PAN - Confidence growing in Panama camp

GUAYNABO (FIBA World Championship) - Panama went on an improbable run to fifth place at the FIBA Americas Championship and now the players are looking to take full advantage of their opportunity in Japan.

The North American minnows are in Group B of the FIBA World Championship with Germany, Spain, New Zealand, Angola and Japan.

Michael Hicks expects the Panamanians to be among the top four sides in the pool, which would allow them to reach the eight-finals.

"It's a very difficult World Championship because all the teams are strong, but we'll surprise several teams in the group stage," predicted Hicks, who is with the national side in Puerto Rico where the team is playing two warm-up games.

Panama coach Guillermo Vecchio, an Argentinian, appears to have a very dangerous team.

JR Pinnock, Panama's second-leading scorer last year, is absent but European-based pros who did not play in 2005 like Ruben Douglas, Ed Cota and Ruben Garces are all involved this year.

Jaime Lloreda, a power forward, was in the 2005 team and he is still involved.

Lloreda, who had a reputation as a fierce competitor at Louisiana St University before spending the past two seasons in Europe, said: "We are prepared physically and mentally for the upcoming challenge.

"It depends only on us have doing a good performance because we have a good team."

Vecchio is more circumspect about his team's chances.

He says Wednesday's and Thursday's friendlies against Puerto Rico will be important games as he continues to evaluate his team and review his tactics.

"We are among the 24 best teams of the world and maybe we can spring a surprise by making it into the second stage," he said. "That is our first, and main goal."

Vecchio is expected to start Hicks, Cota, Lloreda, Ruben Douglas and Ruben Garces in the team's FIBA World Championship opener on August 19.

By PA Sport
Exclusively for FIBA