ARECIBO (DIRECTV Liga de las Américas) — Few teams in the continent are as experienced at the international level as Capitanes de Arecibo. The Puerto Rican league champions will participate for the twelfth time at the DIRECTV Liga de las Américas in 2019, and this time they’ll try to be true protagonists.

On Monday, January 7, the squad started to train toward their commitments in Group D, whose matches will take place at the Pachín Vicéns Coliseum in Ponce, Puerto Rico, from February 8 to 10. There, they’ll face Universitarios (Panama), Guaros de Lara (Venezuela), and host team Leones de Ponce.

Coach Pachy Cruz has been able to count from the start with the availability of locals Raymond Cintrón, Ángel Matías, Willie Rodríguez, Johwen Villegas, Fabián Toro, Rafael “Chamo” Pérez and Christian Pizarro. Joining them as reinforcements are Owen Pérez, Jezreel de Jesús and the first foreigner in the team, Víctor Rudd.

The former University of South Florida small forward is coming in from playing with Italy’s Fiat Torino and is also experienced in the Europe Cup, where he averaged 14.8 points and 6.3 rebounds in 36 minutes of play in four encounters.

The management also announced signing center Elijah Holdman who, with China's Tianjin, averaged 25.5 points and 14.1 rebounds.

In coming days, other names are expected to be added to try to cover for the harsh absences of main local players Walter Hodge, David Huertas and Denis Clemente, who are under contract in foreign leagues.

FIBA