Curbelo, Kemm, Minzer among top names at FIBA U17 South American Championship 2023

The FIBA U17 South American Championship 2023 tips off on November 16 with the top three teams reaching the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2024. Valentin Curbelo, Junior Kemm are among the top names.

The FIBA U17 South American Championship 2023 tips off on November 16 in Valledupar, Colombia with the top three teams reaching the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2024. Valentin Curbelo, Junior Kemm and Felipe Minzer are among the top names.

The field for the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2024 will soon be completed as the final three teams will join from the FIBA U17 South American Championship 2023, which tips off on November 16 in Valledupar, Colombia.

The top three finishers from the U17 South American Championship will join United States and Canada as well as Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Belize, the last three advancing from the FIBA U17 Centrobasket Championship 2023.

The eight teams in Colombia are hosts Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela.

The top three from the last editions have been Argentina, Brazil and Ecuador. Argentina have never missed the U18 Americas tournament, Brazil were only absent in 2008 and 2018 and Ecuador’s only two appearances were the last two tournaments.

Chile played at U18 Americas in 2016 and 2018; Colombia’s only showing came in 2012, Paraguay have never reached the continental tournament and both Uruguay and Venezuela are hoping to end longer droughts - Uruguay in 2014 and Venezuela even further back in 2008.

Biggest names

Some of the biggest names in the tournament will be foreign based players.

Argentina’s Felipe Minzer should be a star in Colombia as he stars for Casademont Zargoza with the team also featuring the Italy based duo of Tomas Fernandez and Ivan Prato.

Brazil are highlighted by Junior Kemm at Barcelona, Gustavo Guimaraēs Riviera from Prep in Florida, Pedro Pastre from Stella Azzurra in Italy and Gabriel Ferreira from the NBA Academy. Uruguay will be led by Patre’s teammate in Italy Valentin Curbelo and also has Ismael Suarez from Fuenlabrada in Spain.

The hosts Colombia also has two high level players from the generation who could stand out - if they play - ion 7-footers Keiner Asprilla and Malachi Moreno.

---

Here is a breakdown of the groups and format.

Group A

Chile
Brazil
Paraguay
Ecuador

Group B

Venezuela
Colombia
Uruguay
Argentina

After group play, the top two teams will play in the Semi-Finals with the first placed team in Group A taking on the second placed team in Group B and Group A’s second best finisher facing the Group B winner. The two Semi-Finals winners qualify for the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2024 as well as the winner of the 3rd Place Game.

---

Here is a rundown of the rosters as the respective federations have released.

ARGENTINA

Viktor Bender | 2.00m | 2006 | Regatas Corrientes
Patricio Cogliati | 2.05m | 2006 | Quimsa
Albano Costa | 1.91m | 2006 | 9 de Julio de Bahía Blanca
Fabricio Díaz | 2.04m | 2006 | Riachuelo de La Rioja
Jorge Díaz Giménez | 1.90m | 2006 | Benjamín Matienzo
Agustín Diez Hernández | 2.01m | 2006 | Ameghino de Villa María
Tomás Fernández Lang | 2.00m | 2006 | Virtus Arechi Salerno (ITA)
Joaquín Folmer Gassman | 1.95m | 2006 | Unión de Crespo
Felipe Minzer | 1.98m | 2007 | Casademont Zaragoza (ESP)
Nicholás Petri | 2.13m | 2006 | Obras Sanitarias
Iván Prato | 2.09m | 2007 | Pallacanestro Varese (ITA)
Thiago Sucatzky | 1.78m | 2006 | Divine Savior Academy (USA)

BRAZIL

Diogo Alves - High School-USA
Enrico Borio - High School-USA
Arthur Bueris - Mogi-SP
Isaque Duarte - Flamengo-RJ
Gabriel Ferreira - NBA Academy-MEX
Antônio Gomes - Paulistano-SP
Gustavo Guimarães - Riviera Prep-USA
Junior Kemm - Barcelona-ESP
Pietro Martins - Paulistano-SP
Vitor Meili - Pinheiros-SP
Jonathan Moreira - Pinheiros-SP
Pedro Pastre - Stella Azzurra-ITA

CHILE

Tomás Barrientos - Asociación Regional Metropolitana
Gerald Holtheuer - Asociación Puerto Varas
Benjamín Jorquera - Asociación Bío-Bío
Diego Laurel - Asociación Osorno
Antonio López - Asociación Valparaíso
Mateo Manfredi - Asociación San Felipe
Maximiliano Quezada - Asociación Valparaíso
Matías Reyes - Asociación Regional Metropolitana
Francisco Saravia -Asociación Puerto Varas
Vicente Schwerter - Asociación Puerto Varas
Benjamín Sepúlveda - Asociación Osorno
Francisco Vera - Asociación Castro

COLOMBIA

ECUADOR

Mizael Alava - Zona 8a
Pedro Alvarado - ATE
Abel Diaz - Penarol - ARG
Julian Galiano - San Pedro
Luis Paul Guzman - Orense
Calros Hurtado - CCOLB - ARG
Leonardo Navarro - Pazeba
Kevin Preciado - Barcelona
Steven Preciado - Barcelona
Juan Fernando Toledo - Ferrocarril Oeste - ARG
Jafet Valencia - Veritas Titans - USA
Randy Vosmediano - Andes

PARAGUAY

URUGUAY

Tiago Bentancour – Larre Borges
Valentín Curbelo – Stella Azzurra - Italy
Franco Da Rosa – Biguá
Juan Durán – Biguá
Manuel Fagundez – Aguada
Martin Gibbs – Malvín
Brahian Gomez – Defensor Sporting
Matias Khoury – Touring
Agustin Moller – Urunday Universitario
Alvaro Payovich – Biguá
Ismael Suarez – Fuenlabrada - Spain
Joaquín Taboada – Nacional

VENEZUELA

Marlon Ascanio - Miranda
Jesus Centeno - Sucre
Ydderick Gonzalez- Distrito Capital
Jose Guerra - Carabobo
Jeiminson Marquez - Miranda
Alan Noguera - Carabobo
Anthony Reyes - Carabobo
Daniel Sacuaral - Miranda
Anderson Sosa - Barinas
Diego Soto - Zulia
Diego Sulbaran - Carabobo
Estoyan Vargas - Distrito Capital