SAN JUAN, Apr 5, 2017: The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in the Americas on Wednesday confirmed Argentina, Colombia and Uruguay as the host nations for the FIBA AmeriCup 2017, taking place from 25 August to 3 September.
Competing in the continental cup will be Argentina, Canada, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, the United States of America (USA), Venezuela, the Virgin Islands and a South American representative yet to be determined*.
The FIBA AmeriCup 2017 will open with a Group Phase consisting of three (3) groups of four (4) teams each. This stage of the competition will be played in a round robin format in Medellín (Colombia), Bahía Blanca (Argentina), and Montevideo (Uruguay). The best team from each group will advance to the Final Phase, where they will join Argentina, who qualify automatically because of its status as the main organizer of the competition. The Final Phase will take place in Cordoba (Argentina), where the winners of the Semi-Finals will square off in the title game for the right to be crowned continental champions.
The full calendar of the competition is as follows:
Group A: Medellín, Colombia – August 25-27
Group B: Montevideo, Uruguay – August 27-29
Group C: Bahía Blanca, Argentina – August 28-30
Semi-Finals and Final: Córdoba, Argentina – September 2-3
FIBA Americas President Usie Richards, said: “The FIBA AmeriCup 2017 represents a new era in our continental basketball. The best national teams from our continent will compete for the pride of proclaiming themselves the undisputed champion of the Americas. We are very pleased to be able to announce Argentina, Colombia and Uruguay as the hosts of the competition in an unprecedented gathering for our sport on the continent. We are confident that it will be a sporting spectacle and a delight for basketball fans.”
The President of the Argentine Confederation of Basketball (CABB), Federico Susbielles, said: “Argentina is honored to be able to host this first edition of the AmeriCup. We hope to live up to the challenge and stage a quality event. The CABB has been working very hard to bring our national teams closer to our fans, so we consider the opportunity to be organizers as unbeatable. I want to thank all the authorities of FIBA in the Americas for their trust.”
The President of the Uruguayan Basketball Federation (FUBB), Ricardo Vairo, said: “We are very happy that FIBA has confirmed us as host of the Group Phase of the FIBA AmeriCup 2017. We would like to thank the Uruguay National Secretary of Sports, Fernando Caceres, for his help in making this possible as it will be a great opportunity for our fans to witness the best national teams on the continent and in turn a great opportunity to build our national identity before the start of the FIBA New Competition System in November.”
The President of the Colmbian Basketball Federation (FECOLCESTO), Jorge Armando Garcia, said: “For Colombia and especially for Medellin it is a pleasure to host the basketball family of the Americas. It is a historical fact for Colombian basketball to be among the best on the continent and to have obtained the support of our authorities, especially that of Luis Perez Gutierrez, Governor of the Department of Antioquia and Federico Gutierrez Zuloaga, Mayor of City of Medellin. Their presence and support is fundamental for the country and our continued efforts to grow the sport nationwide. We will spare no effort to make the event a success on Colombian soil and provide a spectacle to fans of great national team basketball.”
The Official FIBA AmeriCup 2017 Draw will take place on April 20 in Buenos Aires, Argentina and will be broadcast on FIBA’s YouTube channel. —- FIBA
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