Expectations rise as Cali gets ready for Group C tip-off

CALI (DIRECTV Liga Sudamericana 2018) - Quimsa (Argentina), Bauru (Brazil), Minas Tenis Clube (Brazil) and the host team, Fastbreak (Colombia), are ready for the start of the DIRECTV Liga Sudamericana 2018 Group C, at the Coliseo Evangelista Mora Coliseum, in Cali, Colombia.

The four teams will begin the search for two tickets to the Semi-Final Phase, where Franca (Brazil), Instituto Cordoba (Argentina) and Olimpia (Paraguay), already wait for their next opponents.

The hosts, current Colombian runner-up, hopes to have the support of its fans to achieve its reach against some powerful rivals. The team will arrive at the regional league with good performances in their domestic league, with a 5-1 record and the leadership of the Western Conference of the Professional League of Colombia.

In their most recent game, over the weekend, Fastbreak defeated Academia de la Montaña 81-58 at home and extended its winning streak to three.

In the ranks appear experienced players like Eleuterio Rentería, Luis Almanza, Stalin Ortiz, Michaell Jackson, Puerto Rican Jezreel De Jesus, Kenneth Brown and Karl Moore, all under the direction of coach Abimael Palacios.

For its part, the two Brazilian squads, started this weekend the NBB of Brazil. Bauru yielded against Pinheros 92-81, despite 28 points from center Lucas Mariano.

Before the start of the regional league, the "Dragon" participated in the Paulista Championship, and had to settle for second place after falling in the final against Franca.

The team coached by Demétrius Ferracciú, has key pieces like Larry Taylor, captain Alex García (comes from an injury), Fulvio and Jefferson.

Minas Tenis Club had a free day and will begin its action in the maximum Brazilian tournament on the coming Monday against Sao Jose. Minas is aiming high in the Liga Sudamericana and in the NBB.

"We are returning to the international stage in which we were already South American champions in 2007 and we hope to repeat that title soon. We have done a good job in organizing the team for the league. In command, we have for the second season the coach Flavio. We reinforced the team with young athletes, others more experienced. I think our team is going to take basketball to a higher spot in our city and in our state," manager Alexandre Cunha told the media.

Players like Gege, Jefferson Campos, Wesley, Paranhos, among others, will be available to coach Flavio dos Santos Soares.

Quimsa also comes with great expectations, led by coach Silvio Santander.

The team from Santiago del Esteró currently holds third place in Group B of the local competition with a 4-3 record and in their last game they fell to Instituto Cordoba by 84-77. The team counts with the well-known players like Leonel Schattmann, Leonardo Mainoldi, Nicolás De Los Santos, Federico Aguerre, Roberto Acuña and the reinforcements Courtney Fells and Torin Francis.

On the first day of the preliminary group, Bauru will take on Quimsa and the host will face Minas.

FIBA