FIBA Basketball

    ESP - Gran Canaria Arena set to open for business with big game

    LAS PALMAS (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Gran Canaria Arena, one of the venues for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, opens for business on Thursday when a couple of Spanish league heavyweights square off. Barcelona, one of the top teams in Europe, will square off against Gran Canaria. Barca are third in the Spanish Liga Endesa with 21 wins and seven ...

    LAS PALMAS (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Gran Canaria Arena, one of the venues for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, opens for business on Thursday when a couple of Spanish league heavyweights square off.

    Barcelona, one of the top teams in Europe, will square off against Gran Canaria.

    Barca are third in the Spanish Liga Endesa with 21 wins and seven defeats, while Gran Canaria are fifth with 17 triumphs and 11 losses.

    The game will have an international basketball feel, too, as both sides have players that are going to compete with their respective countries at the World Cup.

    For the visitors, there are Marcelinho Huertas (Brazil), Juan Carlos Navarro (Spain), Ante Tomic, Mario Hezonja (both Croatia), Erazem Lorbek and Bostjan Nachbar (both Slovenia). Gran Canaria have the versatile Eulis Baez of the Dominican Republic and Brad Newley of Australia.

    Xavi Rey, who played for Span at last year's EuroBasket, is also on the books of Gran Canaria.

    "I believe the change (to the new arena) is going to be great," said Baez.

    "It is an arena of the first level. To play here is going to be a delight. I haven't stepped onto a court like this before in Spain. It's a wonderful court and we'll enjoy it. We'd enjoy it more if we start winning here."

    The venue will have a capacity of 9,700 spectators for basketball games.

    Nacho Martin, another member of the Gran Canaria squad, said: "It's a tremendous facility, first class. And everyone will enjoy it, from the players to the fans because the stands are so close (to the court)."

    Spain national team coach Juan Antonio Orenga, who coached Rey in Slovenia last year, said he looks forward to the time when the FIBA Basketball World Cup host will have games in the arena this summer.

    "The Gran Canaria Arena is a premier venue in every way," he said.

    "Both in the level of architectural design, atmosphere and sound. It will be a pleasure to play here."

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