Puerto Rico will play in the FIBA ​​window without Díaz, Piñeiro or Santiago Jr.

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The boricuas forwards Isaiah Piñeiro and Benito Santiago Jr. and the Jorge Bryan Díaz center they will not play in both qualifying window matches in the AmeriCup 2022 tournament this Friday and Saturday.

Piñeiro, an important inclusion in the team in the past FIBA World Championship, Will not be able to make the trip to Puerto Rico, said the president of the local Basketball Federation, Yum Ramos.

In the case of St. James Jr. and Diaz, his casualties are for personal reasons.

Piñeiro, 25, is active in the Latvian professional league with the VEF Riga club. Health protocols to re-enter the European country require a forty-day quarantine to prevent COVID-19 infections, which is why the partridge will not travel to the island.

“Isaiah will not be able to make the trip. The restrictions are very complicated. He was very interested in participating (with Puerto Rico). We made all the arrangements, with FIBA, with the club, with Latvia, everything. Even the team sent a letter that had no problem with him participating. But in the end the restrictions are the restrictions. We can’t fight that, “Ramos said.

In Latvia, Piñeiro averaged 10.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 29.6 minutes as a reserve in six games.

At the moment, there are 13 active players in the training sessions of the Selection. The final cut will take place on Thursday, a day before the match against Mexico. On Saturday, the boricuas are seen with the Bahamas.

The list is headed by NBA ex-gunners José Juan Barea and Shabazz Napier. The latter will make his debut with the National Team.

Also completing training are also base Iván Gandia, escorts Gian Clavell, Isaac Sosa and Josep “Money” Rodríguez, wingers Chris Ortiz, Emmy Andújar and Alexis “Bebo Colom, along with forwards Timajh Parker, Ramon Clemente, Gilberto Clavell and Devon Collier center.

Puerto Rico plays 1-3, as do the Bahamians, in Group D. The Mexicans are 2-2 and the United States is undefeated in four outings to ensure its presence in the AmeriCup.

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