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30 August, 2014
14 September
Jose Neto (BRA)
24/07/2014
News
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ARG/BRA - Players of Argentina, Brazil have one eye on Spain

ISLA MARGARITA (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - The stakes are high for the Argentina and Brazil players who will be competing at the South American Championship in Venezuela.

Places are up for grabs in the countries' squads for the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.

The tournament tips off on Isla Margarita on Thursday and runs until 29 July, with both Brazil and Argentina in Group A along with Paraguay and Ecuador, and Uruguay, Chile, Peru and Venezuela in Group B.

Brazil will be looking to add a couple of players from their South American Championship squad to the group of 10 players already selected that will compete at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.

Argentina have four World Cup roster spots to fill.

Jose Neto, who is coaching Brazil in Isla Margarita, says the event is crucial for other reasons as well.

"It's a very important tournament because Brazil is at a good time in domestic basketball," said the man who is also the coach of Flamengo in the country's domestic competition.

"The NBB (national basketball league) is improving every season and for two years in a row, a team from Brazil has been champion of the FIBA Americas League (Pinheiros in 2013 and Flamengo this year) of the Americas."

For Neto, it's all about building momentum and also making sure the team has a presence in other events, with the South American Championship serving as a qualifying event for the Pan American Games.

"We must seize this moment to get good results and to qualify for the Pan American Games, a competition that Brazil has a history of titles won," he said.

Brazil just finished runners-up to Venezuela in the Super Four Tournament of Puerto La Cruz.

Brazil squad for 2014 South American Championship: Arthur Luiz Belchor Silva, Rafael Freire Luz, Raul Togni Neto, Carlos Alexandre do Nascimento (Olivinha), Vitor Alves Benite, George Frederico Torres Homem Chaia (Gege), Jefferson William Rodrigues Antonio, Rafael Hettsheimeir, Rafael Ferreira de Souza, Augusto Cesar de Lima Brito, Leonardo Simoes Meindl and Cristiano Silva Felicio.

Argentina squad for 2014 South American Championship: Nicolas Romano, Nicolas Richotti, Marcos Mata, Nicolas Laprovittola, Juan Pablo Figueroa, Nicolas Brussino, Pablo Espinoza, Martin Leiva, Marcos Delia, Franco Giorgetti, Matias Bortolin and Selem Safar.

FIBA