SANTO DOMINGO (Centrobasket 2016) - Melvyn Lopez is ushering in a new stage of basketball in the Dominican Republic after being put in charge of the national team for this year's Centrobasket.

The Dominicans, after reaching the Round of 16 at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, finished a disappointing sixth at the FIBA Americas Championship in Mexico City under coach Kenny Atkinson.

The team has now installed Lopez, a coach with a long history in Dominican Republic basketball. The 41-year-old was a member of the coaching staff of the Dominican team that won the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games title.

Last year, Lopez steered the country to a fourth-place finish at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Bahia Blanca, Argentina. That secured the country its first-ever qualification for a FIBA U17 World Championship, a competition that will this year be staged in Zaragoza, Spain. Lopez has also served in the past as the coach of the women's national team.

"We are confident that we will do a good job," Lopez said.

The important thing now is to form a good group of coaches and then combine our quality young talent with veterans who are still able to contribute to the country. - Lopez

While Lopez may not be as well known as some of the Dominican Republic coaches in recent years, play-callers that hail from outside of the country like John Calipari, Orlando Antigua and Atkinson, he has a high profile in the Caribbean.

Lopez serves as president of the Dominican Association of Basketball Coaches (Codebal). The president of the country's basketball federation, Rafael Uribe, has given his full backing to Lopez.

"It was time to give a vote of confidence to one of our own," Uribe said.

He is a proven coach and has been very important in the national team program of our federation. Has been a winning leader wherever he has taken part and we hope that he gives us great results with his experience. - Uribe

FIBA