JAM - Samuels signs with Olimpia Milano

CARACAS (FIBA Americas Championship/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Jamaica national team forward/center Samardo Samuels has signed with Italian side Olimpia Milano and has left the team playing at the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship.

Samuels had been a key player for Jamaica in the tournament, averaging 12.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

Jamaica's involvement in Caracas, Venezuela ends on Sunday with their last game of the Second Round against the host nation.

With only one win and five losses, the Jamaicans are no longer in the running for one of the three remaining qualifying places for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

When asked if his new contract had something to do with his withdrawal from the tournament, Samuels said: "No, not at all. I was all for it (playing). But the format of this tournament, playing back-to-back was harsh. I pulled my hamstring earlier in the tournament and although it felt good, I have another responsibility. I need to be at 100 percent for this upcoming season with my new team."

The 2.08m missed the team's win over Argentina on Friday and their loss to Mexico on Saturday.

In their first game without Samuels, Jamaica defeated Argentina 81-75 in the upset of the day on Friday. In his absence, Weyinmi Rose and Adrian Uter rose to the occasion. Rose had 24 points while Uter had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

In Jamaica's second game without Samuels, his teammates could not pull a win as they fell 100-89 to Mexico to be mathematically eliminated from Championship.

When asked about the Jamaican national yeam and the points of improvement, Samuels told FIBA.com: "This has definitely been a confidence booster. Not only for the players but for everyone involved with the program. We have to learn from our mistakes, mostly mental mistakes.

"For future tournaments we need to be better prepared. We had only played about two weeks together before coming here so we used our first games to get to know each other. This tournament is our first time playing together."

FIBA