×
30 August, 2014
14 September
25/06/2014
News
to read

MEX - Valdeolmillos preaches the virtues of defense

MEXICO CITY (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Mexico coach Sergio Valdeolmillos is telling his players they must have a solid defense to stand any chance of making waves at the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

The winners of last year's FIBA Americas Championship in Caracas, Venezuela, Mexico are in training ahead of the competition which starts on 30 August.

"Our biggest strength should be from behind, from our defense, and from then on, we will develop our offense," he said.

"I hope that with our defensive concept we are able to avoid speculation and play counter-attacks.

"(Getting) The rebounds on our (offensive) glass is our aim and we will try to project that in every game."

Mexico have a busy schedule in the build-up to Spain.

They are to play at the Centrobasket in Tepic, in the Mexican state of Nayarit, from 1-7 August against the Dominican Republic, Panama and Jamaica.

The Mexicans will travel that month to Argentina to play warm-up games against the Argentinians, Brazil and either Canada or Venezuela.

Then from 14-15 August, Mexico will play friendlies against Senegal, Ukraine, Spain and Croatia.

They have clashes with Egypt 26-27 August in Spain.

Regarding the preparation and warm-up games, Valdeolmillos said: "We cannot forget that Mexico is the first country that's beginning training two and a half months before the World Cup because the other countries will do so in August."

He also spoke of the need for Mexico to have a good World Cup.

"It's important that Mexico's name starts to ring because of its basketball team everywhere," he said.

In Gran Canaria, where Mexico's Group D games will be played, the opponents will be Lithuania, Slovenia, Angola, Korea and Australia.
 
"First, we are going to play against the fourth best team in the world, Lithuania (FIBA Ranking No. 4)," Valdeolmillos pointed out.

"Then against Slovenia (FIBA Ranking No. 13), who represent European basketball, they are very tactical and play a very intelligent game.

"We will then take on an enigmatic team like Australia, that has a mix of NBA players, but that also has other players of the second division.

"They have such a difference in quality that you are not able to distinguish how they are going to play.

"Then we take on Angola, a team that plays a similar basketball to us. They have less talent but they are more physical.

"South Korea is anarchic, with a lot of quality on offense but less defensive concepts."

There is some uncertainty about the make-up of the Mexico squad, with Gustavo Ayon - the MVP of last year's FIBA Americas Championship - trying to bounce back from a shoulder operation.

FIBA