ARG - Garcia the last to go

BUENOS AIRES (FIBA Americas Championship/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Diego Garcia was pleasantly surprised to receive a late invitation several weeks ago to join Argentina during their preparations for the FIBA Americas Championship.

However, the veteran shooting guard has come up just short of making the squad to compete at the tournament in Caracas, Venezuela, which serves as a qualifying tournament for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Julio Lamas has announced the squad that will instead have 26-year-old Selem Safar.

The off guard had been carrying a knock but proved his fitness in the team's game against Uruguay at the weekend.

Penarol's Facundo Campazzo, who made a splash last summer with the senior team at the Olympics, will again be with the side and is sure to play a lot at point guard.

Other playmakers are Flamengo's Nicolas Laprovittola and Dinamo Sassari’s Juan Fernandez.

Fernandez spent four years at Temple University playing American college basketball and had a successful professional debut in 2012-13 with Brescia in Italy’s Lega Due.

While the squad is missing several veterans like Manu Ginobili, Andres Nocioni, Carlos Delfino and Pablo Prigioni, a couple of lynchpins remain in big man Luis Scola and Juan Pedro Gutierrez.

Marcos Mata, who has to rest a week after hurting his shoulder in the game against Uruguay, and Spanish-based Leo Mainoldi should also have important roles.

The top four sides at the FIBA Americas Championship, which tips off 30 August, will qualify for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Argentina are to play in Group B with Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Paraguay.

FIBA