Cuba vs. Mexico today in men's basketball qualifiers

HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 24 (ACN) The Cuban men's basketball team will face its Mexican counterpart today in this city as part of the second qualifiers for the 2023 World Cup.

Cuba (0-2) will be seeking its first victory against a rival hitherto undefeated in two games, enough to lead Group D ahead of the Americans and Puerto Ricans, both with an even 1-1 balance.

Three of the main Cuban players—Jasiel Rivero, who plays for Valencia Basket in Spain; Karel Guzmán, hired by the U-BT Cluj-Napoca in Romania; and Yoanki Mensía, from Argentina’s Gimnasia y Esgrima de Comodoro Rivadavia—will be key to the local team's aspirations.

Last November, Cuba lost its first two games 90-95 (to the U.S.) and 60-69 (to Puerto Rico) in the “bubble” of Chihuahua, Mexico.

According to the qualification system, after the six-match group stage, the top three teams in each preliminary stage will continue in the competition for one of the seven tickets available to the Americas for the 2023 World Cup, scheduled to be held jointly in Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan.