MIAMI (United States) – The Dominican Republic and Argentina are expected to control Group C. Both teams are favored to reach the quarterfinals and should have little trouble against Colombia and the host nation, Nicaragua.
The Dominicans boast a roster full of talent and are in position to aim for a medal, while Argentina, though missing some of its biggest stars, has prepared extensively with a warm-up tour in Spain and Italy.
Favorite: Dominican Republic
The Caribbean squad looks solid across all positions: elite guards (Andrés Feliz, Jean Montero), scoring wings (David Jones-Garcia, Jassel Pérez), and powerful big men (Ángel Delgado, Joel Soriano). Most of the group already has experience together from the qualifiers and shares solid chemistry under head coach Néstor García. Dominican Republic has just one AmeriCup medal in its history (a bronze in 2011), but this year’s roster appears capable of at least matching that achievement.
Underdog: Nicaragua
The hosts lack experience at this level — in fact, this will be their first-ever AmeriCup. The team has still improved under Puerto Rican coach David Rosario and, for the first time in years, will have its full roster together. They will be led by star forward Norchad Omier and several young players who have been developing in U.S. college basketball.
Key matchup: Argentina vs. Dominican Republic
The last time these two teams faced off, the Dominican Republic stunned Argentina on the road, knocking them out of the World Cup 2023. The images are still fresh of Dominican players lifting their Argentine coach, García, on their shoulders — just months after he had been dismissed by Argentina and later took charge of the Dominicans. Their Aug. 24 matchup will likely decide the group leader and will carry the emotional weight of that unforgettable meeting.
The question: Can Colombia respond in a hostile environment?
On paper, Colombia has more talent than Nicaragua, but several key absences could hurt its chances in what may be the decisive game for third place. The Colombians face a difficult environment: a loud home crowd and an opponent that knows this game could mean everything. Colombia’s newcomers will need to show resilience to meet the challenge.
FIBA