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

Puerto Rico strikers Center Isaiah Piñeiro and Benito Santiago Jr. and Jorge Bryan Díaz They will not play in the two qualifying games for the AmeriCup 2022 tournament this Friday and Saturday.

Piñeiro, an important inclusion for the team in the past FIBA World Championship, will not be able to make the trip to Puerto Rico, informed the president of the local basketball federation, Yum Ramos.

In the case of Santiago Jr. and Díaz, their losses are for personal reasons.

Piñeiro, 25, works in the professional Latvian league with the VEF Riga club. Sanitary protocols for re-entry into the European country require a 14-day quarantine to avoid COVID-19 infections, which is why the owner of the basket will not travel to the island.

“Isaiah will not be able to make the journey. The restrictions are very complicated. He was very interested in participating (with Puerto Rico). I did all the negotiations, with FIBA, with the club, with Latvia, everything. The team even sent a letter saying they had no problem with his participation. But in the end, the restrictions are the restrictions. We can’t fight that, “Ramos said.

In Latvia, Piñeiro has an average of 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 for the national team. The final reduction will be made on Thursday, one day before the match against Mexico. On Saturday, Puerto Ricans meet with the Bahamas.

The list is led by former NBA goalkeepers José Juan Barea and Shabazz Napier. The latter will start with the national team.

The training is also completed by Iván Gandía, goalkeepers Gian Clavell, Isaac Sosa and José “Money” Rodríguez, strikers Chris Ortiz, Emmy Andújar and Alexis “Bebo Colón, along with strikers Timajh Parker, Ramón Clemente, Gilberto Clavell and Devon Collier Center.

Puerto Rico plays 1-3, just like 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.