MANAGUA (Nicaragua) — For more than two decades, Marcelinho Huertas was a cornerstone of the Brazilian national team, winning two FIBA AmeriCup titles (2005, 2009) and delivering standout performances at World Cups and Olympic Games. Head coach Aleksandar Petrovic acknowledged both the weight of Huertas’ departure and the timing of his retirement. “When you’re 41 years old, you need to prepare yourself for when the main point guard for all of these years is going to say ‘stop,’” Petrovic said. “It was the perfect stop for Marcelinho last year when we won the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, and we went to the Olympics. The last game for Marcelinho was against the Dream Team United States. It was a perfect ending for the national team.”
Now, Alexey Borges, Yago Santos, and Georginho De Paula are sharing most of the ball-handling duties for Brazil at the FIBA AmeriCup in Managua, and the early results have been encouraging.
“I am very pleased that I was a coach for some years for Marcelinho, but I’m also very pleased that right now I’m going to have Yago and Alexey. I’m satisfied with them,” Petrovic added. He also hinted at the upcoming return of Raulzinho Neto to the squad later this year.
Brazil has jumped out to a 2-0 record with wins over Uruguay and the Bahamas, fueled by hot outside shooting. The team has hit 30-of-69 attempts from 3-point range (43.5 percent) across both games, which is proof of strong ball movement. Having multiple playmakers has only helped. De Paula (4.5 assists per game) and Santos (3.5) have both thrived as starters in the backcourt. Both credited Huertas for shaping their games. “I’m a huge fan of Marcelinho, and in the last four tournaments we learned a lot from him,” De Paula said. “Right now, playing without him, we’re missing a lot, but we know we have talent like Yago, Alexey, and other great players to replace a guy like him who represents so much for Brazil and for basketball.”
Santos also paid homage. “This generation is good because of Marcelo,” Santos said. “I text him all the time when I come to Brazil for the summer on vacation, and I practice with him. I think Marcelo is special, and he did a lot for this generation. We’re happy to have had Marcelo in the past.”
Borges dished out eight assists against the Bahamas and leads the team with 6.0 per game in the tournament. Even big men like Bruno Caboclo and Lucas Dias are contributing, averaging 2.5 assists apiece.
Sharing the role by committee hasn’t led to more turnovers either, with Brazil averaging just 10 per game after two contests, which is the best mark in the tournament. A 20-year career like Huertas’ is difficult to replicate, but the torch has been passed, and his influence will continue to guide Brazil’s next generation of players. FIBA