Silva expects a better Venezuela at Olympic qualifiers in France

CARACAS (2016 Rio Olympics) - Venezuela did not win any games at the Olympic Test Event in Brazil earlier this month but there is cause for hope that the team will be stronger when it needs to be.

The Venezuelans, coached by Oscar Silva, will compete at the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT). The Executive Committee of FIBA announced this week that the 12-team event will be held in Reze (Nantes), France, 13-19 June.

Five berths for the Rio de Janeiro Games will be up for grabs. Argentina, who also played at the test event and beat Venezuela, will be among the 12 sides in France. Venezuela were nowhere near full strength in at last weekend's test event in Rio.

The absences of my very important players (due to professional commitments and academic ones), like Roselis Silva, Daniela Wallen, Cleider Blanco, Ana Garcia and Mariana Duran, affected us, but it is obvious that we have a lot of work ahead of us in order to have options in the Pre-Olympic tournament. - Silva

Wallen had been especially good at the FIBA Americas Women's Championship in Edmonton, Canada, last year. When Venezuela won the fifth-place game against Puerto Rico, 65-56, to clinch a WOQT spot, she had 18 points and 11 rebounds.

As for the test event, Silva did see some things that he liked.

"We have to point out that we came out winning our first quarter against Australia, but then they pressured us and obviously, we had no depth," he said. "The third quarter against Brazil we won 16-10. The team had two players of the U17 (Josberly Torres and Agueil Fajardo), and three new additions (Keysi Ford, Thalia Garcia and Endrina Bolivar). We had flashes that tell us that with work, we will be competitive in the next events. Moreover, Torres received praise and left a good impression playing in the position of guard."

Venezuela will soon discover the teams they will face in Nantes. The draw for the WOQT is to be held at the House of Basketball in Mies, Switzerland, on Tuesday 26 January. In addition to the Venezuelans and hosts France, there will be Argentina, Belarus, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Korea, New Zealand, Nigeria, Spain and Turkey.

FIBA