Seigorman names good sized, experienced Argentina roster
BUENOS AIRES (FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017) - Argentina head coach Maximiliano Seigorman has named a good sized and experienced team for next month’s FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017.
BUENOS AIRES (FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017) - Argentina head coach Maximiliano Seigorman has named a good sized and experienced team for next month's FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017.
Seigorman will have six players at least 6ft 8in (2.02m) or taller at his call when Argentina face off against France, Korea and New Zealand in Group A of the 1-9 July tournament in Cairo. The coach also has seven players back from the team that finished fifth at the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2016 including leading scorer and rebounder Lautaro Berra and top assist man Facundo Corvalan.
| Argentina's roster for the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017 | |||
| Maximiliano Andreatta | Lautaro Berra | Santiago Bruera | Francisco Caffaro |
| Leandro Cerminato | Mateo Chiarini | Facundo Corvalan | Leonardo Lema |
| Lautaro Lopez | Matias Solanas | Luca Valussi | Santiago Vaulet |
"The expectations are quite clear: helping Argentina finish as high as possible but above all continuing the work we have been carrying out for some time now," said Seigorman. "I am happy with the group that was brought together. We look forward to playing a good role. The goal is to achieve our own identity with solid defense and solidarity on offense. This is what we have emphasized the most in our preparations."
Argentina's fifth-placed finish at the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2016 was actually not enough to qualify for the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017. But Argentina was awarded a spot in Cairo when FIBA upheld its suspension of Brazil, who had taken third place in the U18 tournament.
Seigorman was missing three important players at the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2016 in Santiago Vaulet, Luca Valussi and Francisco Caffaro - who are all included in the U19 roster. Vaulet averaged a double-double at the South American U17 Championship 2015 while Valussi chipped in 5.5 points and 3.0 rebounds at that tournament. Caffaro is a 7ft 0in (2.13m) center who was born in 2000 and considered one of the top talents in the future.
"I am happy with the group that was brought together. We look forward to playing a good role. The goal is to achieve our own identity with solid defense and solidarity on offense. This is what we have emphasized the most in our preparations."Maximiliano Seigorman
Caffaro also is the tallest player on the squad, which also features the 6ft 10in (2.08m) duo of Berra and Maximiliano Andreatta.
Seigorman is also bringing in two players for their national team debut in Leandro Cerminato and Mateo Chiarini.
Argentina will train at home until leaving for Cairo on Sunday 25 June. Before that they will play two scrimmages against Uruguay on 23 and 24 June.
FIBA