QUITO (FIBA Americas League) - Pioneros de Quintana Roo launch their FIBA Americas League title defense on Friday when they take on Puerto Ricans Capitanes de Arecibo in Ecuador.

The two sides begin Group C play, with hosts Mavort squaring off against Sao Jose Dos Campos of Brazil in the second game.

Mexicans Pioneros are still sky high after last year's achievement, when they finished first in the competition ahead of La Union de Formosa of Argentina.

Pioneros, whose coach is Spaniard Jorge Claro, will be looking to keep the momentum going for basketball in their country, with Mexico having recently replaced Panama in the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship.

A couple of Pioneros players to watch out for are Mexico internationals Horacio Llamas and Hector Hernandez.

Hernandez averaged 6.5 points and 4.8 rebounds for Mexico in last year's Centrobasket Championship.

The 2.11m Llamas, who turns 40 in July, averaged 4.2 points and 2.5 rebounds at the Centrobasket, where Mexico came in sixth.

"What is certain is that it will be a physical team in the paint and we'll have to deal with that," said Capitanes coach David Rosario.

The former coach of Panama's national team, Rosario says his players have adjusted to the high altitude in Ecuador.

"We are ready for them," he said.

"Pioneros, like the Brazilian team, are the two sides to beat in this tournament and we play one right after the other.

"We'll try to start well to avoid falling into a pit."

Players that Pioneros will have to contend with in the Capitanes squad are Puerto Rican national team players Guillermo Diaz (point guard), Angel Vassallo and David Cortes (forwards), swingman Joey Graham and Venezuela international center Windy Graterol.

The 2.04m Graterol, who is 26, was effective for his national team at last year's FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Caracas and should be in the squad when Venezuela host the FIBA Americas Championship this summer.

The top two sides in Group C advance to the next phase of the competition.

Lanus (Argentina) and Osos de Jalisco (Mexico) clinched the top two spots in Group A ahead of Pinheiros (Brazil) to seal their progression, and in Group B, Brazilians Uniceub BRB and Flamengo finished first and second ahead of Fuerza Regia.

The two best third-place teams from group play will also move on to the Semi-Finals.

FIBA