If they meet expectations, it’s a real “little extra” that the Americans will benefit from in this World Cup since they will have the luxury of not traveling from the start to the end of the competition.
While four groups will be dispatched to Jakarta (Indonesia) and Okinawa (Japan) for the group stage, and four others will be spread over “Greater Manila”, TeamUSA will have the privilege of staying in Pasay throughout his stay.
On Wednesday, Steve Kerr’s troops therefore discovered the Mall of Asia Arena for the first time. The 16,500-seat arena will indeed host the four quarter-finals, the two halves and the final. The players were thus able to make their mark in what could become their new home.
” It’s very useful. I think all the guys enjoyed seeing the room, feeling the circles, seeing the signs. It’s good to come here”, said Steve Kerr on the sidelines of this first training which will in fact be the only one in the enclosure, which will then be exclusively reserved for matches. The Americans will train for their part in their hotel, which has the necessary structures, including a gymnasium and an appropriate sports hall.
All the details count when it comes to this level of competition and the Americans obviously appreciated having been able to familiarize themselves with their new environment while waiting for Saturday and their entry into the running against New Zealand. This is particularly the case of Anthony Edwards, offensive leader of the team, who had to tame the circle before it agreed to let his shots in…
Eight matches to win
“We just had a practice match and there was a lid on the circle”, did he throw. “I missed my first three shots, but ended up making three in a row. I just tried to remove the rim cover, that’s the most important thing. He’s gone now”he added after converting his shot from midfield late in training.
Beyond that, staying in one place and not traveling will be an advantage for organizations.
For comparison, during the 2019 World Cup, Team USA had to play in four different Chinese cities: Shanghai, Shenzhen, Dongguan and Beijing.
” This is a good thing “recognized Austin Reaves. “I hope we play eight games here and win them all. It’s good to arrive here and to be able to immerse yourself in the place. We had good training, and I hope we will continue to work throughout the week for the match on Saturday”.
The Tall Blacks have been warned!
