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An unexpected news shook the world of Argentine basketball. After the victory against the Bahamas and days before the start of the AmeriCup, Che García ceased to be the coach of the national team. The Argentine Basketball Confederation leaned towards Pablo Prigioni to succeed it.
The historical base will be the main person in charge of the team in the tournament that will take place, starting this Friday, in Recife, Brazil. The 45-year-old Cordovan was part of an unforgettable generation and stood out with his talent and intelligence both in Europe (Fuenlabrada, Lucentum Alicante, TAU Cerámica/Saski Baskonia and Real Madrid) and in the NBA (New York Knicks, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers).
“The commitment to the National Team and the players is very great”, began his story in dialogue with the CAB press. Prigioni is currently one of the professional staff assistants for the Minnesota Timberwolves and previously worked for Baskonia of Spain and the Brooklyn Nets.
“I had the opportunity to be with the players for much of this process, and I felt that now is the time to accompany them, just before this tournament. The focus is on giving them all the support and tools to have a good tournament, that we all focus on having a good first game and playing the best possible basketball”, explained the strategist, who since last year has been performing functions assistant within the technical body of the National Team. He will be accompanied on Brazilian soil by Gonzalo García, Leonardo Gutiérrez and Guido Fabbris as assistants.
The native of Río Tercero also took the opportunity to ensure that his tasks in the NBA will not prevent him from sitting on the substitute bench in the upcoming November and February windows: “The job I have in the NBA could have been an impediment, but The total support I had from both the coach and the entire franchise for me to accept the job was decisive. They supported me and give me the flexibility that the position requires.”.
“I have knowledge of the team and the players, that is important. A lot of what they’re playing and it’s installed we did in preparation so it’s something to highlight. The set-up that the team has had in this month that they have been together has been very good and I think they are ready to have a good tournament. We trust in that, in the potential, the hunger and the desire to compete that they have”, he closed.
Argentina will start their journey in the AmeriCup this Saturday, from 1:40 p.m., against the Virgin Islands. Their path in Group B will continue on Sunday, starting at 8:10 p.m., against Puerto Rico. Then they will culminate their participation in the first phase facing the Dominican Republic on Tuesday 6, at 8:10 p.m.
With the entry of Máximo Fjellerup in place of the injured Patricio Garino (he suffered a grade 1 muscle injury to the biceps femoris in his right leg), the national squad was made up of Facundo Campazzo, Nicolás Larpovittola (Barcelona), Nicolás Brussino (Gran Canaria) , Carlos Delfino (Victoria Libertas Pesaro), José Vildoza (Flamengo), Marcos Delía BC Wolves), Gabriel Deck (Real Madrid), Juan Pablo Vaulet (Baxi Manresa), Tomás Chapero (Ourense), Leandro Bolmaro (Utah Jazz) and Tayavek Gallizzi (Cordoba Institute).
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