Cuban national basketball team to play friendlies in China

Cuba's national basketball team will travel to China in October for a series of friendly matches against China and other teams, the vice president of the Cuban Basketball Federation, Dalia Henry, said on Tuesday.

Henry says the friendlies, which are scheduled to take place between Oct. 12 and 30, will be "very important" for Cuba, whose lineup will feature young, inexperienced players as part of the country's strategy to prepare a new generation of talent for competition.

The schedule includes some 10 games against teams from Venezuela, the United States and Canada.

Four of Cuba's national team members, who are currently playing in foreign leagues such as Argentina, Panama and El Salvador, will miss the matches, added Henry.

Cuba's basketball team won the silver medal at the 1993 Central American and Caribbean Games in Puerto Rico, but has since failed to make it onto the podium. Enditem