SANTO DOMINGO, DR.– The head coach of the national basketball team, Néstor “Ché” García, announced this Thursday the 12-player roster that will represent the Dominican Republic in the historic matchup against the United States, corresponding to the Third Qualifying Window of FIBA for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Qatar.
The match will be held this Friday, at 8:00 p.m., at the renovated Arena BanReservas Profesor Virgilio Travieso Soto, in the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center, where the Dominican fans will support the so-called “People’s Team” in one of the most important commitments of the qualifying process.
The 12 players called up by the Argentine coach are Andrés Feliz, Jean Montero, Gelvis Solano, Jassel Pérez, Christopher Duarte, Justin Minaya, RJ Luis, Ángel Núñez, Juan Guerrero, Ángel Luis Delgado, Joel Soriano, and Luis Santos.
After the clash against the United States, the Dominican team will return to action next Monday, July 6, when they host Nicaragua, also at 8:00 p.m.
The coaching staff is composed of assistants Eulis Báez, David Díaz, Abraham Disla, and the Spaniard Sergio Jiménez. Additionally, the support team includes Carlos De León, Director of Operations; Adenhaweer Díaz (Rilling), kinesiologist; Germán Andrín, trainer; and Dr. Gewill Acosta, team physician.
The president of the Dominican Basketball Federation (Fedombal), Rafael Uribe, along with the national team’s general manager, Junior Páez (Jipy), urged the fans to support the Dominican team in a match that will mark a historic event, as it becomes the first official clash between the Dominican Republic and the United States in a competition organized by FIBA.
The only previous encounter between both teams on Dominican soil dates back to the Santo Domingo 2003 Pan American Games. Before that, in 1983, the U.S. national team, led by then-prospect Michael Jordan, played a friendly match against the national team at a packed Palacio de los Deportes Profesor Virgilio Travieso Soto.
The Dominican Republic arrives at the match with a 3-1 record, tied with the United States for first place in Group A. Both teams have already secured their qualification for the next phase of the tournament. Mexico occupies third place with a 2-2 record, while Nicaragua, with a 0-4 mark, has been eliminated.
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In the other qualifying groups, Canada dominates Group B with a 4-0 record, followed by Jamaica (2-2), Puerto Rico (1-3), and the Bahamas (1-3). Brazil leads Group C with 4-0, escorted by Colombia (2-1), Venezuela (1-2), and Chile (0-4). In Group D, Uruguay remains undefeated (4-0), followed by Argentina (3-1), Panama (1-3), and Cuba (0-4).
