DOM - Dominican Republic calls their national team

SANTO DOMINGO (2009 FIBA Americas Championship) - The Dominican Basketball Federation announced a list of 27 players that will practice ahead of the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship to be played from August 26 to September 6 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The team, coached by Puerto Rican Julio Toro, will start their training sessions on July 13 and will have many warm up games prior to their appointment in Puerto Rico. Trevor Ariza, an NBA-title winner with the Los Angeles Lakers this year, is among those called up. Ariza has also been invited to attend a USA Basketball mini camp in Las Vegas (July 22-25) to audition for a place in their national team.

The players called were:

Point guards: Joel Ramírez, Edgar Sosa, Carlos Morbán, Juan Coronado, Alvin Abreu and Richard Ortega.
Shooting guards: Luis Flores, Francisco García, Kelvin Peña, Jeff Greer, Sammy Mejía, Manny Quezada, José Olivero and Sean Ogirri.
Small forwards: Trevor Ariza, Franklin Western, Ricardo Greer and Santos Martínez.
Power forwards: Charlie Villanueva, Jack Michael Martínez, Eulis Baez, Ivan Almonte and Josh Asselin.
Centers: Al Horford, Alejandro Salas, John García and Manuel Guzmán.

Dominican Republic is in Group B along with Argentina, Brazil, Cuba and Venezuela. Group B has Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands and Uruguay. The top 4 at the end of the tournament qualify for the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

The Dominicans haven't played in a FIBA World Championship since 1978 where the finished in twelfth.

FIBA Americas