Tickets for February 23 USA-Puerto Rico Game to go on Sale Jan. 16
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jan. 15, 2020) – USA Basketball today announced that the USA’s three home AmeriCup Qualifying games will be held at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington, D.C., home to the Washington Mystics of the WNBA and the Capital City Go-Go of the NBA G League. The USA will play Puerto Rico on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020 (3 p.m. EST), Bahamas on Nov. 27, 2020, and Mexico on Nov. 30, 2020.
Tickets for the Feb. 23 USA-Puerto Rico game go on sale Jan. 16 at 9 a.m. (EST) and range from $5 (plus Ticketmaster fees) for general admission to $72 (plus Ticketmaster fees) for courtside seating. For ticket information visit www.ticketmaster.com or USAB.com/ACQ.
“The FIBA AmeriCup qualifying games initiate another cycle of qualifying for an important FIBA event and we are thrilled to be able to play our three home AmeriCup qualifying games at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington, D.C.,” said Jim Tooley, USA Basketball CEO. “This will be a great opportunity for basketball fans in Washington, D.C, and the surrounding communities to see high-level FIBA international basketball competition and offer fans the opportunity to show support for the USA National Team. We look forward to partnering with Events DC and playing some exciting basketball in front of an enthusiastic crowds in Washington, D.C.”
“As a city rich in both professional and amateur sports, DC is also a hotbed for basketball at all levels and we are so honored to host USA Basketball’s three home AmeriCup Qualifying games at the Entertainment and Sports Arena,” said Gregory A. O’Dell, president and chief executive officer of Events DC. “The Entertainment and Sports Arena has become a new sports and entertainment district for visitors to come and experience some of DC’s most exciting sports moments on a global stage.”
Former NBA head coach Mike Fratello will serve as head coach of the USA team for the February 2020 AmeriCup Qualifying games.
Players selected to represent the USA in the AmeriCup Qualifying games are expected to primarily be from the NBA G League, the NBA’s official minor league, and will be selected by the USA Basketball Men’s World Cup Qualification Committee.
The 2020-21 FIBA AmeriCup qualifiers feature 16 teams from the Americas zone divided into four groups of four teams. The top three finishing teams in each Group will earn a qualifying berth in the FIBA AmeriCup 2021 (site and dates TBA).
FIBA AmeriCup qualifying will consist of three windows, and each window will feature two games. The first window is Feb. 20-24, 2020. The USA will open play against Puerto Rico in San Juan on Feb. 20, then play a rematch versus Puerto Rico on Feb. 23 in Washington D.C.
After February games, the next two windows of AmeriCup qualifying play are Nov. 26-30, 2020, and Feb. 18-22, 2021.
The USA in window two will host the Bahamas on Nov. 27 and Mexico on Nov. 30 in Washington, D.C. And, the Americans will close out AmeriCup qualifying play in window three, playing at the Bahamas on Feb. 18 and at Mexico on Feb. 21.
The official draw for the FIBA AmeriCup 2021 Qualifiers was held in July 2019, and the USA was drawn into Group D with Bahamas, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Group A consists of Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Venezuela; Group B includes Brazil, Panama, Paraguay and Uruguay; while Group C features Canada, Cuba, Dominican Republic and U.S. Virgin Islands.
The FIBA AmeriCup 2021, considered the FIBA Americas zone championship, will feature 12 nations from North America, Central America, the Caribbean and South America.
The USA men’s won the 2017 FIBA AmeriCup with a 5-0 record, and in its next most recent participation in 2007, the U.S. rumbled over its opposition in Las Vegas and finished 10-0 to win gold and capture one of the FIBA Americas zone's two qualifying berths for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Overall, USA Basketball officially has now fielded teams in nine AmeriCups (formerly known as FIBA Americas Championships), and has won seven gold (2017, 2007, 2003, 1999, 1997, 1993 and 1992) and one silver medal (1989), while compiling a 65-10 win-loss record.
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About USA Basketball
Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA Basketball, chaired by ret. General Martin E. Dempsey, is a nonprofit organization and the national governing body for men’s and women’s basketball in the United States. As the recognized governing body for basketball in the U.S. by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), USA Basketball is responsible for the selection, training and fielding of USA teams that compete in FIBA-sponsored international competitions, as well as for some national competitions, and for the development of youth basketball initiatives that address player development, coach education and safety.
For further information about USA Basketball, go to the official website of USA Basketball at www.usab.com and connect with us on facebook.com/usabasketball, twitter.com/usabasketball, instagram.com/usabasketball and youtube.com/usab.
About Events DC
Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia, delivers premier event services and flexible venues across the nation's capital. Leveraging the power of a world-class destination and creating amazing attendee experiences, Events DC generates economic and community benefits through the attraction and promotion of business, athletic, entertainment and cultural activities. Events DC oversees the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, an anchor of the District's hospitality and tourism economy that hosts more than 1.7 million visitors and generates more than $400 million annually in total economic impact, and the historic Carnegie Library at Mt. Vernon Square. Events DC manages the RFK Stadium-Armory Campus (RFK Campus), including Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Festival Grounds at RFK Campus, The Fields at RFK Campus, the non-military functions of the DC Armory and the Skate Park at RFK Stadium. Stay current on the 190-acre RFK Campus Redevelopment Project at www.RFKCampus.com. Events DC also built and serves as landlord for Nationals Park, the first LEED-certified major professional sports stadium in the United States. Events DC manages Gateway DC, R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center and the Entertainment and Sports Arena (www.ESAontheRise.com), all conveniently located in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington, DC.
