BUENOS AIRES (FIBA U16 Americas Championship 2017) - Argentina have already secured a berth at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018 as hosts. But the country wants to prove at the FIBA U16 Americas Championship 2017 that they deserve the spot at the U17 global spectacle.

Argentina are hosting the U16 continental event in Formosa from 14-18 June with the top four teams not including Argentina advancing to the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018, which will be played in Rosario and Santa Fe, Argentina.

Tomas Chapero, one of the leader's of Argentina's 2001 generation, says he and his teammates want to earn their way into the U17 tournament even if they are already the first nation in the 16-team field.

"We have very high expectations. We know we are already qualified for the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup, but that doesn't change the way we are going to play. We are going to defend hard, play as a team and try to win every game."Tomas ChaperoTomas Chapero

"We want to demonstrate that we deserve our place in the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup," Chapero said. "Our first goal as a team is to finish among the top four, and then try to finish as high as possible. We know the level is going to be very high with strong teams such as United States or Canada."

The fact that Argentina are guaranteed a spot in the fifth U17 global showcase won't change their effort level this summer, Chapero emphasized. 

"We have very high expectations. We know we are already qualified for the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup, but that doesn't change the way we are going to play. We are going to defend hard, play as a team and try to win every game," the Santa Fe native said.

"We have to impose our style of play, play the way we know, fight for every ball. To play as a unit on offense and defend every ball as if it was the last ball. If we can do that, plus the talent of our players, we should reach our goals. We have to work really hard."

Chapero is also looking forward to playing in front of the home fans in Formosa.

"It is a huge motivation to play at home. We hope to have a great support from our people," the 6ft 9in (2.06m) forward said.

Argentina will be taking on Canada, Paraguay and Venezuela in Group A of the FIBA U16 Americas Championship. The top two teams reach the Semi-Finals and book tickets to the U17 showcase next summer back in Argentina. If Argentina reach the top four, then the fifth-placed team goes to the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018 as well.

The Argentinians will actually have quite a bit of experience together by the time the U16 tournament starts in Formosa. Chapero and many of his teammates played a series of 11 games in January and February in Europe, facing off against Spanish U16 clubs twice, the Serbian U16 national team twice as well as Turkey’s U16 and U15 national teams, Bulgaria, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine in an international tournament in Turkey. The Argentinians finished third in the international tournament with a 5-2 record with losses to just Lithuania and Turkey’s U16 team.

"That tour made us understand that we have to be more intense to compete at that level," Chapero said. "It was a great experience for us all. That experience is going to be very valuable looking forward to the FIBA U16 Americas Championship since we got to play against players and teams that were one step ahead of us."

Now the Argentinians know what lies ahead of them and will go a long way in helping them prove to any doubters that they also deserve to be playing at next summer's FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018.

FIBA