Panama vs. Uruguay in the 2025 Americup qualifiers: ‘We’re going with everything’

Panama hosts Uruguay in Montevideo in the match of the first qualifying window for the 2025 Americup.

The Uruguayans led by Gerardo Jauri have a base of young players, which is why the South American coach hopes to play “dynamic and aggressive basketball in both defense and attack” when they meet Panama today at Antel Arena (19:10).

Jauri told the Uruguayan media that he is very excited to face the Panamanian team in this first window.

Uruguay has young players, but also some veterans like Bruno Fitipaldo who at 32 years old plays for Spain’s Tenerife and Jayson Granger from Peñarol who is 30 years old, among others.

Panama traveled in advance and have been training in Uruguay since last Sunday, although they will be without Ernesto Mauro Oglivie, who was sidelined with an injury, and Hhivvan Jackson, who will be absent.

However, the Panamanian team will be able to count on the duo of Javier Carter and Tony Bishop and Eric Romero and the experienced quarterback Trevor Gaskins.

The Argentine coach at the service of the Panamanian team, Gonzalo García, was clear in his message and added that he wants a team that is a “protagonist” and to achieve that goal he will have a certain degree of “requirements” for the players.

Gonzalo García, who was in the Argentinian national team for 30 years, said that he knows South American and therefore Uruguayan basketball very well.

As for the games against Uruguay, coach García repeated on several occasions that we have to go out and win the “first games”.

The second match between Panama and Uruguay will be on February 26 at the Roberto Durán Arena.

Panama is in Group B along with Brazil and Paraguay in the 2025 Americup qualifiers to be held at the Alexis Argüello Sports Center in Managua, Nicaragua.

The first three teams from the group will qualify for the Americup, which will be held from August 23 to 31 next year.