ARG - Marcos Mata and Diego Garcia called up by Argentina

BUENOS AIRES (South American Championship) - Argentina coach Sergio Hernandez has added Marcos Mata and Diego Garcia to his 17-man preliminary squad for the South American Championship in Chile.

Mata played in all nine games for Hernandez as Penarol won this season´s inaugural FIBA Americas League. Garcia, who has represented the country before, is currently on the books of Spanish LEB side Burgos.

The duo have been called into the group after previously selected Javier Bulfoni and Matias Lezcano chose to withdraw.

Bulfoni, a 31-year-old swingman with Grupo Begar Leon in Spain, averaged 14 points in the 34 games but wasn´t able to save the team from relegation from the ACB. He told Hernandez he needs a rest after a busy season.

Lezcano has pulled out citing personal reasons.

The preliminary squad is to begin workouts this week ahead of the South American Championship, which tips off in Puerto Montt from July 1-6.

The squad will be trimmed to 12 players by the start of the tournament.

Argentina preliminary squad:

Maximiliano Stanic, Nicolas de los Santos, Juan Gutierrez, Diego Gerbaudo, Luis Cequeira, Paolo Quinteros, Matias Nocedal, Diego Lo Grippo, Diego Garcia, Matias Sandes, Roberto Gabini, Marcos Mata, Roman Gonzalez, Sebastian Vega, Andres Pelussi, Leonardo Mainoldi, Federico Aguerre.

FIBA