Garcia's focus on LPB Finals, then Venezuela national team

BARQUISIMETO (2015 FIBA Americas Championship) - Nestor 'Che' Garcia isn't able to turn his attention to Venezuela's national team yet because he's doing too good of a job as the coach of Guaros de Lara in the country's top flight.

The Argentinian, who will hold Venezuela's reins at a second straight FIBA Americas Championship this summer and try to get them to the title game to qualify for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, has just steered Guaros into the LPB Finals.

The Barquisimeto club won Game 6 against Cocodrilos de Caracas, 95-73, for a 4-2 series win.

Guaros will now face Marinos de Anzoategui for the title, with Game 1 of the Finals on Sunday.

Garcia was all smiles after his team's latest victory.

The truth is that to see all of this makes me enormously happy. - Garcia

"For us to be in this situation is marvelous," Garcia said.

Next is a clash with the defending champions, a club he coached before.

"I have great respect for Marinos and a great memory of them," Garcia said.

"I owe a lot to Guaros. We know that Marinos is the favorite but my team plays well."

Once the Finals are over, Garcia will immediately switch into national team mode.

There is a preliminary squad of 32 players and some are to begin national team training 14 June while others will arrive the following week.

The first warm-up event for the Vintotinto will be the Torneo Israel Sarmiento (25-27 June), with Cuba and Uruguay also taking part.

Next, Venezuela will send players to Spain to compete in four friendly games before returning to the Americas in mid-July heading north for the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada, a tournament that runs from 21-25 July.

Venezuela will continue their preparations with participation in the Stankovic Cup in the Far East with China, Mexico and New Zealand also taking part.

The Vinotinto then travel to Belgrade to play in a tournament there before going back to Spain for another tournament.

At the FIBA Americas Championship, Venezuela will compete in Group B with Argentina, Canada, Puerto Rico and Cuba, with the top four sides progressing to the meet the four teams that emerge from a Group A that has Brazil, Mexico, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay.

Hopes are high in Venezuela that the team will make it to the Olympics.

Last year, the team hosted and won the South American Championship.

Venezuela's preliminary squad for 2015 FIBA Americas Championship: Abrouse Acosta, Luis Bethelmy, Jose Bravo, Michael Carrera, Luis Carrillo, Jesus Centeno, Nestor Colmenares, Juan Coronado, John Cox, David Cubillan, Gregory Echenique, Cesar Garcia, Elder Gimenez, Windi Graterol, Heissler Guillent, Dwight Lewis, Miguel Marriaga, Junior Martinez, Jose Mathias Aranguren, Keving Palacios, Anthony Perez, Leon Rodgers, Jorge Rondon, Miguel Ruiz, Donta Smith, Luis Valera, Gregory Vargas, Javinger Vargas, Jose Vargas, Greivis Vasquez, Jesus Urbina and Jhornan Zamora.

Go to fiba.com/Americas2015 for full coverage of the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship.

FIBA