The ball is about to be thrown into the air. The Colombian Basketball team will have its last and great international challenge when it has to receive, this February 23 and 26, the national teams of Mexico and Puerto Rico in the final window of the FIBA World Cup 2023 qualifiers.
Gone are the exploits made at the Elías Chegwin venue, such as the victory against Brazil or the visit of the United States to our country for the second time in history. The news is that the ‘Yellow’ will take their emotions to the city of Medellín, where they will now act as a local at the Iván de Bedout Coliseum in the capital of Antioquia.
El Heraldo spoke with John Mario Tejada Jr., manager of the Colombian Basketball team, to find out the reasons for the change of venue and the expectations that the national team has for what is to come.
“From the Colombian Basketball Federation we want to thank Barranquilla for everything we have experienced. It has been a spectacular venue. The people reacted in an incredible way and the fans joined us in droves. The ones we lived at the Elías Chegwin were some very nice matches. Now what we want is to continue bringing basketball to all of Colombia. We have already been in Cali and we are confident that things can also be done successfully in Medellín. The Iván de Bedout is a coliseum that allows us much more capacity than the Elías Chegwin in Barranquilla, therefore this was a piece of information that took on great importance in the decision,” Tejada told EL HERALDO.
The manager of this Colombian team stressed that although the country no longer has mathematical chances of attending the FIBA World Cup 2023, the team will prepare with the aim of signing two more victories against their people and leaving a good image at the end of this second round.
“Our participation in the World Cup qualifiers is practically over, but we want to make the best possible presentation in this last window. We want to continue with the constant of providing a show, but now in the city of Medellín with our new allies J Balvin and José David Rivera, also known as Dj Pope. We are going to guarantee family entertainment at this sports show,” he added.
Players like Tremont Waters — he scored 21 points against Colombia last year — and Gian Clavel — MVP of the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games finals — have already confirmed their presence in this last round, so beating Puerto Rico and Mexico in the city of Medellín will not be an easy task.
“Both Mexico and Puerto Rico are going to use all their cartridges to close the World Cup qualification, for this reason they have summoned the best they have available. It will be important that we keep up this friction with the best teams on the continent, as we will raise our level in the next cycle, both Olympic and Copa América. We will do our best to make history,” he mentioned.
The good news for national basketball is that, thanks to qualifying for the second round of these World Cup qualifiers, our team will have the opportunity to fight for a place in the next Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Colombia will attend the repechage of said games, which are expected to be played in the month of August.
“We are very happy to be in this pre-Olympic round for the first time, just thinking that we have a chance makes us full of hope. The results of the Colombian Basketball team have been absolutely positive. Our players have taken an incredible level. We are in the elite ”, he concluded.
The tickets for the World Cup qualifying games against Mexico and Puerto Rico will have a value of $50,000 general pesos and $100,000 VIP for a single game and the combo of both matches will have a promotion of $90,000 general and 180,000 VIP.
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