FIBA-Americas – 2010/2011 FIBA-Americas League starts to take shape

SAN JUAN (2010/2011 FIBA-Americas League) – The 2010/2011 edition of the FIBA-Americas League has started to take shape. The most important club competition in America will have a different format and has 16 clubs and a total of 42 games will be played.

This edition of the FIBA-Americas League will have the same dates as the last edition and will have the most powerful countries in league competition. The participating clubs are going to be confirmed soon. This tournament will be broadcasted on FOX Sports.

"We are very happy to announce that this project will continue in our institution," said FIBA-Americas President, Mr. Horacio Muratore.

"It hasn't been easy and we understand that it will be a problem in the economic aspect of it, but we have the support of the clubs and National Federations from the most important leagues in the continent so we are going to continue with it."

The first phase starts at the beginning of December, 2010 and the Final Four at the end of February 2011 with the following format:

December 7, 8, 9/2010
Group A: First Group in the South = 6 games (two games per day)
Round Robin by the points system.

December 14, 15, 16/2010
Group B: First Group in the North = 6 games (two games per day)
Round Robin by the points system.

January 11, 12, 13/2011
Group C: Second Group in the South = 6 games (two games per day)
Round Robin by the points system.

January 18, 19, 20/2011
Group D: Second Group in the North = 6 games (two games per day)
Round Robin by the points system.

Second phase:

The two best teams per group continue to the next round and will play on the following dates:

February 1, 2, 3/2011
First Group in the South = 6 games (two games per day)

February 8, 9, 10/2011
First Group in the North = 6 games (two games per day)

The two best teams per group will reach the Final Four:

The Final Four will be played on the following dates:

February 22, 2011
Two games per day

February 23, 2011
Two games per day

February 24, 2011
Two games per day

All the games will be played under FIBA Official Rules and any classification where two or more teams end tied in points it will be decided under FIBA Rules.

Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Puerto Rico have been the base of this important competition in the last three editions. Peñarol de Mar del Plata (Argentina) won this tournament in 2007-2008 and 2009-2010 while Universo/BRB (Brazil) won in 2008-2009.

FIBA-Americas Secretary General, Alberto Garcia, said that in the next couple of days the registration of the teams will start, and other countries like Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Uruguay and Venezuela in the South while Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic in the Center have shown interest to play.

FIBA Americas