MADRID, 14 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish men’s basketball coach, Sergio Scariolo, has offered this Wednesday the list of 16 players called up to play the last two qualifying matches for the 2023 World Cup, with Covirán Granada guard Michael Caicedo and Bàsquet Girona center Jaume Sorolla as main novelties.
Spain, already qualified for the World Cup, will face its last two qualifying matches against Iceland, on Thursday, February 23 in Reykjavik (8:45 p.m.), and against Italy, on Sunday 26 at the Multipurpose Pavilion in Cáceres (6:00 p.m.).
The list is made up of Francis Alonso (Surne Bilbao Basket), Jonathan Barreiro (Unicaja), Ferran Bassas (Gran Canaria), Pep Busquets (Joventut Badalona), Michael Caicedo (Covirán Granada), Alberto Díaz (Unicaja), Sergi García (Río Breogán ), Fran Guerra (Lenovo Tenerife), Rubén Guerrero (Monbus Obradoiro), Juan Núñez (German Ratiopharm Ulm), Joel Parra (Joventut Badalona), Tyson Pérez (Real Betis Baloncesto), Miquel Salvó (Gran Canaria), Jaume Sorolla (Basketball Girona), Edgar Vicedo (Monbus Obradoiro) and Eric Vila (Girona Basketball).
The group, which includes the presence of two European champions such as Joel Parra and Alberto Díaz, will meet next Monday the 20th in Alicante, where they will begin to prepare for the last ‘window’; One day later, the expedition will head to Reikivik, where they will face Iceland on Thursday the 23rd, and the next day, they will travel back to Cáceres, the venue for their match against Italy on Sunday the 26th.
It will be the first time that ‘La Familia’ faces a concentration as number 1 in the FIBA world ranking. By virtue of the agreement reached between the FEB and Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna, Sergio Scariolo will be able to reconcile his positions as selector and coach of the Italian team, as he already did in the ‘window’ of November.
Scariolo will direct the training sessions in Alicante and Cáceres, as well as the match against Italy in Cáceres. “During the team’s stay in Iceland, the coach will remain in constant contact with his coaching staff to monitor and direct the team’s work, which will be led by Luis Guil and made up of Joaquín Prado, Jorge Lorenzo, Víctor García and Manuel Aller” reported the FEB.
The Italian coach explained that although they have already secured their qualification, they want to “continue competing” and “playing good games”. “It is a list that has novelties, but it also has players who have already defended the Spain shirt with great efficiency in previous games. We also have some European champions and, above all, we have a great commitment and a fantastic desire to meet again and write new pages that our fans are proud of,” he stressed.