PUR – Melendez includes Pellot in squad

SAN JUAN (FIBA Americas Championship) - Jesse Pellot may not be the best known Puerto Rican basketball player in the world.

But he certainly raised a lot of eyebrows with his latest performance against Panama earning a spot in the squad in the 15-mean squad, 12 of whom will play at the FIBA Americas Championship.

The Puerto Ricans, hoping to reach the Final in Mar del Plata to book a place at the Olympics for the first time since the 2004 Athens Games, got 26 points from Pellot in a 104-98 win over the Panamanians at the weekend.

Angel Alamo was also outstanding with 13 points and eight boards while flashy guard Denis Clemente was electric on the fast break and walked off the court with nine points and five assists in just 18 minutes of action.

"It was a game where several players were fighting for a position in the last 14 and some were above what I expected," Puerto Rico coach Flor Melendez said.

"They played with great intensity.

"That's not counting the NBA (Arroyo, Barea and Renaldo Balkman), who were loose and played very well.

"I think Puerto Rico should be very happy for what I saw today."

If Puerto Rico finish third, fourth or fifth in Mar del Plata, they will take part in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Melendez was announce a fifteen man squad on Monday night.

Puerto Rico 15-man squad:
Carlos Arroyo, José Juan Barea, Renaldo Balkman, Daniel Santiago, Ricky Sánchez, Alex Galindo, Andrés Rodríguez, Javier Mojica, Alejandro 'Bimbo' Carmona, Jesse Pellot Rosa, Manuel Narváez, Luis Villafañe, Ángel Álamo, Johwen Villegas and John Holland.

FIBA