“What was achieved yesterday was historic, it has to be celebrated, not every day you go to the world championship. It was achieved with our own hands and we did not depend on another result. Even Argentina was eliminated, it is an example of the magnitude of what we have done”.
Omar Quintero has the DNA of Mexican basketball, that is, as a player he experienced budget shortfalls to meet international commitments and now, as coach, since February 2021, he was in charge of the reconstruction that led Mexico to the World Cup. Basketball, something very rare, since it is the second time it has happened in 50 years, the last in 2014.
To get to this point, everything came together “above all three things” the coach points out: Dr. Modesto Robledo (president of Ademeba), the players and the sponsor Carlos Lazo. “It hasn’t happened in Mexico for a long time, with all the parties involved. It would be very unfair to say if we lacked something, Carlos provides us with good conditions, hotels, flights, player salaries, we are very good. We talked last night that we need planning before reaching the World Cup.
Carlos Lazo, CEO of the Xoy company, appeared on the map of the National Team prior to the FIBA window in Chihuahua for the 2023 World Cup. They had to put an end to problems that dragged on, such as unpaid salaries, which the Federation had owed since the beginning. Repechage of the Pre-Olympic in Croatia, prior to Tokyo 2020. I am a company that brings together businesses such as the Generals, LFA Reds, Libertadores de Querétaro, Chihuahua FC, Upick.mx bookmaker, among others.
After the Tricolor jubilation in the Montevideo Pre-Olympic, where they won the ticket by defeating Uruguay, it is time to turn the page and plan the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games in Salvador (June 23-July 8) and the Copa Basketball World Cup in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia (August 25-September 10). Omar Quintero stresses that the level of the National Team is good to expect good results, since they defeated rivals like Puerto Rico and the United States.
_Are you aware of how much budget is needed to be ready for the Central American Games and the World Cup? Is there economic certainty that nothing will be missing in the process?
“We have stability with the businessman Carlos Lazo, who has supported us 100%. How much it will be, I would lie, it is an administrative issue and they are covering it, we take care of the sports issue and a great synergy has been made, it sponsors us, gives us confidence and we deliver the results, added to that, the Ademeba support. We have worked from scratch, we crushed stone and this (ticket to the World Cup) is the icing on the cake”.
The draw is expected on April 29 for the National Team to meet its rivals, for then and always, Juan Toscano, who was not present in the final part of the World Cup qualification, “has the door open. The best for the team is sought, it is not that a player is from the NBA or from Europe ”.
