Lorca, Chile out for history at U18 Americas, hope to qualify to first U19 World Cup

SANTIAGO (FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2018) - Maxwell Lorca is ready to make history for Chile at the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2018. After helping the team to their first-ever title at the FIBA U17 South America Championship last summer, Lorca and co. are looking to book their first-ever ticket to the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup.

Chile are at the U18 Americas event for just the second time after hosting it in 2016. That year they ended up sixth after losing to Argentina in the game for fifth place - which ended up being hugely important.

In 2016, Brazil finished third and qualified for the U19 World Cup 2017 but since the federation was on suspension from FIBA the Brazilians were not allowed to play in Cairo. The fifth placed team - in this case Argentina - was given the ticket to Egypt, with Chile left wondering what if.

Lorca was on the 2016 Chilean team at 16 years old - along with fellow 2000-born players Ignacio Arroyo and Alvaro Pimental. And the center, who averaged 5.2 points and 4.8 rebounds, said he learned a lot from the tournament at home in 2016.

"Nacho (Arroyo) and I were the only ones on that team that are still playing with the U18 team this year so we know what to expect this year," said Lorca, who averaged 14.2 points, 12.8 rebounds and 5.0 blocks at the South American U17 tournament, including a massive triple double of 20 points, 22 rebounds and 10 blocks in the Semi-Finals win over Ecuador.

When asked how important winning that title was, Lorca, who was born in Lafayette, North Carolina to a Chilean father and American mother, said: "It was huge. We all were sold into winning it, no matter what. We're gonna carry that confidence into Canada."

"(QUALIFYING FOR THE U17 WORLD CUP) IS VERY IMPORTANT. WE'VE WORK HARD TO GET TO THIS PLACE AND WE DIDN'T WORK THAT HARD TO NOT QUALIFY FOR THE WORLD CUP NEXT YEAR."Lorca

 At the June 10-16 tournament in St. Catherines, Chile have been drawn into Group B with hosts Canada, Argentina and Ecuador. And the 6ft 9in (2.07m) big man has just one goal - reaching the Semi-Finals and thereby qualifying for the U19 World Cup.

"It's very important. We've worked hard to get to this place and we didn't work that hard not to qualify for the World Cup next year," Lorca said.

Lorca spent most of his life in Brooklyn, New York but now lives in South Hadley, Massachusetts. He admits he didn't feel a connection to Chile before last summer. 

"We won the South American championship, and then I felt like I had a strong connection to Chile," he said.

Lorca's father was Chilean but became a naturalized American and entered the US military, even serving multiple tours in Afghanistan.

"IT'D BE AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY. IT'D BE HISTORIC. THAT'S THE GOAL WE HAVE FOR THIS TOURNAMENT - MAKE IT TO 2019."Lorca

 "He came here in his 20s to find a better life than the one he had in Chile. He moved across the country a few times for work and joined the military to get his citizenship." Lorca explained. "I learned how much he sacrificed to help me and my family to live and enjoy our lives. Besides my mom I don’t think there’s anyone that works harder than him."

Now for Lorca and the Chileans, it's about turning their hard work into a reward - a spot at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2019.

"It'd be an amazing opportunity. It'd be historic. That's the goal we have for this tournament - make it to 2019," Lorca said.

FIBA