Full Predictions and Preview of 2013 FIBA Americas Basketball Tournament

Daniel O'BrienJun 8, 2018

When the 2013 FIBA Americas tournament tips off, hoops fans will be treated to the best basketball the Western Hemisphere has to offer.

Held in Caracas, Venezuela from August 30 to September 11, the event pits 10 teams from North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean trying to earn four bids to the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain.

The teams are divided into two groups of five for pool play, and the top eight advance to the second round. Those squads then battle to reach the semifinals and there fight to earn 2014 World Cup placement.

By virtue of its 2012 London Olympics gold medal, the United States has already qualified for the 2014 games and will not participate at Caracas.

Which clubs are the most dangerous, and how will the tournament unfold at Poliedro de Caracas?

Paraguay

1 of 11

Group B (Mexico, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Argentina)

International Ranking: 55

Recent Tournaments: 9th in 2011 FIBA Americas Championship (Did not qualify for 2012 Summer Olympics)

Players to Watch: Carlos Vallejos (PG), Fernando Dose Jr. (F), Jose Fabio (F)

Paraguay visits Caracas as the weakest team in Group B, and perhaps the entire field.

There are some bright spots on the roster, but mostly from a youth development standpoint. Many of coach Ariel Rearte's most talented players are young and unaccustomed to the highest level of international play.

Point guard Carlos Vallejos and forward Fernando Dose Jr. are promising young performers who are rapidly developing. They have solid court awareness and a good feel for the game. Unfortunately, they are both out-matched physically, and they will find that out the hard way during FIBA Americas play.

Keep an eye on the savvy play in the post by veterans Guillermo Araujo and Jose Fabio, who will do their best to compete with the best bigs in the Western Hemisphere.

Ultimately, I don't recommend getting your hopes too high for this squad. Paraguay doesn't project to escape pool play.

Venezuela

2 of 11

Group B (Mexico, Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Argentina)

International Ranking: 24

Recent Tournaments: 5th in 2011 FIBA Americas Championship, 2nd in 2012 South American Championship (Did not qualify for 2012 Summer Olympics)

Players to Watch: Luis Bethelmy (C), David Cubillan (SG), Heissler Guillent (PG)

The host country will be out-matched in size and skill, so count on it to push the pace and use its speed.

Venezuela has a cast of speedy guards to create an uptempo style, as floor general Heissler Guillent looks to work his way into the teeth of defenses and catch opponents out of position. He's accompanied by former Marquette guard David Cubillan, an athletic wing that can generate scoring chances off the dribble.

Veteran Luis Bethelmy discussed the squad's speed-based approach with reporters:

"
This team is going to be quick because we have problems on height. We need to leverage the speed of the eaves and also that everyone can run the floor.
"

With recent losses to middle-tier countries such as Ivory Coast, Angola and Uruguay, it's clear that the Venezuelans don't have the offensive balance necessary to contend in the FIBA Americas. The absence of NBA point guard Greivis Vasquez will surely affect the bottom line.

It may pick up a win against Paraguay in pool play, but don't expect advancement past the second round.

Jamaica

3 of 11

Group A (Uruguay, Puerto Rico, Canada, Brazill)

International Ranking: Unranked

Recent Tournaments: No notable tournaments

Players to Watch: Garfield Blair (PG), Akeem Scott (PG), Adrian Uter (F)

Jamaica has a respectable collection of talent to work with entering the FIBA Americas tournament, but can its top players work cohesively in a major international tournament? Can they put it all together?

Garfield Blair is a swift, straight-line slasher and shooter, and Adrian Uter is a highly-skilled combo forward, but they'll need to share the ball effectively and mesh in order to make the club competitive.

Patrick Ewing Jr. might be a critical piece in Caracas. His polished inside-outside scoring and underrated facilitating could be a huge boost for the Jamaicans as they navigate through Group A.

While the team doesn't have the best track record, the front court isn't without NBA brawn. Jerome Jordan and Samardo Samuels both have experience in the Association, and Samuels in particular will need to produce on the low block.

Jamaica has size and athleticism at almost every position and upper-tier skill in some areas, but it lacks the intangibles necessary to thrive in Venezuela. Group play is where the fun ends for this group.

Uruguay

4 of 11

Group A (Puerto Rico, Canada, Jamaica, Brazil)

International Ranking: 29

Recent Tournaments: 8th in 2011 Pan American Games, 7th in FIBA Americas Championship (Did not qualify for 2012 Summer Olympics)

Players to Watch: Nicolas Mazzarino (PG), Emilio Taboada (SF), Esteban Batista (C)

With a couple commendable wins this summer leading up to the FIBA Americas, Uruguay is a team that could turn some heads over the next couple weeks.

