PUR – Veteran Pitino elated with Puerto Rico coaching opportunity

MIAMI (FIBA Americas Championship) - New Puerto Rico coach Rick Pitino is thrilled to have the chance to lead the country at next year’s FIBA Americas Championship because of the strong desire the players have to wear the national team shirt.

The 58-year-old was unveiled on Monday in Miami as the new boss of the Puerto Rico.

The coach of the Louisville Cardinals in American college basketball, Pitino has also led Providence College, the New York Knicks, Kentucky and the Boston Celtics in his famous career.

Now he is going to sample international basketball and try to get Puerto Rico into the 2012 Olympics.

"These guys, playing for the national team is the biggest thing in the country," Pitino said.

"They are very, very passionate about it and that was a major factor for me."

Pitino's teams are known for playing an up-tempo style and for guard-rich Puerto Rico, that is likely to suit the players.

Jose Barea of the Dallas Mavericks and Carlos Arroyo of the Miami Heat are the biggest stars in the national team and have already met with the new coach.

Pitino said of the Puerto Rican style: "They're a lot similar to the way we play.

"They get up and down the floor quickly."

Despite Puerto Rico's poor performance at the FIBA World Championship in Turkey where they won once and lost four times, they are among the best teams in the Americas.

The team qualified for the 2004 Olympics and shocked the United States on the opening day of the tournament.

They played at the last two FIBA World Championships.

Puerto Rico hosted the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship and would have won the gold medal in San Juan had Arroyo hit a three-pointer at the death.

Nevertheless, even with Team USA having already clinched a spot by winning the world title, Pitino knows hosts Argentina will be formidable next year with Manu Ginobili and Luis Scola and Brazil and Canada will also be among the sides contending for a place in the Final that would clinch an Olympic spot.

"They understand their backs are to the wall as players and they've got to finish in the top two to qualify for the Olympics," Pitino said.

"It's very similar to Kentucky in the fact everybody there is so passionate about basketball.

"It will be a great challenge."

Teams that miss out on the Final but finish high enough at the FIBA Americas Championship will earn a trip to the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament where three spots will be up for grabs.

Should FIBA decide against allowing Great Britain to take up the berth normally used by host nations, then four places would be available at the additional qualifiers.

Puerto Rico can expect to practice against Louisville next summer in Kentucky as part of the preparations for the FIBA Americas Championship.

FIBA