Puerto Rico’s 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup roster and schedule: Dates and times
Puerto Rico will start their World Cup campaign on Saturday August 26, and will have their work cut out for them in a group that includes China and Serbia.
The FIBA World Cup is a day away from tipping off from the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan. Thirty-two teams will start their tournament this weekend looking to knockoff defending champions, Spain.
PR missing some big stars
One of those teams is Puerto Rico, who are in the World Cup for the 10th consecutive time. It’s been a long time since the Boricuas have had a deep run in the tournament, but they will be expecting get past the Group Stages despite the absence of two of their best players Gian Clavell and Jose Alvarado.
Their deepest run in the tournament came in 2002 when they got to the quarterfinals and finished seventh. If they want get back there that this year they will have to pass through the Group Stages. China, South Sudan and Serbia are in Group B with the Boricuas, and while Serbia is the out and out favorite to win the group, Puerto Rico should have a good chance to finish second. It might come down to the final game of the Group Stage game against China on the 30th of August.
They had a difficult run up to the start of the tournament, playing four of their six games against the Top 10 teams in FIBA Rankings. They dropped games against USA and Italy but beat the Dominican Republic.
Roster
G Jordan Howard, Monbus Obradorio (Spain)
G Tremont Waters, Gigantes de Carolina
G Ethan Thompson, Windy City Bulls
G Stephen Thompson, Bnie Herzliya (Isreal)
F/G John Holland, Hapoel Tel Aviv (Israel)
F/G Christopher, Ortiz, Manati
F/G Isaiah Piñeiro, Piratas de Quebradillas
F/G Justin Reyes, Pallacanestro Varese (Italy)
F George Conditt IV, Gigantes de Carolina
F Aleem Ford, Leones de Ponce
F Arnaldo Toro, Landstede Hammers (Netherlands)
F Phillip Wheeler, Piratas de Quebradillas
C Timajh Parker-Rivera, grises de Humacao
C Ismael Romero, Vaqueros de Bayamon
Schedule
(All times ET)
Game 1: South Sudan vs. Puerto Rico, Saturday, August 26 @ 4:00 am
Game 2: Puerto Rico vs. Serbia, Monday August, 28 @ 8:00 am
Game 3: China vs. Puerto Rico, Wednesday August, 30 @ 8:00 am