Havana, August 13 (JIT) - The Cuban national team that will participate in the 2023 Fiba Americas Olympic Pre-qualifying Tournament for Argentina was officially announced by the Cuban basketball federation.

The team includes Cuban wing Yoan Carlos Gutiérrez, most valuable player of the 2023 Superior Basketball League, who will celebrate two decades of life in the middle of the competition.

The team was made up of five point guards: Marcos Chacón, Sigfredo "Tito" Casero, Luis Amauri Bueno, Michel Rodríguez and Pedro Roque. As forwards, in addition to Gutiérrez, there are the experienced Karel Guzmán, Neyseer Coutín and Marlon Díaz. The roster is completed with centers Sergio Machado, Pedro Bombino and Yoel Cubillas.

The absence of Jasiel Rivero, who did not recover from an injury in time, was confirmed to JIT by Dalia Henry, president of the Cuban Basketball Federation. Wing Yoanki Mensía, recently signed by the Hunan-Jinjian-Rice club of the Chinese league, will also be absent.

The competition will take place from August 12 to 20 and only the winner will be able to compete in the continental Olympic qualifier in 2024.

Cuba is in Group A along with Bahamas, Panama and the host country. Segment B is made up of Chile, Colombia, Uruguay and the Virgin Islands. The top two on each side will play cross semifinals in search of the finalists, who will fight for the berth.

Fiba will organize a total of four Olympic qualifying tournaments in 2024, on dates and at venues yet to be confirmed.