Group A Preview: South American elites Flamengo, San Martin and Hebraica Maccabi search for a bright start in Choco

The DIRECTV Liga Sudamericana starts tomorrow in Choco, Colombia with a Group A that features the participation of three main players in recent years of the competition such as Flamengo de Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Hebraica y Macabi de Montevideo (Uruguay) and San Martín de Corrientes (Argentina) and a hardened host of Cimarrones de Chocó (Colombia), in search of making history. It is the start of a 2017 edition that will count with the participation of 16 teams looking to be crowned champion and to raise the Horacio Muratore Cup.

The historic Flamengo, who was a champion in 2009, returns to the DIRECTV Liga Sudamericana after being eliminated by Pinheiros in the last edition of the Brazilian National League. It was the first time Flamengo did not advance to the Final or lift the Brazilian championship since 2013 (they celebrated the Brazilian title four times in a row).

Flamengo's squad for the 2017 edition of the DIRECTV Liga Sudamericana features well-known faces of such as Marquinhos, Olivinha, JP Batista and legendary Marcelo Machado, Most Valuable Player of the 2009 championship team and who this year will play its last season as a professional. The team’s coach Jose Neto, champion of the Liga de las Americas and Intercontinental Cup of 2013, also returns with the current squad.

Flamengo is the favorite because of its veteran status, offensive power, athletic advantage and continuity, all key factors of the three-day competition in Group A. the team is followed closely by 2015 finalist, San Martin de Corrientes of Argentina.

The Argentine club has a roster of players, who have passed through the national team of Argentina, as well as experienced players in club competitions like Leo Mainoldi, Federico Aguerre, Matías Lescano and the foreign reinforcers Jeremiah Wood and Justin Keenan.

San Martín began its participation in the renewed Super 20 format of the National League, unbeaten with a 3-0 record, led offensively by Keenan who in the team’s last game against La Unión de Formosa scored 20 points with 5 rebounds in the victory. And it is precisely Keenan and Wood who make the Argentine team contenders of this 2017 edition of the Liga Sudamericana. Both North Americans bring to the table some offensive abilities and physical advantages, difficult to contain by the teams participating in this edition.

Hebraica y Maccabi on their return to the international stage after a great year in which they proved to be an elite team of the Americas with a Semifinal Round performance in the Liga de las Americas, behind a great performance by the club that repeated as champion in Uruguay. Uruguayan National Team point guard, Luciano Parodi, is no longer on the roster, as he will play for Bahía Blanca, but there are the legendary Leandro García Morales and Michael Hicks, leading figures of the previous campaign. They are joined by Reque Newsome and Sebastian Izaguirre, key player for the club.

Its strength lies in the long-range shooting and scoring capacity of its main figures, although it gives physical advantage to Flamengo and San Martin. Hebraica y Macabi are however a team that has drawn important victories from the hand of their veterans in a series of three games like this week, so it should be a contender in Chocó.

The host Cimarrones de Chocó arrives at the DIRECTV Liga Sudamericana after obtaining the title in the Colombian National League 2017. It is a team that already confirmed the presence of players Michael Jackson, Amir Carraway, Jairo Mendoza, Edgar Moreno, Felipe Charry and Duvan Ibargüen. It is a team that will face three elite teams from South American elite and with stature and offensive ability disadvantage the team will have to play perfect to win and fight for the qualification. Its goal is to leave a good legacy through the competition and hosting a great and competitive group is the indicated start.

The itinerary of Group A can be seen here.

In the Group Phase, the teams were divided in four groups that will participate in an all-play-all format for three days.

The two first teams of groups A, B and C, along with the best team that ends in the third place of these three groups, will qualify for the Semi-Finals. One team from Group D —where the Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Peru national champions will participate— will qualify for the Semi-Finals.

At the Semi-Finals phase, the eight teams will be divided into two groups of four teams each that will face each other in an all-play-all format for three days. The best team from each group will advance to the Grand Finale.

The Grand Finale will be played a best of three series, where the champion of the DIRECTV Liga Sudamericana 2017 will be determined.

The champions of the DIRECTV Liga Sudamericana 2017 will qualify to the DIRECTV Liga de las Américas 2018.

The Brazilian team Mogi das Cruzes won the 2016 edition.

For the best coverage of the DIRECTV Liga Sudamericana, visit the official website, and @ligamericas on social media.

FIBA