FIBA Americas YDP Elite Team showcased in friendly tournament with NBA Academy Latin America

MONTEVIDEO – FIBA and the NBA Academy Latin America partnered to host a mini tournament as part of the NBA G League International Challenge played over the weekend in Montevideo, Uruguay.

FIBA was represented by the Americas Youth Development Program Elite Team that came out victorious in the friendlies over the NBA Academy Elite Team, played last Friday and Saturday in the Training Center of the Uruguayan Basketball Federation (FUBB).

The FIBA Americas Youth Development Program Elite Team was comprised of Julian Lorca from Argentina, Emanuel Borges dos Santos, Gulherme Carvalho dos Santos, Bruno Henrique Pedro Cardoso and Marcio Henrique da Costa Santos from Brasil, Juan Pablo Camargo Tellez from Mexico, Eddiean Tirado from Puerto Rico, Imanuel Zorgvol from Suriname, and Mateo Bianchi and Joaquim Rodriguez from Uruguay, all selected to the team in the four Camps held in Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Puerto Rico since December 2018.

“The tournament was divided into four games in two days and with training day before tip-off. My expectations were to take as much information and tools as possible and demonstrate my level, that in international tournaments I had not felt satisfied. In this tournament I felt much better.”, said Joaquín Rodríguez, Uruguayan player in the FIBA Americas Youth Development Program Elite Team, selected in the Buenos Aires Camp back in April. "I am happy with what happened collectively, it has merit that we did not know each other and we even spoke another language and we managed to win the tournament without losing any games, but beyond the results, the team played very well and it was a great learning experience for all of us."

“The tournament was exceptional, to have it at this time of the year, a tournament of that magnitude, with boys from all over the Americas continent in the CEFUBB, was very important for the basketball of our country. The organization was very good, the players fulfilled their goal which was to be able to practice and develop the sport at its best, playing a lot of games over the weekend.”, said Marcelo Bessio, Uruguay National Team coordinator and in charge of the coordination of the tournament for the local organizing committee. “It was very positive, everyone enjoyed the tournament, which was very well armed. The importance of being able to compete with each other and against players who have the same aspirations and are at the same level, the growth is even greater and makes us all better".

The FIBA Americas Elite Team represents one of the key FIBA Americas pillars, the Youth Development Program, which has the following objectives:
• Seek and develop the Elite Young Players in the Americas with a view to have these participants elevating the quality of their National Teams by the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and the Paris Olympic Games 2024
• Establish a process for tracking and monitoring young talent in their Evolution and Progression in the Americas Region .
• Work hand in hand with Key Stakeholders and National Federations to identify the Talent.

“The program developed by FIBA has many strengths, including the interaction generated through sport, which is the main purpose. To have players with a high-level skillset come together to learn and share in the difference of cultures and speak and listen to other languages, is something that will help them for their future and much more if they have to go abroad. It is a huge help in their process.”, said Marcelo Capalbo, former Uruguayan National Team great, who also served as coach of the Elite Team during the tournament. “The YDP is an excellent project, tournaments such as these provide much more information for the players, which is key to their development.”

“To provide a platform for our Elite Team to showcase their talent in this tournament was an important milestone for a Youth Development Program that is a priority in the strategy of the Americas regional office.”, said Carlos Alves, FIBA Americas Executive Director. “To be able to witness the growth of this player and the commitment of our national federations to the project, is an inspiration to move forward and enable these players to maximize their potential with the mindset of going back to represent their countries at the biggest of stages.”

The FIBA Americas Youth Development Program has been executed through individual camps with a focus on the development of young talent, and is structured into three pillars: growing access of basketball to young athletes, giving more opportunities for them to develop their game and creating a platform for the elite youth players of the Americas. Its implementation phase started with the children's’ Elite Camps in December of 2018 and during the whole 2019, with 2020 as the inaugural date for the Girls’ Elite Camp.

FIBA