SAN JUAN (2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments) - The three candidates understood to be in the hunt for the position of head coach of Puerto Rico each have advantages.

One for Eddie Casiano is that he played international basketball for the Boricuas. As for David Rosario, he has held the reins of Panama and has the experience of having coached at FIBA Americas Championships, including last year's in Mexico.

For Nelson Colon, who just interviewed for the Puerto Rico job, there is the advantage of continuity. He worked on the bench at last year's FIBA Americas Championship as an assistant to Rick Pitino.

That Puerto Rico team battled its way to a fifth-place finish and a spot in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) field. One of their important wins came against the Dominican Republic, a game in which Jose Barea erupted for 37 points.

So which person will ultimately get the nod to lead the Boricuas at the OQT in Belgrade? What is clear is that each candidate has merit. Each is also a Puerto Rican.

Colon, who has coached in Puerto Rico's basketball league, explained to Primera Hora that he is happy to be a part of the process, to be receiving consideration for such a prestigious job.

I went through the interview and I felt really comfortable. I had a great interview in terms of explaining situations, logistics, recruitment of players, all leading to a national team. There is a plan already outlined, I went with a work plan. I didn't go there to improvise. - Colon

What will work to Colon's advantage, if the selectors rated the job that Pitino did highly, is that he wants to build on last summer. He thinks Pitino, a coach that is in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and is currently at the helm of the Louisville Cardinals, did well with the national team and had the correct approach. Pitino sung the praises of his assistants after the tournament, too.

"When I came here I wanted three things," said Pitino after his last game. "To help Puerto Rico get to the Olympics, to teach them a new culture of defensive basketball and to develop my three assistants and Puerto Rican brothers - Nelson [Colon], Allans [Colon] and Richie [Dalmau]. They are ready to take charge of this."

"I think Rick Pitino did a great job," said Colon, who remembers what the former head man stressed, especially early on. One of the things that Pitino talked about was the idea that the country's name on the jersey is far more important than that of the individual player.

He (Pitino) taught us that no one can be above the team and everyone has to be on the same page. And everyone should have a commitment to represent Puerto Rico first before their particular needs and agendas. - Colon

Rick Pitino (USA) was the head coach of Puerto Rico last summer.

Colon said he would consider all players for selection. That includes young and old, inexperienced and very experienced.

"I've always said that the doors are open to all players," he said. "Here, we will not exclude but add. But there has to be a commitment (of every player)."

Puerto Rico will play in Group A of the OQT against Serbia and Angola. If they finish in the top two, they will take on a team from Group B - Japan, the Czech Republic or Latvia - in a Semi-Final. The Semi-Final winners will square off with a spot at the Rio de Janeiro Games at stake.

Colon believes he would be able to get the best out of the team at the OQT, which is to be held 4-9 July. He is not short of confidence.

"I feel mature, with international experience in the Olympic qualifiers in a FIBA Americas Championship and in a Centrobasket. I think I have that background. I know the league, know what to do and how the team has to unite to play at that level."

Puerto Rico have already interviewed Casiano and Colon and now they are expected to speak to Rosario before making their choice.

FIBA