Venezuela making sure they're ready for New Competition System

CARACAS (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019) - Coach Nestor 'Che' Garcia and Venezuela's national team have been on an exhilarating ride the past few years, one that has seen the Vinotinto rise from the middle of the pack to 2015 FIBA Americas Championship winners and Olympic participants this past summer.

The Venezuelan Basketball Federation (FVB) want to sustain the momentum by having the national team put in a strong showing at the FIBA AmeriCup 2017 and reaching the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China.

The South Americans, along with national teams all over the world, will play regular home and away games over a four-year cycle from 2017 through 2021 to qualify for the World Cup and the 2021 FIBA Continental Cups as part of FIBA's New Competition System.

Venezuela were among the countries to have representatives at a recent FIBA workshop in Argentina aimed at helping national federations get ready to host the qualifying games.

The director of Venezuela's national teams, Oswaldo Narvaez, and the director of events at the FVB, Pedro Raga, attended the workshop in Buenos Aires.

"It was a complete and productive activity," Narvaez said. "Basketball is facing a great challenge with the new system of competition that will start in November 2017 and we ought to have the best technical knowledge possible.

"FIBA is looking for excellence and to achieve that, we need to count on the most qualified staff. Hence, the importance of these types of activities."

"In Venezuela, we have to be ready and have the most optimal conditions for when we have to play at home and also have very clear how the process of the players gathering with this home-and-away format."

Narvaez revealed that while in Buenos Aires for the workshop, he took advantage of the opportunity to speak with Argentinian Garcia, the coach of the men's national team since 2013.

"We brought forward certain planning aspects, thinking about the future," Narvaez said. "Nestor's input for the national team and for our basketball has been key, it's important that we always go hand-in-hand."

Garcia has yet to sign a new contract to coach the national team although that is a subject FVB president Carmelo Cortez will take up with the veteran play caller.

FIBA