Sky-high Stoll thriving back in Mexico

VERACRUZ (FIBA Basketball World Cup/2015 FIBA Americas Championship) - Paul Stoll has been in the clouds for a long time, now.

Several years removed from an American college basketball career which included time at both Lansing Community College in Michigan (2004-06) and the University of Texas-Pan American (2006-08), the 1.80m dynamo point guard is earning a living as a professional and travelling around the world while doing so.

He has suited up for clubs in Israel, Turkey, Mexico and Venezuela.

Stoll has also worn the Mexico jersey.

He helped the Mexicans capture their first FIBA Americas Championship title in 2013, when the competition was staged in Caracas, Venezuela.

Stoll dished out 29 assists, including this one in transition to Mexico center Gustavo Ayon.

Stoll then took the trip to Spain to compete at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

It was a magnificent achievement just for the national team to take part because it was Mexico's first appearance at the event since 1974.

Stoll and all of his teammates enjoyed the moment and bonded with their fans in Gran Canaria.

He drew oohs and aahs when he buried this shot against Australia.

Mexico made it to the Round of 16 before falling to the United States.

The experience is one that Stoll and all of the Mexico players will remember for the rest of their lives.

He has since played professionally in Venezuela for Gigantes and following the end of that season in 2014, Stoll returned to Mexico to play for Halcones Rojos.

Stoll feels right at home in Veracruz, where he had a couple of stints earlier in his playing career.

There are other members of the national team in the Halcones Rojos squad like Francisco (Paco) Cruz, Marco Ramos and Adrian Zamora.

The players are friends and like to have fun, which was evident when Stoll was given a surprise birthday cake at practice.

He had 21 points, seven assists and three steals in a 104-93 triumph over Huracanes during the holiday period.

Stoll will be hoping to have more games like that this season, with the team also taking part in the FIBA Americas League.

He will then return to the national team.

As big as the past two summers have been for Mexico, 2015 could be even bigger.

The country is hosting the FIBA Americas Championship, a qualifying event for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

As the past two years have shown, there is nothing better for a player than to have success with his national team.