Echenique to Compete at 2009 FIBA Americas Championship
Aug 25 | Men's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers rising sophomore forward Gregory Echenique (Guatire, Venezuela) will compete for the Venezuela Senior National Team at the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship that begins tomorrow (Aug. 26) in San Juan, Puerto Rico. At just 18 years of age, Echenique is poised to be the youngest player to compete at the 10-nation Championship.
“Gregory has worked extremely hard and has continually excelled,” said Rutgers head coach Fred Hill. “We are very proud of him. He definitely earned his selection. Given the degree of competition he will face at the senior national level, it should be a very beneficial experience.”
Echenique, whose father played professionally in Venezuela’s Liga Nacional de Baloncesto, has been training with the Venezuelan squad. He played in “friendly” games against Puerto Rico held in Isla Margarita, Venezuela, in early August. Last summer, Echenique led the Venezuela U18 team at the 2008 Tournament of the Americas in Formosa, Argentina, pacing the tournament in scoring (22.2), blocked shots (3.6) and free throws made (8.2), while placing second in rebounding (13.6).
Echenique set the Rutgers freshman all-time rebounding mark in 2008-09 with 268 boards, tying for the 15th most rebounds in a season in RU history. He ranked third in blocks (2.4) and fourth in rebounding (8.4) among freshmen nationally and shared the team’s 2008-09 MVP and Top Newcomer awards.
Venezuela will compete in Group B at the Championship with Argentina, Brazil, Dominican Republic and Panama. Venezuela’s first contest is against Argentina in a 6:30 p.m. tip-off on Wednesday. Venezuela’s roster boasts two NCAA players in Echenique and Maryland rising senior forward Greivis Vasquez.
