ASUNCIÓN (Paraguay) – With more than 4,000 athletes playing basketball throughout the country, the Paraguayan Basketball Confederation (CPB) is concluding a great year and is looking forward to 2020 with more and better tournaments for formative stages. Plans include places outside the capital city, a 3x3 Tour and a Height Plan, to give more and better opportunities to children in Paraguayan basketball.

The CPB has been a FIBA affiliate since 1947 and, under the sport's governing body, it continues to work to foster the growth of Mini Basketball and formative stages in rural areas, in order to strengthen the base and the future for the country's national teams.

CPB President Santiago Ochipinti, who took on the role this year, talked about what's ahead for the nation's basketball in 2020. The Federation’s leader has been for more than 10 years in the Executive Committee and has managed all national teams. “What's happening is so beautiful. We're close to creating the Chaco Basketball Federation and we want to create more and better basketball, for example, in the Filadelfia neighborhoods, where we’ll start in January. Also, in Loma Plata schools, where basketball will be like any other subject. We are very happy with the tournaments in rural areas and we’ll continue to support federations that still don't have basketball and start working on fostering the development of younger children,” he said to FIBA.basketball.

The visits to different departments in the country's interior are rendering results and they expect to increase the number of federations that work well and to also improve the infrastructure of stadiums in Paraguay.

On November 14, the Colonias Unidas Basketball Federation (FEBACU) organized a national championship for two categories at the same time, which was never before done in Paraguayan basketball. That same day, the floating floors for the Municipal Ka’a Poty Stadium in the municipality of Obligado – where the tournament was held – were installed.

“We now have another stadium to practice basketball,” Ochipinti pointed out.

For the first time in Paraguayan basketball, 17 teams participated in the national U15 women’s championship and in the U19 men’s championship. This format of simultaneous organization of two national championships in the same venue and date is absolutely new and entails an organizational challenge. This was a historic feat for basketball outside the capital, and it saw an attendance of nearly 7,000 fans every night.

“Finally, we're having floating wooden floors built and playing in very interesting and hard-fought national finals. That's the path we must take, the rural areas must be developed,” said Alejandro Morassi, CPB Vice-President, to FIBA.basketball.

Paraguayan basketball is also growing in other modalities. The 3x3 is already a reality in the South American nation. The CPB is planning on doing a tour in 2020, featuring the participation of all national tournaments for federations outside the capital city, along with a 5x5 camp, and a 3x3 tournament that will host a specific category per day.

“We've had very good results. We must continue to provide money and time to the club directives. We need to compete in all tournaments that we can in the 5x5 and in the 3x3, bring in better coaches and have permanent national teams starting at the age of 12,” said the CPB President.

Aside from de-centralizing basketball from Asunción, the Paraguayan confederation has its sights set on having a Height Plan in 2020. This is something that's uncommon in Paraguay and that, after a long-term development, could be achieved.

With these plans, Paraguay's basketball motivates young talents to be a part of teams, so that they can acquire experiences and continue to work on the growth of this sport.

FIBA