Universo, Minas and Flamengo represent the country in the competition, which takes place in Argentina
GLOBOESPORTE.COM
Buenos Aires
José Carlos Vidal with the Universo team, Brazilian champion 2006Brazil will have three representatives in the 1st Men's Basketball League of the Americas 2007/2008, which takes place in four countries (Puerto Rico, United States, Brazil and Argentina) between December 11th of this year and February 9th of next year. Universo (DF), Minas (MG) and Flamengo (RJ) will represent the country in the tournament.
The announcement was made this Wednesday by FIBA Americas Secretary General Aníbal Garcia during the competition's launch in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The championship will feature 16 teams representing eight countries in the Americas (Argentina, Chile, the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay).
Group D - Universo\ Universo, the reigning Brazilian champion, is in Group D, which is based in Mar del Plata, Argentina. In addition to the Brazilian team, Libertad Sunchales (ARG), Liceo Mixto (CHI), and Peñarol Mar del Plata (ARG) complete the group. The games will be played between January 8th and 10th.\
Group C - Minas and Flamengo
Marcelinho Machado will play for Flamengo in the Liga das Américas. Minas Gerais, the reigning champion of the South American Club Championship, and Flamengo, the two-time Carioca champion, were drawn in the same group, "C." The advantage for both teams is that they will play on Brazilian and Brazilian soil. The home ground for the group, which also includes Defensor Sporting (URU) and Boca Juniors (ARG), is in Belo Horizonte, and the matches will be held between December 18th and 20th.
In Group A (host: Guaynabo, Puerto Rico), Cangrejeros de Santurce (PUE), Metros Santiago (DOM), PBL All Stars (USA) and Soles Mexicali (MEX) will play between December 4th and 7th. In Group B (host: Miami, United States), Capitanes Arecibo (PUE), Fuerza Regia (MEX), Halcones Xalapa (MEX) and Miami Tropics (USA) will take to the court between December 11th and 13th.
According to the competition rules, the 16 teams are divided into four groups of four. In the first phase, the teams face each other in a single round robin in their respective brackets. The top two teams in each group qualify for the quarterfinals in the following rounds. The winners advance to the Final Four.