Granda: "We want to be one of the best teams of this Centrobasket"

PANAMA (Centrobasket) - Cuba began its passage through the 2016 Centrobasket Championship with a win over Nicaragua, 98-50, thus increasing the team’s confidence for this regional competition.

William Granda, a Cuban reference over the past years, accumulated 12 points and 5 assists in the team's victory over Nicaragua in Group A action.

Minutes after the victory, the small forward talked with FIBA.com about the importance of the victory and the reality of the Cuban national team.

"This first win gives us confidence to be one of the best teams of the Centrobasket." - Granda

FIBA.COM - How important was to start this 2016 Centrobasket with a win, thinking about what lies ahead?
GRANDA - This first win gives us confidence to be one of the best teams of the Centrobasket. The team has veteran players with several years of experience. We came here to give a good show and fight for one of the tickets.

FIBA.COM - How does the team face this competition, after seeing the great change in Javier Justiz?
GRANDA - Javier Justiz is another player, not the same player we've seen in past tournaments, his experience in Argentina came in handy because it raised his awareness to what is his job in basketball and he is putting that into the team. He's talking to the younger players, imparting his experiences, and he has instilled the seriousness that one must deliver when practicing and playing basketball.

FIBA.com - In recent years, players like you and Javier Justiz have played in other countries’ national leagues, how has that experience helped the National Team of Cuba?
GRANDA – It was a very nice experience, there we could pick up and learn what we needed right now, the confidence to know that we are not so distant from the level of basketball. That taught us to work as a team and that's what we have done in this Cuban team. Those experiences can already be seen in this team, the harmony that lives within the team while were playing and we have captured that game style and are displaying in it on the court.