URU - Putting on the finishing touches

MONTEVIDEO (FIBA Americas Championship/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Uruguay coach Pablo Lopez has decided on the 12 players he will lead into battle as the country attempts to reach the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

As expected, Nicolas Mazzarino and Leandro Garcia Morales have made the team for the FIBA Americas Championship in Venezuela as shooting guards.

Mazzarino, 37, has been one of the best three-point marksman in Italy's Lega A in recent seasons under coach Andrea Trinchieri at Cantu.

His last appearance with Uruguay before this summer was at the 2008 South American Championship.

Another to have made the final squad is Sebastian Izaguirre, a forward who played well in Sunday's hard-fought friendly against Argentina.

Every day remaining in the preparations is important, he says.

"We're trying to take advantage of these last training sessions in order to arrive (in Caracas) in the best possible way," Izaguirre said.

As for the decision to cut Martin Aguilera and Nicolas Borsellino, Izaguirre said: "The cuts are the decisions that the technical body takes depending on the team it wants to go."

Uruguay will play in Group A at the FIBA Americas Championship with Puerto Rico, Canada, Jamaica and Brazil.

The national side will need to finish in the top four in Caracas, Venezuela, with that tournament starting 30 August.

Uruguay squad for 2013 FIBA Americas Championship: Bruno Fitipaldo, Federico Bavosi, Marcos Cabot, Leandro Garcia Morales, Nicolas Mazzarino, Emilio Taboada, Sebastian Vazquez, Matias Calfani, Sebastian Izaguirre, Reque Newsome, Kiril Wachsmann and Esteban Batista.

FIBA