MAR DEL PLATA (2015 Pan American Games/2015 FIBA Americas Championship) - Argentina's preparations for the Pan American Games are underway in Mar del Plata.

The South American giants will take part in the competition 21-25 July in Toronto, Canada, with players looking to not only get to the podium but to stake claims for spots in the country's FIBA Americas Championship (31 August-12 September) squad.

Players that played for Argentina at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup that are in the current squad are Marcos Mata, Selem Safar, Facundo Campazzo and Nicolas Laprovittola.

More senior players like Luis Scola and Andres Nocioni are expected to be with Argentina after the Pan American Games and to compete at the FIBA Americas Championship, where the two finalists will qualify for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and the teams that come in third, fourth and fifth will clinch berths in the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Both Scola and Nocioni played at the World Cup.

Laprovittola is coming off a very impressive season, one that saw him lead Flamengo to an Intercontinental Cup triumph over Maccabi Tel Aviv and a Brazilian league title.

Campazzo, meanwhile, was on the best and deepest roster in Europe, Real Madrid.

The point guard helped the club win a Copa del Rey, Turkish Airlines Euroleague and Spanish Liga Endesa treble.

He believes he is ready to have a strong summer with the national side, despite not logging many minutes with Real.

"One finds the rhythm of play in training and friendly games, so I am not worried about that," Campazzo said.

"Physically I've been preparing, training extra hours because during the playoffs, Real Madrid was doing more scouting than any other thing. So I just looked to train on my own.

"I feel well. I think I'm better than in previous years.

"Obviously, you can always improve."

I'm going to try and get to my top level as the days progress and that is going to be the best way to face what we're doing. - Campazzo

Nicolas Richotti, who did not make the World Cup squad but is coming off a good season with Tenerife in Spain's top flight, is excited to be in the preliminary squad and working out for the first time under coach Sergio Hernandez.

The veteran coach led Argentina from 2005 through 2010 and returned to the helm earlier this year.

"I have a lot of desire to work hard and there is a new coach, Sergio," Richotti said.

"I want to show him that I belong among the 12 [that goes to Toronto]."

As part of their preparations, Argentina will square off against Uruguay in a couple of friendlies.

They will also have some workouts in Houston, Texas, before leaving for Canada.

Sebastian Vega, Nicolas Aguirre, Leonardo Mainoldi, Gabriel Deck (all Quimsa), Federico Aguerre and Pablo Orlietti (both Gimnasia Indalo) had been in the initial squad but their playoff commitments have prevented them from linking up with the team.

At the Pan American Games, Argentina will be in Group B with Canada, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

Argentina preliminary squad for Pan American Games: Matias Bortolin, Nicolas Brussino, Facundo Campazzo, Marcos Delia, Pablo Espinoza, Tayavek Gallizi, Patricio Garino, Franco Nahuel Giorgetti, Nicolas Laprovittola, Marcos Mata, Nicolas Richotti, Selem Safar, Juan Manuel Torres and Luca Vildoza. Invited to train: Roberto Acuna, Ignacio Alessio, Franco Balbi, Ivan Basualdo, Tomas Zanzottera and Javier Saiz. 

Go to fiba.com/Americas2015 for complete coverage of the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship.

FIBA