The U-16 women’s basketball team is preparing for its great challenge in 2021. From Monday, the 23rd, they will look for the qualification for the planetary event that will take place next year in Hungary in the World Cup in Mexico.
In their group they must be measured against Argentina, the United States and the locals. While the other area is completed by the teams of Canada, Brazil, Puerto Rico and Costa Rica. Four of the eight teams will qualify for the U-17 World Cup.
And the debut will be the most complicated. The Chileans will have to face the American team, a country that historically dominates in each and every one of the categories of international basketball. In fact the North Americans have won the trophy in five of the six editions of this. Only Canada was able to end that dominance in 2015.
In conversations with the Chilean Basketball Federation, the national coach gave his feelings for the tournament. “We have worked hard to be within the four best teams. We know that we are facing world powers, but we have great faith that we will do well “said Juan Miranda Brenet.
He also commented on the steps the team has taken in recent years. “The process with this selection began in March 2018, making observations in different parts of the country. We went to Concepción, Valparaíso, Temuco, Puerto Montt, Antofagasta, Iquique and Santiago. We gathered at least 250 players to stay with 12, who represented us in the South American U-14 in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where we obtained a bronze medal “, he concluded.
After the debut against the United States, Chile will face Argentina on Tuesday 24 and Mexico a day later. The group stage is not eliminatory and only determines the keys in which each team remains. The quarterfinals begin on August 27.