PUR – Cintron out as Puerto Rico head coach, Pitino almost in
SAN JUAN (2011 FIBA Americas Championship) – Puerto have parted with coach Manolo Cintron and are expected to unveil Rick Pitino as the new boss of the national team. Puerto Rico Basketball Federation President Carlos Beltran has revealed that Cintron has been let go following a disappointing summer that saw the national side crash out of the ...
SAN JUAN (2011 FIBA Americas Championship) – Puerto have parted with coach Manolo Cintron and are expected to unveil Rick Pitino as the new boss of the national team.
Puerto Rico Basketball Federation President Carlos Beltran has revealed that Cintron has been let go following a disappointing summer that saw the national side crash out of the FIBA World Championship with just one win in five games.
Cintron had been in charge of the team since 2007 and led Puerto Rico to bronze at that year's FIBA Americas Championship.
After falling to Germany in a fight for the last spot on offer for the 2008 Beijing Games at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Cintron steered the Puerto Ricans to silver at the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship in San Juan.
The Puerto Rican Federation is now preparing to restructure the national team programs and Pitino, who coaches Louisville in American college basketball, is the frontrunner to take the reins of the senior team.
If appointed, he would become the eighth foreign coach in the team’s history and lead the team at next year's FIBA Americas Championship in Mar del Plata, Argentina.
The 58-year-old has coached Providence College, the New York Knicks, Kentucky Wildcats, Boston Celtics and now Louisville.
Other candidates for the post had been former Argentina coach Sergio Hernandez, ex-Brazil boss Moncho Monsalve and former China coach Del Harris.
FIBA