Mexico's huge win at the 2013 FIBA Americas a Solid Foundation for the 2014 FIBA World Cup
Earlier this month, Mexico beat Puerto Rico in the FIBA Americas Championship to win their first title, and basketball fans interested in betting on sports are already scrambling to grasp what this means for Mexico's chances in international basketball going forward - particularly with regards to the FIBA Basketball World Cup next year. If one will check the sports book odds at Bodog.eu, oddsmakers didn't give Mexico much of a chance at qualifying for the World Cup in Spain next year especially with perennial FIBA Americas contenders Argentina, Brazil, Puerto Rico and Canada tipped to contend for the title.
NBA fans watching the thrilling final of the tournament will have recognised a few familiar faces; Jose Juan Barea, who was signed by the Timberwolves during their shake-up in 2011, made major contributions to the Puerto Rican effort throughout their campaign whereas Mexico made full use of the Atlanta Hawks' Gustavo Ayón, who scored twenty points in the final. NBA fans will no doubt have had one eye on which players making an impact in the tournament who could potentially be making a move to the US as a result, as top-flight international tournaments by FIBA have historically proven to give some clues as to who major NBA teams are looking to sign.
Mexico's strong showing in this tournament will no doubt spur on hopes that they can replicate some of the same success in the World Cup next year - which will be the first time the country has appeared at the tournament in forty years. Whilst Mexico are far from being the favorites to win the thing outright, the side has been steadily improving in recent years. Up until the 1960s, Mexico were something of a contender in international basketball, regularly delivering solid performances at the Central American Championships, World Championships and earning the Bronze medal at the Summer Olympics. However, the last four or so decades have been rather more meagre in terms of tournament success for the national side.
That being said, the young side that Mexico currently boasts looks only set to improve over the next few years, as one bright spot of the last decade has been the impressive record of their youth team at the Centrobasket Under 17 Tournament, where they took home the Silver medal in 2007, 2009 and 2011. As these young prospects begin to come into their own even further, and begin making appearances for the national side proper, it seems likely that Mexico will maintain some of the momentum that their Americas Championship title is evidence of - and sports betting lines will surely begin to reflect this success, meaning that fans would be advised to take advantage of current sports book odds, particularly for a more distant event like the 2014 FIBA World Cup.
Another team to keep an eye on after the Americas Championship is Argentina. Despite being ranked third in the world behind the United States and Spain in the FIBA World Rankings, Argentina could only manage to place third in the tournament, which has cast some doubt over whether the side can still compete at the highest level. At the end of the 2008 Olympics, Argentina held the top spot of the World Rankings for a while, but that side has aged and attempts at a youth movement have been slower than some would like.
After the twists and turns of the Americas Championship, fans of international basketball have now turned their attention towards the World Cup next year, and discussion on Twitter shows that there is already quite some anticipation for it. Will anyone be able to mount a challenge against the in-form Spain as they play on home turf? It's difficult to predict at this point, but if you think that you have it all worked out this far ahead of time, it might be time to think about placing your bet with the best online sportsbook at Bodog. Sports.bodog.eu provide odds on a huge range of sports, and their sports betting system is topnotch. If you are looking to bet on international basketball, the NBA or in fact any major sporting event, head to Bodog sports and have a go at winning big today.
By NBA-DRAFT.COM Staff Writer - 9-23-13
