PANAMA CITY (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Americas Qualifiers) — The United States demonstrated once again their great talent pool. The have had to change their roster for every presentation, but the results are still the same.

The United States’ team performed comfortable in the beginning of the second round of the continental qualifiers, with wide wins against Uruguay (by over 57 points) and Panama (30 units).

The control portrayed by current twice world champions have placed them at the doorstep of the FIBA Basketball Wrodl Cup 2019 in China, where they will seek a new crown. The United States are the group E leaders with 7-1, the same as Argentina, but with a better difference in points.

“I think our greatest strength is our depth. Again, we’ve pretty much done this throughout (the Qualifiers). We play 10 or 11 guys, anywhere from 10 or 11 minutes up to the low 20’s. We try to take advantage of our depth,” said head coach Jeff Van Gundy at the press conference after their triumph in the Panamanian capital.

When Van Gundy talks about depth, he is not wrong. In the four windows played up to now, for a total of eight games, 37 players have worn the USA jersey for the final roster.

On Monday, September 17, although they only had two players with double digits for the offense, the United States gave no breaks to the Panama defense — and the same had happened with Uruguay, against whom the North Americans deployed their offensive arsenal.

“We were unselfish passing the ball, getting out and running. Nobody was taking crazy shots or forcing anything,” said, for his part, small forward Henry Ellenson. “Collectively, this whole week and against Uruguay, we came to win. That’s the most important part. We don’t really look at our own stats. Guys were just unselfish.”

The two wins are of great significance to the United States. With four games left to play, the North Americans are in a very good position to ensure their presence at China 2019.

“It feels great. It moves us that much closer to qualifying. It moves us that much closer to the U.S. getting to the World Cup and getting the whole thing,”, pointed out shooting guard Reggie Hearn, who is the player with most Qualifiers appearances for the United States, with five appearances.

The United States will once again test their talent pool during the next window with two games as visitors. On November 29 they will play at Argentina, in a game where the winners will stay by themselves on the top of the group. Then, on December 2, the United States will be at Uruguay.

If the Americans win both games, they will achieve their ticket to the FIBA Basketball World Cup, just like they did in the previous 17 editions.

FIBA