BARQUISIMETO (2016 Rio Olympics) - It's only been a win-win situation for Nestor 'Che' Garcia since he moved his life from Argentina to Venezuela over three years ago. Garcia relocated to a country that did not have the prestige in basketball of his homeland, yet one that had plenty of potential.

The marriage has proved to be a happy one. Garcia has steered Venezuela to their great moment in basketball, the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship title in Mexico, which sealed a place in the 2016 Olympics. They will make their first appearance at a Summer Games in 24 years.

And for anyone wondering if Garcia will get a title this year, the answer is yes. He already has.

Garcia led club side Guaros de Lara to glory in March. Guaros, with Garcia coaching several of his national team players, hosted and won the 2016 DIRECTV Liga de las Americas Final Four. The match, it seems, was made in heaven.

Garcia will in the coming weeks turn his full attention to the national team. An entire country will again be behind the Vinotinto, too, because Venezuela have won the hearts of everyone.

No one outside of the Caribbean nation would have predicted last year's FIBA Americas Championship title in Mexico City, yet Che Garcia and Venezuela got it. They upset Canada in the Semi-Finals and then Garcia's own country, Argentina, in the Final.

The victory over the Canadians, one claimed in the last seconds, was the stuff of legend. The triumph punched Venezuela's ticket to Rio. International basketball saw a celebration by Garcia and his players that will never be forgotten.

While squads must be announced and teams must go through preparation tournaments, Garcia already knows what his team, which is No. 22 in the FIBA World Ranking, is going to be up against this summer.

There are going to be no easy games for his team in Group A. Their opponents will be the USA, Australia, China and two sides that win FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (OQTs).

We have the Dream Team, Australia, two coming from the OQTs which can be two powers that are among the best in the world. China is tenth. We are the lowest in the FIBA ​​ranking. We know it will be very difficult, but ... this is like in that game against Canada. On the court, we are five against five. - Garcia

The 51-year-old Garcia has been treated like a king in Venezuela ever since last summer, and justifiably so. He got his players ready for the fight. They had not a single NBA player among them.

Garcia spent months in the build-up to Mexico City getting his players where he wanted them to be tactically. He emphasized defense. He also played to their emotions, especially once the tournament was underway.

It's something he is probably going to do each and every day at the Olympics, give the same pep talk to his players that he gave before the game against the star-laden Canada team.

"I do not remember much, but mainly I said we were going to play them as equals," he said. "Always. We were already among the top four. We had much to gain and little to lose. And we knew it was an historic opportunity. And we had great character. Play 40 minutes against someone who was better but we would not be intimidated in any area. And we were playing for glory."

Garcia doesn't need to prove anything to his players. He already has. And Venezuela's squad has already shown what it's capable of, too. This is a country that is going to revel in the Olympic experience. For those that get to watch it, it's going to be real treat.

The concept that we have here in the national team is to play for glory. Once you have the glory, you have everything else. - Garcia

FIBA