PANAMA CITY (National Team) - The Panamanian Basketball Federation (FePaBa) have appointed Vicente Duncan as the new coach of the national team.

Duncan succeeds Argentinian Guillermo Vecchio, who led the country at the FIBA World Championship last year.

Panama are preparing for the Pan American Games, which will take place in Rio de Janeiro in July.

It is their first appearance in the tournament since 1997, and they have been drawn in Group B alongside Olympic champions Argentina, the United States and Uruguay.

Duncan is set to name a preliminary 24-man roster for the competition in June, with the likes of Nino Etiene, Abdul Herrera, Alexis Smith and Jamahr Warren battling it out for places.

FIBA