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Quote:Four members of Portugal's EuroBasket 2007 squad are in the group named by new coach Moncho Lopez ahead of the Tournament of Nations, an international tournament to be staged in Barcelona from June 6-7.

Elvis Evora, Joao Gomes, Mario Fernandes and Jorge Coelho will be the backbone of Portugal, who are to gather on June 2 to prepare for the event.

Angola-based Francisco Jordao is expected to link up with the squad later in the summer before the Portuguese play EuroBasket qualifying games against Latvia, Estonia and FYROM.

Felipe da Silva, Joao Santos and Paulo Cunha, other leading players from last year's team, also may join Portugal this summer.

"Over the last months, I have followed different competitions where we have players with chances to integrate into our defined squad in September," Lopez said on the Portuguese Basketball Federation website.

"The only exception was Francisco Jordao, who is playing in Angola."

From the squad that competed at Euro 2007, Miguel Minhava is still recovering from a foot injury while Sergio Ramos and Paulo Simao have retired.

"Jorge Coelho and Elvis Evora [both centers who played at the EuroBasket] occupy a vital position in the team. I believe that the best way to introduce my ideas is working with them from day one."

In the June tournament, Portugal will face teams from some of Spain's regions, including a team from Catalonia, the Basque country and Galicia.

Lopez, who coached Spain's national team to the silver medal at EuroBasket 2003 in Sweden, said: "Our objective is introducing our new concepts.

"We also will seek to keep our competitive spirit, which is required for a Portugal team that will face some of the best players competing in Spain."

Lopez called up the following 12 players:

Joao Reveles (Ginasio Figueirense), Mario Fernandes (Plasencia - Spain), Fabio Lima (Pamesa Valencia - Spain), Jaime Silva (Vigo - Spain), Joao Gomes (Breogan - Spain), Joao Manuel (CAB Madeira), Jose Silva (Barreirense), Claudio Fonseca (Pamesa Valencia-Spain), Elvis Evora (A.D. Ovarense), Jorge Coelho (Palencia - Spain), Manuel Sico (F.C. Barreirense), Nuno Cortez (AD Ovarense).

http://www.fibaeurope.com/coid_3N-B2j86H...de_on.html

2nd game - FYROM 85 Portugal 48

http://www.fibaeurope.com/cid_KNce8jInH7...amID_.html

The NT's coach Moncho López declarations:

"It's hard to explain what happened... I can't find an explanation. We had a bad start and then we weren't able able to control the score difference which rapidly became huge."

"At halftime we were losing by 20 and started the second half with the aim of shortening the difference slowly... but we weren't able to do so. The problem was the start of the game."

I really think he needs to find out what happened

Bring back Melnychuk Portugal gets crushed again, this time by Latvia (79-43) and Moncho's future is getting darker imo. One thing is not to get qualified, another one is to get crushed everytime you try it. The federation must start thinking about doing something.

Bad news for Portugal: Nuno Marçal is out due to injury. Nuno Cortez (25, 2.05m) was called to replace him.

Quote:Portugal Upbeat Ahead Of Additional Qualifying Round

Most people expect either France or Italy to win the Additional Qualifying Round for EuroBasket 2009 but Portugal coach Moncho Lopez isn't one of them.

Lopez, whose team was drawn in Group A of the AQR with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Belgium, fully expects his team to fight as hard as ever to reach the Final Round.

"Our group is very balanced and I am happy with it," Lopez said to Basketball World News.

The winner of the additional qualifiers will join Russia, Latvia and Germany in Group B of EuroBasket 2009.

"What I expect from our pool opponents is respect," Lopez warned. "We may be a good surprise in this Additional Qualifying Round."

Portugal looked like relegation fodder after beginning their Division A campaign with successive defeats to Estonia, FYROM and Latvia, but they bounced back with three consecutive wins against the same opponents to remain in contention.

"My players have shown that home games are extremely crucial and we will keep this posture throughout the next games," Lopez said.

"Home games are must-win.

"Our aim goes beyond winning games at home, though. We will face these teams [Belgium and Bosnia and Herzegovina] with the same attitude as if we were playing at home."

Portugal struggled with the absence of some key players during the summer qualifying round for various reasons.

Francisco Jordão is under a disciplinary process after staying away while Joao Gomes and Felipe da Silva were also unavailable.

All three had very good moments at EuroBasket 2007 in Spain, where Portugal reached the Qualifying Round for the Quarter-Finals.

Lopez expects to have a stronger squad when he gathers the men for the EuroBasket 2009 preparations.

"I am really keen to see Felipe da Silva sorting out all his family issues as soon as possible," Lopez said.

"He is one of the best point guards in the country.

"João [Betinho] Gomes could be an important player for us. But it will depend on how FIBA decide on Carlos Andrade's naturalization process. (According to the Portugal Federation, Andrade started his naturalization process before turning 18).

"Having both players on the roster, which is legally possible, would be fantastic.

"I prefer not to talk about Jordão's process now. But good teams are made by players who want to play for the team, not by names."

http://www.fibaeurope.com/coid_8Bx069e,H...tpage.html