Jasiel Rivero leads Cuban basketball for AmericaCup window

November 20, 2020

The wing-pivot of Spanish San Pablo Burgos, Jasiel Rivero, leads the Cuban basketball selection for the second Americup qualifying window in Punta Cana, in which it will face host Dominican Republic and Canada.

Rivero is experiencing a sweet moment in Spain's top basketball league, the ACB, and commentators consider him one of the "sensations" at the start of the championship, in which he averages 13.6 points per game, 6.1 rebounds and 1 assist per game.

Other figures that could be key and provide "offensive leadership" to the roster are Karel Guzmán (U-BT Cluj Napoca, from Romania) and Osmel Oliva (Costa Caribe, from Nicaragua), considered by colleague Henry Morales when revealing the list of 12 called up by seasoned coach José "Pepe" Ramírez.

Other calls to action are internationals Lisván Valdés (Matagalpa), Yoel Cubillas (Costa Caribe) and Yuniskel Molina (Costa Caribe), all from the Nicaragua League, as well as Yoanki Mensía and Pedro Bombino, both from Gimnasia y Esgrima of Argentina.

The inexperienced Raúl Abreu, Neisler Coutín and Fraddy Marín complete the roster, the latter two seeing no action in the first window, in which the Island split with U.S. Virgin Islands, losing in Havana 64-80, but then getting revenge in Saint Thomas by a wide score of 91-64.

The major absences for the Punta Cana window are pivot Javier Justiz, who is still recovering from meniscus surgery, and Marvin Cairo, who injured one of his knees a few days ago in a Nicaragua league game, in which he has shone this season.

Cuba will face Canada on the 29th and a day later will face Dominican Republic.

Cuba Selection

Pedro Roque B Capitalinos de la Habana

Osmel Olivas B/E Costa Caribe

Neisler Coutín E Capitalinos de La Habana

Lisván Valdés E/A Indígenas de Matagalpa

Karel Guzmán E UB-T Cluj Napoca

Yuniskel Molina B/E Costa Caribe

Raúl Abreu A Lobos de Villa Clara

Yoanki Mensía A/AP Gimnasia Esgrima

Jasiel Rivero AP San Pablo de Burgos

Pedro Bombino P Gimnasia Esgrima

Freddy Marín P Capitalinos de la Habana

Yoel Cubillas P Costa Caribe