CHI – “We’re progressing”, Aragonesse

SANTIAGO (FIBA Americas Championship for Women) – With less than two weeks left before the beginning of the FIBA Americas Championship 2007 for Women, in Valdivia, Chile, the national team came back from Cuba, wherein they played four games against Team Cuba (also present in Valdivia), losing each one of them – the last with score of 82-52. It’s truth that Team Chile lose every game, but for their head coach, Cristian Santander, they had the opportunity to face a World-class rival that put them to the test before the Championship in Valdivia.

For team captain, Valentina Aragonesse, those games against Cuba were important in order to work with their concentration and defending under pressure. “It was a great experience to play against a team like Cuba, with whom we have some key physical differences, and where we got the chance of practicing new offensive plays, as well as our defense under pressure”, the shooting guard said.

One of the key factors identified by Aragonesse is the fact that there was some game-to-game improvement. “It’s hard to be motivated against a team that superior, but we did have some progress, losing the fear of facing powerful rivals like Cuba. From losing by 60 points, we’re now losing by 20”, the player from the Club Dato Badajoz from Spain said.

What did you learn from playing against the seventh-best team in the World?

No other team pressured us a Cuba did; as a result, concentration was vital and having enough patience to get out of a difficult situation. If you lose you concentration with a team like this, it will cost you.

How do you see the FIBA Americas Championship in Chile?

The main objectives are Mexico and Argentina, which we have never defeated. We are confident on qualifying for the FIBA World Pre-Olympic. We have the support from our fans, and you have to take advantage of that.

M. Eugenia Salinas
Febachile