Five players to watch in San Juan

SAN JUAN (Puerto Rico) - The quest for the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2021 takes a major step at the Centrobasket U17 Championship 2019. Here are some players to watch who will be hoping to reach the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2020.

 Deyton Albury, Bahamas

Albury will be making his first appearance for the Bahamas national team. The high flying guard, who plays at Temple Christian School in Nassau, actually already represented his country internationally as he participated at the 2019 Basketball Without Borders Americas camp in Colombia. Albury will be one of the leaders for the Bahamas as they attempt to reach the FIBA U18 Americas Championship for the first time since 2008. 

Gael Bonilla, Mexico

Bonilla is the next great hopeful for Mexico and he will be playing his second tournament for the country - and his second this summer. The versatile small forward was dominant at the FIBA U16 Americas Championship 2019 with 16.2 points, 14.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 4.5 blocks. He ranked fourth in points, second in rebounds and assists and led the competition in blocks. But it was not enough as Mexico finished seventh of eight teams. Bonilla will be a year younger in Puerto Rico but he will try to get Mexico back to the FIBA U18 Americas Championship after the country missed the last two continental tournaments. Bonilla played last season with Spanish giants Barcelona after previously playing with Spanish side Canarias Basketball Academy.

Jean Montero, Dominican Republic

Montero comes into the tournament already having success this summer as he was named to the All-Star Five of the FIBA U16 Americas Championship 2019. He led the tournament in scoring with 30.3 points and added 9.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 3.3 steals per game in helping the Dominicans reach the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2020. Montero, who also recently was named the MVP of the Basketball Without Borders Americas camp, has loads of international experience to call upon. He also played at the FIBA U16 Americas Championship 2017 and the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018 - both events being two years younger than the rest of the competition. The Santo Domingo native will be one year younger in Puerto Rico, but that will not have any impact on Montero and his ability to lead the team. The Dominicans are hoping to get back to the FIBA U18 Americas Championship for the fourth straight time.

Johned Walker, Puerto Rico

Walker will likely be the leader of this team after he starred for Puerto Rico at the FIBA U16 Americas Championship 2019. Despite the 2003-born guard picking up 12.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.7 steals and 1.0 blocks, Puerto Rico slumped to sixth place, missing out on the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2020. Walker hopes to lead Puerto Rico back to the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup after the country took sixth place in Heraklion. The Centrobasket U17 Championship 2019 starts the road back to the U19 World Cup for Puerto Rico, who have made the last eight FIBA U18 Americas Championships, the last two times advancing to the U19 World Cup.

Isaac Hall Machore, Panama 

Photo courtesy: Confederacion Deportiva Autonoma de Guatemala

Hall Machore will be lining up for Panama for the second time this year after playing at the COCABA U16 Championship 2019 to qualify for the Centrobasket U17 Championship 2019. He averaged 7.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 2.0 steals, leading the tournament in assists. Panama will be shooting to get back to the FIBA U18 Americas Championship for the second straight time after they appeared in the 2018 to snap an absence dating back to 1994. Hall Machore's playmaking will play in a major role in Panama's chances.

Others to watch

Those are just a handful of the players who will likely stand out in San Juan. Here are some more to keep an eye out for: Romad Dean of Bahamas; Rey Abad and Rafael Castro from Dominican Republic; Bryan Romero Hernandez  of El Salvador; Jamaican Kyle Ottar, Bryan Ceballos and Esteban Roacho Amador from Mexico; Guillermo Navarro and Jorhiel Zapata Morales of Panama; Diego Romero Ortega of Puerto Rico; and Jahmai Oba Jones of Virgin Islands.

FIBA