ROSARIO/SANTA FE (FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018) - The FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018 is the fifth edition of the biennial global showcase and FIBA President Horacio Muratore sees the event as a triumph because of the potential future senior national team stars that are thrilling fans around the world.

"The U17 World Cup has been a great success because in this way we can see the potential stars that will shine in national teams and clubs around the world," said Muratore, who watched some Group Phase action in Rosario last weekend and is in Santa Fe for the Final Phase.

The inaugural edition of the competition took place in 2010 and became FIBA's other elite youth event alongside the the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup.

Significantly, this year's tournament marks the first time the U17 showpiece is staged on Americas soil, after being held in Hamburg, Germany (2010), Kaunas, Lithuania (2012), Dubai, United Arab Emirates (2014) and Zaragoza, Spain (2016).

There had been an event for U22 players from 1993 to 1998, when the age group was switched to U21. But the competition was played for the last time in 2005.

"We used to have U22 and U19 World Cups, but because of the progress that we have seen from the players through the national federations we decided to eliminate the U22 event as most players were already with the senior national teams," Muratore said. "That is why we created this new category, U17. We are very satisfied with this decision and of course, we will keep betting on it."

Over the years, the success of the event has been such that, after consisting of 12 teams in each of its first two editions, it has since been played with 16 - on par with the number of teams at the U19 World Cup - ever since.

"THE FIBA U17 BASKETBALL WORLD CUP HAS BEEN A GREAT SUCCESS BECAUSE IN THIS WAY WE CAN SEE THE POTENTIAL STARS THAT WILL SHINE IN NATIONAL TEAMS AND CLUBS AROUND THE WORLD."Muratore

 Seeing this year's U17 World Cup being played in Argentina holds a special meaning for Muratore since the event was coming to his homeland.

The country has an impressive track record of staging some of basketball's biggest tournaments.

"In its history, Argentina has proved its organizational skills as it has hosted two FIBA Basketball World Cups [including the inaugural one in 1950 and 1990] and a lot of FIBA Americas Cups," he pointed out.

For Muratore, the Santa Fe province is the perfect location in which to stage the event.

"The fact that the World Cup is taking place in the province of Santa Fe makes sense because it breathes basketball like no other in our country," he said. "A lot of great players are from Santa Fe, such as Marcelo Nicola, and some members of The Golden Generation like Andres Nocioni, Carlos Delfino, Walter Herrmann and Hugo Sconochini.

"For me it's a very special feeling and a huge satisfaction that the tournament is taking place here, and that Rosario and Santa Fe, the two biggest associations in the province, worked hard together to make this happen."

"THE FACT THAT THE WORLD CUP IS TAKING PLACE IN THE PROVINCE OF SANTA FE MAKES SENSE BECAUSE IT BREATHES BASKETBALL LIKE NO OTHER IN OUR COUNTRY."Muratore

 Returning to the future stars on the court, Muratore has been impressed with the level of the players. 

"The evolution in this level of competition is clear, and it is unbelievable that these 17-year-old players show these impressive skills on the court and it's something that makes us really proud," he said.

FIBA