MADRID, 2 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The national men’s basketball coach, Sergio Scariolo, provided this Wednesday the list of 16 players for the matches against Italy and the Netherlands, qualifying for the 2023 World Cup, with the presence of five European champions and the newcomers Pep Busquets (Joventut) and Eric Vila (Basketball Girona).
Spain need one more win to ensure the defense of their 2019 title and they will try to certify it in first place in a highly demanding match in Pesaro against Italy on November 11. If it is not possible, he would have a theoretically more affordable second chance in Huelva on the 14th against the Netherlands.
In the first concentration after the success of the gold conquered in the EuroBasket in September, the Italian coach will have a well-known block where the presence of Sebas Saiz (Alvark Tokyo), Jaime Fernández (Lenovo Tenerife), Joel Parra (Joventut), and Darío Brizuela and Alberto Díaz (Unicaja), who were part of the continental title.
In addition, Jonathan Barreiro (Unicaja Baloncesto), Juan Núñez (Ratiopharm), Miquel Salvó (Gran Canaria), Yankuba Sima (Umana Reyer Venezia) and Santi Yusta (Casademont Zaragoza) have also been summoned, who were in the pre-list for the Eurobasket .
Francis Alonso (Surne Bilbao Basket), Ferran Bassas (Gran Canaria), Rubén Guerrero (Monbus Obradoiro) and Edgar Vicedo (Monbus Obradoiro) also already know what it’s like to work under Scariolo, while the only novelties are the newcomers Pep Busquets and Eric Vila. The first, 23 years old, plays as a shooting guard for Joventut, and the second, 24 years old, is a 2.09 meter power forward who is in the ranks of Bàsquet Girona.
The 18 mentioned will travel next Monday to the Italian town of Bologna, home of Scariolo who trains Virtus there and where he will start preparing for Friday’s match (9:00 p.m.) against the Italian team. After this, on Saturday the 12th, the national team will travel to Huelva, where on Monday the 14th they will face the Dutch team at the Palacio de los Deportes Carolina Marín (8:30 p.m.).
-Bases/Escorts: Ferran Bassas (Gran Canaria), Darío Brizuela (Unicaja), Pep Busquets (Joventut), Alberto Díaz (Unicaja), Jaime Fernández (Lenovo Tenerife), Juan Núñez (Ratiopharm) and Francis Alonso (Surne Bilbao Basket) .
– Wingers: Edgar Vicedo (Monbus Obradoiro), Miquel Salvó (Gran Canaria), Jonathan Barreiro (Unicaja) and Santi Yusta (Casademont Zaragoza).
-Power forwards/Pivots: Rubén Guerrero (Monbus Obradoiro), Joel Parra (Joventut), Sebas Saiz (Alvark Tokyo), Yankuba Sima and Eric Vila (Bàsquet Girona).
