Confident Puerto Rico name 14-man squad for World Cup

SAN JUAN (Puerto Rico) - Tremont Waters, Ismael Romero, Christopher Ortiz, and George Conditt are headline names in the preliminary 14-player roster for the Puerto Rico national team that is playing at the FIBA Basketball World Cup this year.

The quartet were among the highest-rated players for the Boricuas at last summer's FIBA AmeriCup and also crucial in the successful Americas Qualifiers campaign for the World Cup, which tips off on August 25.

Waters has been sensational in the Puerto Rico shirt, since playing for the first time at the AmeriCup where he averaged almost 15 points and nine assists per game.

In the Americas Qualifiers, he played in six games and averaged more than 17 points.

His best and most important performances were in Second Round victories over Brazil. In the first meeting on August 25, 2022, he erupted for 29 points and handed out six assists in a 75-72 home triumph.

Then, on the road in the penultimate game of the Americas Qualifiers on February 23 earlier this year, when Brazil were desperate for a win, he had 10 points - including a game-winning jumper at the buzzer - and seven assists.

Romero, a true warrior for the Boricuas, had 18 points in that second victory over Brazil while Ortiz underlined his importance to the cause with a game-high 21 points.

The points haul was his best in a Puerto Rico jersey and many were scored in spectacular fashion. Ortiz played in all 12 Americas Qualifiers games.

Conditt has been an important player for Puerto Rico since the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Serbia before the Tokyo Games. when he averaged 14.5 points per game.

At the AmeriCup, he averaged 12.5 points and 6.3 rebounds.

Another important player on the list of 14 for the World Cup is Stephen Thompson, who played at the AmeriCup and also featured in nine of the 12 Americas Qualifiers games.

John Holland, 34, a huge talent who last suited up for Puerto Rico in the Americas Qualifiers for the 2019 World Cup, has also been named on the list.

Puerto Rico coach Nelson Colon had hoped that Jose Alvarado of the New Orleans Pelicans would play this summer but his team NBA team, New Orleans, did an MRI on the player's leg injury that has kept him sidelined since the end of February and it has not gone as well as expected.

Puerto Rico national team general manager, Carlos Arroyo, the country's legendary point guard,  said in a statement: "The tibia injury in his right leg had a delay in his recovery process this summer. His team performed an MRI last week and saw that his injury has not fully healed.

"I know our fans were very excited to see Alvarado again in our uniform. Unfortunately, his previous injury did not heal in time and his team decided to give priority to his health. Having said that, we continue with all the confidence in our team with a view to a great World Cup."

Puerto Rico be in Manila for the duration of the entire World Cup and are playing against South Sudan, Serbia, and China in Group B.

FIBA