20/02/2019
Americas
to read

YDP Elite Team members relish FIBA Intercontinental Cup invite

RIO DE JANEIRO – In the context of the FIBA Intercontinental Cup, the first 5 players chosen to the Elite Team of FIBA's Youth Development Program in the Americas received a special acknowledgement in the last day of action.

Marcio da Costa Santos, Bruno Henrique Cardoso, Guilherme Carvalho, Daniel Ifedi Ferreira and Matheus Leoni were welcomed on the court during the final of the FIBA Intercontinental Cup's halftime to receive official competition balls from the hands of FIBA President, Mr. Horacio Muratore, and FIBA Americas’ Executive Director, Mr. Carlos Alves.

“It's a great satisfaction for me to witness the Intercontinental Cup and see my idols up close,” said Franca player Marcio Henrique da Costa Santos.

“I never imagined that I would be watching an Intercontinental Cup. This is great. There are no words to describe what it feels like to be here,” said Bruno Henrique Pedro Cardoso.

“Being here in the Intercontinental Cup means that we're being acknowledged for our effort and work,” commented the player that is in Minas’ team ranks, Guilherme Carvalho dos Santos.

 

“It was great being in the Intercontinental Cup, I'm very happy. I saw very good players and you learn from them,” added Daniel Ifedi Ferreira.

“It's a very big step for my career to be in such an important tournament like the Intercontinental Cup. This is incredible and I only have grateful words,” stated Matheus Leoni Brito.

The five players that attended the FIBA Intercontinental Cup, which took place from February 15 to 17 in Rio de Janeiro, were selected from the first Youth Elite Camp in Campinas, Brazil.

“The Campinas Campus was a very good experience for me. It was a great opportunity given to us by FIBA. Being chosen first of 24 athletes and being among the five is a great thing. I liked it a lot,” said Marcio Henrique da Costa Santos.

“Being at the Campus was a very good experience. It allowed me to train very hard and, above all, learn,” summarized Bruno Henrique Pedro Cardoso.

“Participating in the Campus was a fulfilling experience. I got to know many new people and showcase my basketball game and be chosen as one of the FIBA five,” added Guilherme Carvalho dos Santos.

“I had a great experience at the Campinas Campus. I think it helped me a lot in my game because I was coached by a great coach like Petrovic. It was very good for me,” said, for his part, Daniel Ifedi Ferreira, about the first camp of the Youth Development Program in the Americas.

“The Campus was a very good experience because I was able to learn many things in a few days. Being among the five players chosen by FIBA is very rewarding,” concluded Matheus Leoni Brito.

The Youth Development Program has the following objectives:
• Seek and develop the elite young players in the Americas with a view to have these participants elevating the quality of their National Teams by the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and the Paris Olympic Games 2024.
• Establish a process for tracking and monitoring young talent in their evolution and progression in the Americas Region.
• Work hand in hand with key stakeholders and national federations in identifying the talent.

The Program, which will take place through individual camps and the development of young talent, is structured upon three pillars: increase the access of basketball to young athletes, provide more opportunities so that young women can develop their game, and creating a platform for young elite players in the Americas.

The Youth Elite Camp in Campinas was the first of several camps that will take place in the Americas. The future FIBA Youth Elite Camps are scheduled for South America, Central America and the Caribbean, and will conclude in a Regional Camp and in a FIBA Americas World Camp toward the end of next year. In each championship there will be players that will be a part of the Elite Squad, joined by the first five chosen in Campinas, who will represent FIBA Americas in exhibition games in key dates of the international basketball calendar.

FIBA