PUR - Gerardo Batista takes reins of women's national team
SAN JUAN (FIBA Americas Championship for Women) - Puerto Rico got a taste of the high life in 2011 when they travelled to Guadalajara, Mexico, and beat the hosts in the final of the Pan American Games women's basketball tournament.
The experience in the summers to follow was positive, with Omar Gonzalez coaching the Puerto Ricans at the 2012 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women and at last year's FIBA Americas Championship for Women.
The Puerto Rican Basketball Federation, looking to keep the momentum going, have installed Gerardo 'Jerry' Batista as the new coach.
The boss of club side Gigantes de Carolina in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional Femenino (BSNF) league, Batista has 20 years of experience in coaching and is looking to use that to good effect with the Boricua women.
"First, I thank (Puerto Rican Basketball Federation President) Mr Carlos Beltran, (Director Liga Infantil-Juvenil Femenina) Hector Laboy and the Governing Board of the Basketball Federation for this challenge and the trust shown in me," he said.
"Every coach aspires to be in the highest position, in this case being coach of the national team of his country, so I'm very proud to have been given this assignment and I will give 100 percent to continue taking the women's team to the level it deserves."
Batista takes over a squad that came within a victory of qualifying for the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women.
The Puerto Ricans made it to the Semi-Finals of last year's FIBA Americas Championship for Women in Mexico and fell to Brazil, 66-56, in the battle for third place.
Only the top three sides of Cuba, Canada and Brazil sealed a place in this year's 16-team event in Turkey.
Puerto Rico will play at the Centrobasket Championship in Mexico from 5-10 August and from 18-30 November the Central American and Caribbean Games.
They will also take part in a friendly tournament in China 19-30 August.
Next year, Puerto Rico will play at the FIBA Americas Championship for Women and attempt to qualify for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
FIBA
