Marcelinho Huertas: “I longed to wear the jersey”

RIO DE JANEIRO (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019) —Brazil will have on a key piece to face on the third phase of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Americas Qualifiers for China 2019: point guard Marcelinho Huertas will once again wear the “verde amarela” jersey and is now training with the team led by the Croatian coach Aleksandar Petrović. The Brazilian team already qualified for the second phase but lost their first game of the Americas Qualifiers to Venezuela on Friday. Huertas is hoping to close this third window return with a win against Colombia on Monday. 

The player from team Baskonia in the Spanish Liga ACB did his first training session with the Brazilian National Team in Arena Concordia and talked about his incorporation. The 35-year-old veteran point guard joined the squad this past Sunday and felt sorry for not being able to participate on past qualifying phases. However, he did show the same motivation of the first call-up.

“I longed to wear the jersey. The National Team has always brought me a lot of happiness and it is an enormous pleasure to be part of it again. Unfortunately, with this new format, the games were played during the season and that prevented me from playing with the National Team. I like this new format, it’s different, and it gives you the opportunity to play more in your country and to have your people closer. It also promotes the sports more in each country and it helps us, the players, have some vacation time. In the old format we used to play a month with the National Team and it was very tiring. This change favors not only the players but also the fan. Now we need the clubs to accept it and to release the players.”

 “I know Petrović from conversations we had, and we have seen each other in the Olympic Games. He is a demanding coach, but he has a profile that we all like. The players do not feel pressured and the training sessions are more pleasant. We are enjoying our training in a happy and relaxed environment.”

Huertas will wear the number 9 shirt for the National Team and will do it alongside his teammate Anderson Varejão, whom he played with in the last three World Cups and recently in two Olympic Games. “It is a natural process, the years are passing by, the players are staying on the path, and the generation that was the core of the National Team throughout more than 10 years starts to change. Marcelinho Machado, Tiago, and even Gui, who will not play for the National Team anymore. This is a new generation that comes with a hunger for victory and with less international experience since most of them only play in Brazil, except for Benite, who plays overseas. It is always good to have a mix of veteran and younger players. We have a National Team with talented young players and with a good projection.”

Brazil lost for the first time in the Americas Qualifiers against a tough Venezuelan team that built up a lead in the second quarter and did not let up for the rest of the game, with an impressive defensive effort. The game ended 72-56 and Huertas could not get his offense started, with only 3 points and 5 assists in 23 minutes. 

"Venezuela pressed a lot from the beginning, and dominated the boards with rebounding and a strong defense, with a lot of contact. We did not feel comfortable in offense and playing that way, we began to force shots, causing turnovers that ended up creating fastbreak points for them. Defensively we were disorganized and when we made runs, they made their three-pointers. They played with a lot of confidence, while several of us did not get into the game and did not show the dynamics that we planned for in the training. We have to prepare ourselves better for this type of game, especially when we play away from home. "

Brazil will now face Colombia in Medellin on Monday. 

by Carolina Kristal / Photos: Edison Suarez 

FIBA