Gutierrez ready to dig in and fight for Mexico

MEXICO CITY (2015 FIBA Americas Championship) - Israel Gutierrez is champing at the bit to put on the Mexico jersey again.

The 22-year-old center made last year's team at the FIBA Basketball World Cup and the experience filled him with both pride and confidence.

"As an athlete, this is the greatest satisfaction to represent your people and fight for your country in an international tournament," he said.

Gutierrez is now, for the second straight summer, representing his homeland.

He has been named in his country's squad for the Pan American Games, which will be staged in Toronto, Canada, 21-25 July.

We hope to get good results as a team and I personally aim to make a good contribution, to participate in all that is coming. - Gutierrez

While he didn't play much at Spain 2014, Gutierrez says the time spent with the team in practice and at games helped him take important steps in his career.

"The important thing was that I learned a lot in the whole process and it was something I think that sparked my development as a player," he said.

"Bear in mind that until last summer, I had not played at the professional level, only in the university league of Mexico."

Gutierrez is going to stake his claim to more minutes this summer, first at the Pan American Games and then hopefully at the FIBA Americas Championship.

Mexico will host the second of those tournaments in Mexico City, with the event tipping off at the end of August.

Should they reach the Final, Mexico will clinch a spot in the Rio de Janeiro Games while a third-, fourth- or fifth-place finish would seal a berth in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT).

Gutierrez believes that his style of play can be an asset to the Mexico.

"My game is basically very physical, to do the dirty work, set good screens, locate myself well on the court, fight for all the rebounds and bring energy to the team when I'm on the court," he said.

Gutierrez, who is still studying and working towards getting a university degree in business administration, is excited to be reunited with coach Sergio Valdeolmillos.

Mexico's coach at the World Cup, Valdeolmillos seemed to have led the team for the last time when they took on the United States and lost in the Round of 16.

Bill Cartwright was handed the reins and he coached Mexico at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz but a fifth-place prompted his exit.

Eddie Casiano was then put in charge in March before Mexico had second thoughts and brought Valdeolmillos back in May.

"Valdeolmillos is a great coach who has been very successful in recent years for the national team of Mexico," Gutierrez said.

"He is a coach that knows me, he supported me a lot last summer and now I come to show him in all the ways that I have improved and I want to earn minutes, based on my work."

The Pan American Games will be staged in Toronto, Canada, 21-25 July.

At the FIBA Americas Championship (31 August-12 September), Mexico will compete in Group A against Panama, the Dominican Republic, Brazil and Uruguay.

Go to fiba.com/Americas2015 for complete coverage of the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship.

FIBA