NewsWhore
08-31-2011, 04:30 PM
The National Basketball Team defeated Cuba 90-60 in its opening game in the FIBA Tournament of the Americas. The top two teams in this tournament win a berth to compete in the London Olympics. The DR is there to get into the Olympics for the first time.
The tournament continues with DR games against Canada on Thursday, 1 September at 5pm, and on Friday, 2 September at 5pm against Brazil.
The win comes after a win to Canada, after losses to Puerto Rico, Brazil and in the previous tune-up Tuto Marchand Cup. The Cuban team is said to be the weaker of the ones that the DR needs to confront in the tournament. But the decisive victory is said to be indicative that the Dominican team, put together this summer, has begun to jell and play as a team.
"We were a much better team," team coach John Calipari said in a telephone interview for his Coach Cal website. "We had much better personnel out there than Cuba. As the game wore on, it was evident that they didn't have as many players as we had. We got better defensively. We're passing the ball better and doing things we must do more of in order to win."
Dominican Al Horford, of the Atlanta Hawks, led all scorers with 24 points on 12-of-18 shooting and set the tempo in the first half with a couple of thunderous dunks. Other key players were Edgar Sosa (14 points) and Charlie Villanueva (11 points).
www.coachcal.com/2011/08/29/coach-cal-dominicans-open-olympics-qualifier-with-cuba/ (http://www.coachcal.com/2011/08/29/coach-cal-dominicans-open-olympics-qualifier-with-cuba/)
www.coachcal.com/2011/08/30/cal-dominicans-roll-in-fiba-americas-championship-opener/ (http://www.coachcal.com/2011/08/30/cal-dominicans-roll-in-fiba-americas-championship-opener/)
www.mardelplata2011.com/ (http://www.mardelplata2011.com/)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#8)
The tournament continues with DR games against Canada on Thursday, 1 September at 5pm, and on Friday, 2 September at 5pm against Brazil.
The win comes after a win to Canada, after losses to Puerto Rico, Brazil and in the previous tune-up Tuto Marchand Cup. The Cuban team is said to be the weaker of the ones that the DR needs to confront in the tournament. But the decisive victory is said to be indicative that the Dominican team, put together this summer, has begun to jell and play as a team.
"We were a much better team," team coach John Calipari said in a telephone interview for his Coach Cal website. "We had much better personnel out there than Cuba. As the game wore on, it was evident that they didn't have as many players as we had. We got better defensively. We're passing the ball better and doing things we must do more of in order to win."
Dominican Al Horford, of the Atlanta Hawks, led all scorers with 24 points on 12-of-18 shooting and set the tempo in the first half with a couple of thunderous dunks. Other key players were Edgar Sosa (14 points) and Charlie Villanueva (11 points).
www.coachcal.com/2011/08/29/coach-cal-dominicans-open-olympics-qualifier-with-cuba/ (http://www.coachcal.com/2011/08/29/coach-cal-dominicans-open-olympics-qualifier-with-cuba/)
www.coachcal.com/2011/08/30/cal-dominicans-roll-in-fiba-americas-championship-opener/ (http://www.coachcal.com/2011/08/30/cal-dominicans-roll-in-fiba-americas-championship-opener/)
www.mardelplata2011.com/ (http://www.mardelplata2011.com/)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#8)