FIBA - Americas leg of Trophy Tour tips off in Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - The Americas leg of the Trophy Tour officially started on Thursday in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

A press conference took place at the Casa Olimpica in Old San Juan to outline the schedule of the Trophy Tour stop which will take place under Sunday 13 April. Distinguished guests on hand for this special occasion included: the President of the Olympic Committee of Puerto Rico, Ms Sara Rosario; the Secretary General of FIBA Americas, Mr Alberto Garcia; the Secretary General Emeritus of FIBA Americas, Mr Gennaro "Tuto" Marchand; the President of the Basketball Federation of Puerto Rico, Mr Carlos Beltran; and the head coach of the national team of Puerto Rico, Mr Francisco "Paco" Olmos.

The FIBA Basketball World Cup will be played in Spain from 30 August to September 14 and feature 24 teams, including Puerto Rico who will play in Group B in Sevilla.

"Clearly there are times of change in basketball. Since 2008, FIBA has been working to make the FIBA Basketball World Cup one of the largest sporting events in the world," said Mr Garcia.

"The Naismith Trophy now travels to a number of the participating countries of the World Cup. We are pleased that the tour begins on the American continent and even more so that it begins here at Puerto Rico.

"Puerto Rico's performances in FIBA's flagship event are spectacular, especially in the (1990) FIBA World Championship in Argentina, where they arrived unbeaten to the Semi-Finals, defeating the United States and the future champions from Yugoslavia. It is no mistake that the first stop of the Trophy Tour is here in Puerto Rico, a country where people live for basketball," said Mr Marchand.

Here are the main activities of the Trophy Tour stop in Puerto Rico

Saturday 12 April at Plaza Las Americas, San Juan (11am-9pm)
11am: Activity with basketball legends of Puerto Rico

Sunday 13 April at Plaza Del Caribe, Ponce (11am-7pm)
1pm: Activity with basketball legends of Puerto Rico

FIBA