SAN JUAN (Jenaro "Tuto" Marchand Continental Cup) - FIBA confirmed at a press conference in San Juan on Wednesday that Puerto Rico will once again host the Jenaro "Tuto" Marchand Continental Cup, where five national teams will fight to lift the trophy of the competition serving as a preamble to the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship.

The continental tournament will be played from 18-22 August at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan and include the participation of the national teams of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic and host Puerto Rico. The five-day event will be broadcasted in its entirety via DIRECTV.

Present at the press conference were: the President of FIBA Americas, Mr Usie Richards; the Mayor of San Juan, Mrs Carmen Yulin Cruz; the President of the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee, Mrs Sara Rosario; the Director of the Department of Recreation and Sport (Departamento de Recreacion y Deporte) of Puerto Rico, Mr Ramon Orta; the President of the Basketball Federation of Puerto Rico, Mr Carlos Beltran; and the Secretary General Emeritus of FIBA Americas, Mr Jenaro "Tuto" Marchand.

Mr Richards said: "It is an honor for us at FIBA to announce the participation of five of our most elite national teams at the Tuto Marchand Cup, making it a major event, and at the same time honoring the great work done by Tuto for basketball throughout our continent."

Mrs Cruz added: "We are delighted to celebrate again the Tuto Cup in the cathedral of basketball in Puerto Rico, the Roberto Clemente Arena. To San Juan, it is an honor to work with such a transcendental person as Tuto. Basketball unites countries and events like this Cup, is what we need right now."

The Roberto Clemente Arena has been the scene of international events at all FIBA levels. It was the main venue of the 1974 FIBA Basketball World Cup and also hosted the first FIBA Americas Championship in 1980, as well as subsequent editions (1993, 1999, 2003 and 2009). The site also hosted the 1979 Pan American Games.

"With great honor, the team of Puerto Rico will defend the title that we won in the last edition of the Tuto Cup in 2013," said Mr Beltran. "Great things are coming this year for our national team and this Cup will serve as an exclamation point in our preparation for the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship."

At the last edition of the tournament, Puerto Rico lifted the trophy after going undefeated and celebrated in front of a packed Roberto Clemente Arena. The MVPs of that preparatory tournament for the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship were the Puerto Rican pair of Jose Juan Barea and Carlos Arroyo.

Mrs Rosario said: "For the Olympic Committee, this event demonstrates again the importance of sport for our people. We know that Puerto Rico will support the work and the preparation of all our athletes."

Mr Orta echoed the sentiment adding that "it is an honor to share this moment with Tuto and here we are all very honored to be able to enjoy this event that celebrates a person who has done a lot for the sport of basketball and for Puerto Rico."

Jenaro "Tuto" Marchand is an emblematic figure of basketball in the Americas. He has held every position within the sport - player, referee, team owner, president of the Basketball Federation of Puerto Rico, President of FIBA Americas, FIBA Vice-President and Secretary General of FIBA Americas, among others.

"We are honored that this Continental Cup will be held again here in the Coliseo Roberto Clemente, a place that has hosted all kinds of America and international Championships," said Mr Marchand. "I was part of the organizing committee of the 1974 World Championship [FIBA Basketball World Cup] in this arena and [the fact] that we continue to have events here, represents what a big stage it is for our sport. I thank FIBA for naming after me an official competition in the international calendar. It will be wonderful."

The Tuto Marchand Cup began in Puerto Rico in 2007, after FIBA Americas organized the event in tribute to the person who has stood out for more than 50 years in different areas of the sport.

With this announcement, Puerto Rico will have hosted four of the five editions - 2007, 2009, 2013 and 2015 to date. In 2011 the event was held in Foz do Iguacu, Brazil.

Brazil won the first three Tuto Marchand Cup (2007, 2009 and 2011).

FIBA