It all starts with experienced point man Nicolas Mazzarino, who sets the tone for the offense and serves as a dangerous perimeter threat. He's brilliant at finding the soft spots in the defense by moving without the ball.

Uruguay looks to complement the work of Mazzarino and fellow guard Bruno Fitipaldo with the interior work of former Atlanta Hawk Esteban Batista and the scoring prowess of Emilio Taboada. When Batista's pivots and spin moves are working, and Taboada gets in a groove, this is a solid club.

After besting a shorthanded Argentina squad in a June friendly, Uruguay seeks to do more damage in Caracas. Will Mathias Calfani continue to develop as a young pivot man? Can Fitipaldo produce on the big stage?

Nestor Garcia's club will emerge from pool play into the second round, only to narrowly miss a surprise visit to the semifinals.

Mexico

5 of 11

Group B (Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Paraguay, Argentina)

International Ranking: 32

Recent Tournaments: Silver Medal in 2011 Pan American Games (Did not qualify for 2012 Summer Olympics)

Players to Watch: Paul Stoll (PG), Orlando Mendez (SG), Gustavo Ayon (C)

Sergio Valdeolmillos' Mexico squad features a pair of shifty guards and some NBA talent in the post.

Paul Stoll and Orlando Mendez are undersized in the backcourt, but don't sleep on them in this tournament. Stoll is a phenomenal ball-handler and a deft passer in traffic, and he has a lightning-quick release on his outside jumper. Mendez, the former Sun Belt player of the year, will keep FIBA Americas foes on their toes with his scrappiness and long-range shooting.

They'll both work to get the ball to Gustavo Ayon and Hector Hernandez, the two most important players in the frontcourt. Hernandez will be an effective stretch four against most defenses, while Ayon keeps the offense fluid by moving without the ball and passing from the post.

Defensively, one of the key components to Mexico's survival is Lorenzo Mata. It needs the former UCLA Bruin and three-time Final Four performer to clean the glass and protect the rim.

Mexico will compete with the Dominican Republic for second place in the Group B standings, and it will have a fighting chance to sneak into the semifinals. The bid will come up short, however, and the second round will be its final stop.

Canada

6 of 11

Group B (Mexico, Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Argentina)

International Ranking: 26

Recent Tournaments: 6th in 2011 FIBA Americas Championship (Did not qualify for 2012 Summer Olympics)

Players to Watch: Tristan Thompson (PF), Andrew Nicholson (F), Cory Joseph (PG)

Young studs Anthony Bennett and Kelly Olynyk won't be aiding Canada this week, so the club won't represent its true World Cup or Olympic potential.

However, it will still bring a strong mix of outside shooters and low-post scorers.

Brady Heslip and Andy Rautins will stretch defenses and give Andrew Nicholson room to operate in the post, along with budding star Tristan Thompson.

That setup sounds terrific, but Canada will fight uphill battles in some key areas.

Without a truly dynamic playmaking guard or intimidating size in the post, the club relies too much on the mid-range shooting of Nicholson and the long-distance tries of Rautins and Heslip. Also, this group will be tested defensively against the more efficient offensive units in the Americas.

If Cory Joseph can regulate the attack and foster balance and consistency, the Canadians will remain a threat.

They will hold their own against Uruguay and Jamaica, but Puerto Rico and Brazil will pose major problems. A second-round exit will send the North Americans back to the drawing board.

Dominican Republic

7 of 11

Group B (Mexico, Venezuela, Paraguay, Argentina)

International Ranking: 27

Recent Tournaments: Bronze Medal in 2011 FIBA Americas Championship, 4th in 2011 Pan American Games, Gold Medal in 2012 CentroBasket Championship (Did not qualify for 2012 Summer Olympics)

Players to Watch: Juan Coronado (PG), Francisco Garcia (SF), James Feldeine (PG)

Opponents will have a tough time containing the speed of the Dominican Republic guard corps, and that end-to-end struggle will keep Orlando Antigua's crew in games.

The bad news is the team will be without Al Horford and Charlie Villanueva, two of its best front court scorers. Even with energetic rebounders like Jack Martinez and rim protectors like Eloy Vargas, the Dominican Republic will lose the battle in the paint more often than not.

