Team DR will have two NBA players in the FIBA World Basketball Cup 2023. These are: Lester Quiñones of Golden State Warriors who is practicing in Santo Domingo at the Palacio de los Deportes. This is the first time that Quiñones plays for the Dominican Republic. Also on the Dominican roster is Karl Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves. He is expected to join the team during the preparatory games in Spain later this August.
The FIBA World Cup brings together 32 countries divided in eight groups to compete in rounds to be held 25 August to 10 September 2023 in The Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. The Dominican Republic plays in Group A against Angola, Italy, and the Philippines.
The Dominican Team members are Victor Liz, Lester Quiñones, Karl Towns, Angel Delgado, Eloy Vargas, Andres Feliz, Gelvis Solano, Jean Montero, Rigo Mendoza, LJ Figueroa, Gerardo Suero, Antonio Peña and Luis Santos.
Argentinian Nestor (Che) García is the head coach. He was head coach when the team competed in the World Cup in 2019.
The Dominican Republic had reached the World Cup for the fourth time and the third in a row. After debuting in 1978, the DR has played in 2014 and 2019, finishing 13th and 16th, respectively. Dominican Republic’s top finish was 12th in 1978.
In the return to the World Cup after 36 years in 2014, the Dominicans beat New Zealand 76-63 and knocked off Finland 74-68 in the group stage for a 2-3 record to advance to the Round of 16. The Dominicans were defeated 71-61 by Slovenia in the Round of 16.
At China 2019, Dominican Republic beat Jordan 80-76 and then surprised Germany 70-68, which was enough to reach the Second Round, where the team lost to Australia 82-76 and to Lithuania 74-55.
To prepare for the World Cup, the Dominican team next matches Lethonia on 10 and 12 August, then plays Canada on 18 August and Spain on 19 August in Granada, Spain. Next is the practice game against Egypt on 22 August.
The DR team, sans NBA players, surprised the basketball world by defeating Argentina in a final game in Argentina.
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El Nuevo Diario
FIBA
9 August 2023