PUR - Mix of young, old in NT squad

SAN JUAN (FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament) - A 29-man preliminary squad that has both experience and youth has been named by Puerto Rico ahead of a busy summer of international basketball.

The national side, coached by Flor Meléndez, will compete at the Centrobasket and then the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT).

The OQT in Caracas, Venezuela, is being held in early July and Meléndez's team will be hoping to claim one of three spots available for the London Games.

Veterans Carlos Arroyo, Jose Juan Barea, Carmelo Lee, Ricky Sanchez, Renaldo Balkman, Daniel Santiago and Peter John Ramos are among the established players in the squad.

And so is Ayuso, who has been invited back after serving a ban for leaving the national side in protest over his role in the squad before the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

There are also several American college-based players that Puerto Rico want to bring into the program as they look to the future.

Among them are Mike Rosario (Florida), Víctor Dávila (Virginia Tech), Jorge Bryan Díaz (Nebraska), Devon Collier (Oregon State) and Matt López (Utah State).

"We have tried to have a combination of veteran players and young players that we want to see," Meléndez said.

"Part of our responsibility is not only going to be to compete and win in international tournaments (this summer), but also have a core of players for the next cycle."

Ángel Vassallo has not been included because he has a right knee injury that requires surgery.

The squad will gather for their first training on 16 May.

Puerto Rico will play at the Centrobasket from 18 to 24 June and then the OQT 2 to 8 July.

In between the tournaments, Meléndez's troops will host two friendly games against FYROM on 27 and 28 of June.

FYROM are also in the OQT.

"We will have a good preparation and good scrimmages," Meléndez said.

Puerto Rico preliminary squad for OQT: Carlos Arroyo, José Juan Barea, Andrés Rodríguez, Shabazz Napier, Dennis Clemente, Miguel Alí Berdiel, John Holland, Larry Ayuso, Mike Rosario, Johwen Villegas, Javier Mojica, David Huertas, Edwin Ubiles, Alex Galindo, Carmelo Lee, Kevin Young Morales, Ricky Sánchez, Ramón Clemente, Devon Collier, Tomás Vásquez, Carlos “Yao” López, Nathan Peavy, Renaldo Balkman, Ángel “Piwi” García, Matt López, Víctor Dávila, Jorge Bryan Díaz, Daniel Santiago and Peter John Ramos.

FIBA