That puts an inordinate amount of pressure on playmakers like James Feldeine to carry the squad each game, and it will make Francisco Garcia's long-distance attempts all the more pivotal.

Guards Edgar Sosa and Juan Coronado will do their best to disrupt foes and generate a fast-paced style. When things do settle in the halfcourt, look for the Dominicans to generate lots of curl screens to get scorers headed toward the rim.

Mix in a healthy helping of man-to-man defense, and a semifinal bid will be within reach.

Brazil

8 of 11

Group A (Uruguay, Puerto Rico, Canada, Jamaica)

International Ranking: 9

Recent Tournaments: 2nd in 2011 FIBA Americas Championship, 5th in 2011 Pan American Games, 5th in 2012 Summer Olympics

Players to Watch: Marcelinho Huertas (PG), Raul Neto (PG), Guilherme Giovannoni (SF)

This isn't the Brazil we've seen in years past, with Nene, Tiago Splitter, Anderson Varejao and Leandro Barbosa.

Without its usual cast of forwards, the squad will rely on the craftiness and leadership of Marcelinho Huertas, whose NBA-caliber point guard skills keep the offense humming.

Huertas has an accurate group of shooters to work with, most notably Arthur Belchior. The dead-eye wing shot 21-of-38 (55 percent) from beyond the arc in the FIBA Americas League for Clubs, and then went 8-of-13 (62 percent) in the recent Tuto Cup. Vitor Alves and Guilherme Giovannoni are also lethal from deep.

On the block, Brazil turns to Rafael Hettsheimer's back-to-the-basket skills, but there are still some holes in the defense and rebounding departments.

Huertas and Co. will advance to the semifinals, only to see their championship hopes dashed. The consolation is a spot in the 2014 FIBA World Cup.

Argentina

9 of 11

Group B (Mexico, Dominican Republic, Venezuela Paraguay)

International Ranking: 3

Recent Tournaments: Gold Medal in 2011 FIBA Americas Championship, 7th in 2011 Pan American Games, Gold Medal in 2012 South American Championship, 4th in 2012 Summer Olympics

Players to Watch: Luis Scola (PF), Facundo Campazzo (PG), Juan Gutierrez (C)

Much like some of the other international powerhouses, Argentina's national team is undergoing a changing of the guard.

Mainstays such as Manu Ginobili, Carlos Delfino and Andres Nocioni won't be in Caracas, so returning star Luis Scola will be the featured option on offense.

Argentina likes to get Scola going in the post, and on the elbow and then adjust to collapsing defenses with outside shooting.

Diminutive floor general Facundo Campazzo seems ready to take the next step in his international development, and his decision-making and execution as a playmaker will determine the club's ceiling.

If he can keep role players Juan Gutierrez and Leo Mainoldo involved while maintaining a commitment to Scola, Argentina will be vying for the FIBA Americas championship.

Even though it might not be in Olympic medal form, this unit is ready to avenge its Tuto Cup loss to Puerto Rico, and it will find a way to top the Caribbeans in the final.

Puerto Rico

10 of 11

Group A (Uruguay, Canada, Jamaica, Brazil)

International Ranking: 19

Recent Tournaments: 4th in 2011 FIBA Americas Championship, Gold Medal in 2011 Pan American Games, Silver Medal in 2011 CentroBasket Championship, Winner of 2013 Tuto Cup (Did not qualify for 2012 Summer Olympics)

Players to Watch: Carlos Arroyo (SG), J.J. Barea (PG), John Holland (SF)

Fresh off its conquests of Brazil and Argentina to win the Jenaro “Tuto” Marchand Continental Cup, the Puerto Rican national team aims to ride its star guards to more glory in Caracas.

NBA standouts Carlos Arroyo and J.J. Barea were co-MVP's of the Tuto Cup, as their playmaking skills carried the Caribbean club past its South American adversaries. Barea posted 18.3 points and 7.8 assists per contest in the four-game tourney.

In addition to the speed and scoring prowess of the backcourt, Puerto Rico has a dangerous group of forwards.

Former American East Conference player of the year John Holland supplies athleticism as a slasher and active defender, Ricky Sanchez serves as a lengthy sharpshooter and Renaldo Balkman and Daniel Santiago are tough in the paint. If everyone can stay involved as they did in the Tuto Cup, a FIBA Americas title is within reach.

With an unpredictably dangerous offense and a defense that gives doses of zone, Puerto Rico should safely reach finals and earn a bid to the 2014 FIBA World Cup.