United States to visit Cuba for the first time in 27 years

HAVANA (FIBA Basketball World Cup Americas Qualifiers 2019) - Once again, the United States and Cuba will meet in a basketball duel where the historical repercussions seem to transcend sports competition.

This is all about the second game between both teams, as part of the third window of Group C, on the first round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Americas Qualifiers before China 2019. The duel once again will happen at Coliseo de la Ciudad Deportiva in Havana on July 1, something that is happening for the first time since 1991.

Even though the United States dominate the series on both sides in an overwhelming manner, 27-1, when it comes to games played on Cuban soil —be they friendly or official— the record is 2-2, always with a great performance from the local team.

“Every time we play against the United States team, it’s motivating since it is the best basketball in the world. When one faces a US team, we try to perform our best to get the best results possible,” said Ruperto Herrera, President of the Cuban Basketball Federation.

 This month’s chapter will be a reminiscence of the four games that were held in Cuba. Mainly, the two friendly games in 1977 and the to two games that were part of the 1991 Pan American Games.

The first of these games, in 1977, the United States team, guided by the effort of two senators from the Democratic Party, arrived in Havana with a team comprised by college athletes of University of Dakota and South Dakota. The Cuban National Team won both games comfortably and several months later, returned the visit by enjoying an individual game with both universities. This time, in the United States and with the same favorable result.

Fourteen years later, in 1991, the basketball artillery from the United States went back to Cuba to participate in the Pan American Games that were being hosted on the buildings built in 1957, which feature Ernesto “Che” Guevara on one of its walls.

While at plain sight it might seem like just a basketball game, it brought about at least one important historical repercussion. It was specifically from this point on —after losing the tournament with a roster of college star athletes— that the United States created the Dream Team —thus changing world basketball history.

The largest of the Antilles has been at a disadvantage in three games during the first round, including a resounding loss (84-48) against the United States the past February 22. However, the National Team that has been the only one in the Caribbean to win a medal on a global basketball event with an Olympic bronze in Munich in 1972, continues its process of restructuring with a core of young players and with international experience that aspires to bring back their old luck starting on this new cycle.

Just as in past games, the United States are counting on a roster comprised of players from the NBA Development League (G-League) that will take the court on the island located a mere 103 miles from the coast of Florida.

Emmanuel Marquez / FIBA