20 January, 2017
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Vaulet: "We have to impose our style of basketball"
10/02/2017
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Vaulet: "We have to impose our style of basketball"

PONCE (DIRECTV Liga de las Americas) - Among its various sporting virtues, in recent years the Liga de las Americas has become an excellent launching pad for many Latin American players, mostly young projects.

Thus, the best club league of the continent can say with pride, that it collaborated in the development of players like Brazilians Bruno Caboclo and Cristiano Felicio or Argentineans Nicolas Brussino and Nicolás Laprovíttola to disembark in the longed NBA.

In other cases, like Uruguayan Bruno Fitipaldo, Venezuelan Gregory Vargas or Mexican Pako Cruz, the league served as a jump to European basketball.

Several of those who take part in this 2017 edition of the Liga de las Americas are passing a path of personal evolution, in which this tournament becomes a precious exhibition.

One of them is Bahia Basket’s Juan Pablo Vaulet. The 20-year-old, who was chosen in the second round of the NBA Draft by Brooklyn, analyzed his team's situation before their debut.

How much did the Liga Sudamericana help the young players from Bahia?
The Liga Sudamericana was a very good experience for us, who did not have international experience. We never imagined that we would reach the final. It helped us to grow and I hope that experience will serve us in the LDA. We know that we have to play our style and we are confident that we can do it right.

Are you aware that the Liga de las Americas is a more demanding tournament?
Of course, it is a great challenge for us to play the Liga de las Americas. We know it will be a very tough group, with very good teams. We are going to compete and play our game. We hope to live up to the challenge.

Do you feel a season with two international tournaments and the National League can wear down the team?
It can be. Between the Liga Sudamericana and the National League, we already played a lot of games. But I think that will not affect us in this tournament, because our coach has a system of many substitutions and, despite our youth, we have a long team, where everyone has their participation and role. In addition, for the majority of the team is the first time we will participate in the Liga de las Americas and we are very eager to compete.

How do you see the qualifying group with Leones de Ponce (PUR), Cocodrilos de Caracas (VEN) and Academia de la Montana (COL)?
Only now we are scouting and analyzing the rivals, but we know that all teams are very tough at this level and we have to give the maximum to be able to compete for a place in the semifinal.

FIBA