2016 DIRECTV Liga de las Americas line-up confirmed

SAN JUAN (2016 DIRECTV Liga de las Americas) - FIBA Americas on Friday announced the participating clubs, groups and hosts of the 2016 DIRECTV Liga de las Americas.

The ninth edition of the most important club competition in the Americas will tip off on January 15 in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. The continental league will also be played in Santiago del Estero, Argentina (Group B), Panama City/Colón, Panama (Group C) and Barquisimeto, Venezuela (Group D) in the Group Phase.

The groups of the 2016 DIRECTV Liga de las Americas are as follows:

Group A (15-17 January in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic)
Metros de Santiago (DOM - host)
Mogi Das Cruzes (BRA)
Malvin (URU)
Leones de Quilpue (CHI)

Group B (22-24 January in Santiago del Estero, Argentina)
Quimsa (ARG - host)
Bauru (BRA - defending champion)
Marinos de Anzoátegui (VEN)
Toros del Norte (NCA)

Group C (29-31 January in Panama City or Colon, Panama)
LPB Panama Champion (Final currently being played: Correcaminos vs. Toros - will host)
Flamengo (BRA)
G.E Comodoro (ARG)
Aguilas de Tunja (COL)

Group D (5-7 February in Barquisimeto, Venezuela)
Guaros de Lara (VEN)
Uniceub (BRA - 2015 Liga Sudamericana Champion)
Capitanes de Arecibo (PUR)
Capitalinos (CUB)

The Group Phase will be played in four 4-team series that will each qualify the top two teams to the Semifinal Phase. The Semifinal Phase will be played in two 4-team series that will each qualify the top two teams to the Final Four. The Final Four will be played in single elimination format. The two teams that win their respective Final Four game will play the Grand Finale and the winner will be the champion of the 2016 DIRECTV Liga de las Americas.

"For all of us in the Americas Region of FIBA, it is a great satisfaction to announce the teams, groups and hosts of the 2016 DIRECTV Liga de las Americas, a competition that has Central America and the Caribbean as big protagonists. To have the participation of clubs from Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic, alongside the great traditional clubs from South America signals important growth to the scope of our continental league," said Usie Richards, President of FIBA Americas.

"It is important to highlight the support of DIRECTV for once again putting this, their league, at the forefront of the continental sports events that will take place in 2016. We would also like to extend our gratitude to every participating national league and the clubs that make up this ninth edition for the work put forward on behalf of our competition. The DIRECTV Liga de las Americas represents the beginning of a great 2016 that will be packed with the best that basketball has to offer at the international level in our continent."

The 2016 DIRECTV Americas League will be the ninth edition of the continental competition that has as its former champions the Argentinean clubs Penarol Mar del Plata (2008, 2010) and Regatas Corrientes (2011); Brazilian clubs Uniceub of Brasilia (2009), Pinheiros of Sao Paulo (2013), Flamengo of Rio de Janeiro (2014) and Bauru (2015 - defending champion); and the Mexican club Pioneros de Quintana Roo (2012).

The champions of the DIRECTV Liga de las Americas will face the champions of the Turkish Airlines Euroleague in the 2016 FIBA Euroleague Intercontinental Cup.

FIBA