SAN JUAN (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Those who believe that Puerto Rico have not made an impact on the last two FIBA World Championships are wrong.

True, the Boricuas did not progress from the Preliminary Round in Japan (2006) or Turkey (2010), but the basketball gods were unkind.

In each tournament, the Puerto Ricans failed to progress on tie-breakers.

In Japan, they gave the USA one of their toughest games, losing only 111-100, before beating Senegal and China.

All Puerto Rico had to do to advance was beat Italy in their last game but the Azzurri edged them, 73-72.

Still, the Puerto Ricans would have advanced had Slovenia beaten China but a long three-pointer at the buzzer by Wang Shipeng gave the Far East side a 78-77 win and created a three-way tie.

Slovenia and China moved into the knockout round with 2-3 records while Puerto Rico, also 2-3, went home.

In 2010, Puerto Rico were respectable in defeats to Russia (75-66), Greece (83-80) and Turkey (79-77), and beat China (84-76).

They controlled their own destiny going into their last Preliminary Round game against Cote d'Ivoire.

The African nation rose to the occasion because a victory by a large enough margin would have put them into the next round.

Cote d'Ivoire were just seconds away from staying alive in the competition, with an 88-76 lead over Puerto Rico, when David Huertas buried a long three-pointer.

In the three-way tie for fourth place with China, Cote d'Ivoire and Puerto Rico all 1-4, the Chinese progressed.

The last two FIBA World Championships were strong in the memory of all Puerto Rico basketball officials, coaches and players on Monday when the draw for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup was held in Barcelona.

They end up in Group B with Argentina, Greece, Croatia, the Philippines and Senegal.

Paco Olmos, a Spaniard who was put in charge of the team last summer before leading the team to a runners-up finish at the FIBA Americas Championship in Venezuela, is not one who is haunted by the past.

"I believe that our first objective is to move on to the Second Round, which is something it (Puerto Rico) hasn't been able to do at the two World Championships and looks very possible," Olmos said.

"We know Argentina well, but we have to see if they are going to keep their roster (from the FIBA Americas Championship) or include some players from the glorious Olympic sides."

Argentina coach Julio Lamas on Monday told FIBA.com that Pablo Prigioni, Andres Nocioni and Luis Scola have confirmed their presence for the World Cup, while Manu Ginobili and Carlos Delfino are unknowns.

Scola, who captured a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics with Nocioni, Delfino and Ginobili, was the only player from the group to play last summer at the FIBA Americas Championship where Argentina finished third.

Argentina claimed a bronze at the 2008 Olympics, and finished fourth in 2012.

"In the case of Greece, they are a team with a lot of experience that defends and dreams of competing well in the important tournaments," Olmos said.

"I don't know about Senegal and the Philippines, but we will do our necessary scouting.

"Here, the important thing is to be ambitious and to work hard in order to go far."

All Puerto Ricans basketball fans are hoping the country can exorcise the demons of 2006 and 2010.

What appears to be a favorable draw has given them a chance to do just that.

FIBA