PUR - Puerto Rico announce Panama friendlies

 WIN a trip to the FIBA World Championship Finals weekend

SAN JUAN (FIBA World Championship) - Puerto Rico have announced two friendlies against Panama as part of their preparations for next month`s FIBA World Championship.

Julio Toro's side will return home after their training camp in Las Vegas for the two clashes with their traditional rivals, who beat them in the qualifying stage for the tournament in Japan.

The extra warm-up games on August 9 and 10 have meant the cancellation of a second training camp in Oregon, but general manager Salvador Vilella believes it is more than worthwhile.

"We'll return on August 5, we won't go to Oregon. We need these friendlies," he said.

"And then, on August 12, we'll go to Japan to play two more duels against Argentina.

"It is important for us to have warm-up games with (recent call-ups) Peter John Ramos and Daniel Santiago in the team."

The defeat in qualifying meant that Puerto Rico, traditionally the stronger power of the two, had to wait for a wild card to reach next month's finals, delaying plans for their build-up.

"It was not easy for us to schedule friendlies, as we only received the invitation to play the FIBA World Championship in November, when the other teams had
already scheduled them," Vilella added.

Toro's men line up in Group D, alongside the United States, China, Italy, Senegal and Slovenia.

PA Sport