andrade said.
"We know it will be difficult, but we will do our best."
Portugal do not have the tallest team but they usually fight like lions.
"Usually we aren't concerned about what our opponents' size is," Andrade said.
"We care about ourselves first, then the others."
Going from Ukrainian Valentyn Melnychuk after EuroBasket 2007 to former Spain boss Lopez as coach didn't start well with three straight defeats last year in Division A but the Portuguese rebounded to win three in a row and make the Additional Qualifying Round.
"Moncho Lopez brought into the team the Spanish game-style, which is a bit similar to what the we are used to," Andrade said.
"It is true, we lack some height and weight, but we have the advantage of being quicker than most of opponents."
Portugal hosted the International Tournament of Almada last week and lost their final game to Brazil, 77-73.
"That defeat does not shake the positive work we have been doing lately," Andrade said.
"At least we prevented Brazil from scoring more than 90 points, which was their average in the first two games of the tournament [against Angola and Finland, respectively]."
Despite the strong contenders in the AQR, Carlos Andrade is confident.
"Where do I imagine myself in September?" Andrade said. "At the European championship in Poland, obviously. Our team does not have other thoughts, nor do I."
Andrade says the arrival of Lopez has been a real blessing for the national side.
"Moncho Lopez‘s introduction to the group has been a remarkable moment for me," he said.
"He started off by saying: 'Hello everybody, I am Moncho Lopez, and I want to be with you guys at the European Championship in Poland.'
"I can't forget his impressive first speech.
"If we fail to make it to Poland, it means that our opponents were better than us. It will not be the end of the world, but we will not allow them to be better than us."
Portugal boss Moncho Lopez will probably wear a permanent grin for the rest of the month after discovering recently that veteran forward Carlos Andrade will no longer have to compete for the one naturalized spot in the national team.
The 31-year-old Andrade, now a near certainty to make the national squad for this summer's Additional Qualifying Round, was born in Cape Verde but moved to Portugal as a small boy yet only became a citizen four years ago.
That meant that two years ago, Andrade had to go head-to-head with another Cape Verde-born player, Joao Gomes, and lost out on the battle for naturalized spot for EuroBasket 2007.
Late last month FIBA cleared Andrade's appeals and now all he wants is a chance to do something for the first time in his career.
He is desperate to compete in the Final Round at a EuroBasket.
"Now, all Joao Gomes and I have to do is to fight for more minutes, nothing else, which is a healthy challenge," Andrade said to Basketball World News.
"All my colleagues saluted me. Everybody is happy with the FIBA decision."
Gomes does not have an automatic berth in the squad as he could face competition from Guinea Bissau-born Manuel Sicó in the fight for the naturalized spot.
Getting Ready For Big Games
Portugal are at a training camp in Almada, near Lisbon, preparing for the Additional Qualifying Round.
In the AQR, they will take on Bosnia and Herzegovina and Belgium in Group A and if they finish top, Lopez's team will square off against the winners of Group B (France, Italy or Finland) in a home-and-away tie for the right to advance to the EuroBasket in Poland.
"Both teams (Bosnia and Herzegovina and Belgium) are difficult opponents, but what we are aiming for is to top the group and then do even better in the next round," Andrade said.
"We know it will be difficult, but we will do our best."
Portugal do not have the tallest team but they usually fight like lions.
"Usually we aren't concerned about what our opponents' size is," Andrade said.
"We care about ourselves first, then the others."
Going from Ukrainian Valentyn Melnychuk after EuroBasket 2007 to former Spain boss Lopez as coach didn't start well with three straight defeats last year in Division A but the Portuguese rebounded to win three in a row and make the Additional Qualifying Round.
"Moncho Lopez brought into the team the Spanish game-style, which is a bit similar to what the we are used to," Andrade said.
"It is true, we lack some height and weight, but we have the advantage of being quicker than most of opponents."
Portugal hosted the International Tournament of Almada last week and lost their final game to Brazil, 77-73.
"That defeat does not shake the positive work we have been doing lately," Andrade said.
"At least we prevented Brazil from scoring more than 90 points, which was their average in the first two games of the tournament [against Angola and Finland, respectively]."
Despite the strong contenders in the AQR, Carlos Andrade is confident.
"Where do I imagine myself in September?" Andrade said. "At the European championship in Poland, obviously. Our team does not have other thoughts, nor do I."
Andrade says the arrival of Lopez has been a real blessing for the national side.
"Moncho Lopez‘s introduction to the group has been a remarkable moment for me," he said.
"He started off by saying: 'Hello everybody, I am Moncho Lopez, and I want to be with you guys at the European Championship in Poland.'
"I can't forget his impressive first speech.
"If we fail to make it to Poland, it means that our opponents were better than us. It will not be the end of the world, but we will not allow them to be better than us."
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