Best Alley-oops of #RoadToSpain2014 - Vote now

Vote for your favorite Alley-oop on facebook.com/FIBA and win an official Molten competition basketball, signed by the players of your national team. One winner will be announced every week on facebook.com/FIBA. In the first week of the contest, participants can vote for the best alley-oop. The deadline to submit votes for this category is on December 1, 2013.

This week you can vote for:

• ANGOLA - Leonel PAULO
• BELGIUM - Jean Marc MWEMA
• COTE D'IVOIRE - Stephane KONATE
• LITHUANIA - Jonas VALANCIUNAS
• MALI - Namory BOUNDY
• PHILIPPINES - Japeth AGUILAR
• POLAND - Marcin GORTAT
• SPAIN - Rudy FERNANDEZ
• UKRAINE - Artem PUSTOVYI
• VENEZUELA - Donta SMITH

VOTE NOW!

DOM - Greer: sustainability growing in Dominican game

STRASBOURG (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Basketball in the Dominican Republic is definitely on the rise and a sustainable base has been formed even though the sport may never live up to the hallowed status of baseball in the Caribbean nation.

The Dominican Republic finished fourth at the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship to book their place at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

When they take to the court in Spain next summer, it will be their first appearance in FIBA's flagship event since 1978.

"It's incredible," said 36-year-old veteran small forward Ricardo Greer.

"It just shows the progression of basketball throughout the world but also in the Caribbean. It's just an incredible achievement and we're just really proud of it."

Despite losing to Puerto Rico in the Semi-Finals and Argentina in the Third-Place Game, the Dominicans placed ahead of South American giants Brazil, North American powers Canada and tournament hosts Venezuela to be the fourth qualified team from the Americas that was Spain 2014 bound.

Now that the nation of 10 million people has reached the World Cup, Greer is ready just to see what they can do there.

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FIBA - Road Show 2014 truck visits Gran Canaria

GRAN CANARIA (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - After having being a part of the frenzied atmosphere at EuroBasket 2013, the Road Show 2014 returned to Spain and visited Gran Canaria, one of the six host cities of the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

The island hosted the Road Show truck for 10 days (4-13 October) and there was no shortage of of activities available for the fans.

Spanish basketball legends Jorge Garbajosa and Fernando Romay were on hand to give basketball lessons to visitors.

Garbajosa, a former FIBA World Champion and NBA player with Toronto Raptors, showed off his shooting and passing skills with kids. Romay, a silver medallist at the 1984 Olympics, displayed his amazing strength and sense of humor with fans of all ages.

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ANG - Cipriano's high note ahead of African Clubs Cup

LUANDA (African Clubs Cup/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Olimpio Cipriano's reputation as a prolific scorer seems to be far from ending after he was named MVP of Vitorino Cunha Cup, a domestic tournament in his native Angola.

The reward comes days before Cipriano and his Recreativo do Libolo club travel to Lusaka, Zambia, where they will battle for the top two places on offer of zone 6 for the African Clubs Cup to be held later this year.

At AfroBasket 2013 in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, Cipriano was Angola's leading three-point threat, shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc.

On Thursday, the 31-year-old led Libolo to an 86-75 win over Inter Clube de Luanda to claim the Vitorino Cunha Cup for the first time in the club's history.

The African Clubs Cup, a leading international tournament, is due to take place at the National Sports Development Centre in Lusaka, Zambia from 28 October to 2 November.

The field will consist of: Primeiro D'Agosto, Libolo and Petro de Luanda (Angola); Matero Magic and UNZA Pacers (Zambia); JBC and Cameo BB (Zimbabwe); Ferroviaro da Beira (Mozambique).

The African Clubs Cup qualifier will mark the return of 10 of the 12 Angolan internationals to the African scene since they won their 11th African Championship title back in August.

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ESP - Claver confidence grows after EuroBasket

PORTLAND (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Victor Claver has returned to the NBA a much more confident player ahead of the 2013-14 campaign after shining for Spain at EuroBasket 2013.

Given a prominent role for the first time in his national team career, Claver embraced the uncustomary position of power forward and helped the squad reach the podium for the seventh time in the past eight European Championships.

While the Spaniards had wanted a third successive title triumph, they settled for a decisive victory in the Third-Place Game against Croatia.

The 2.05m Claver averaged 6.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in just over 20 minutes per game.

He signed off with with 16 points, six rebounds and three blocks in the 92-66 triumph over the Croatians.

"It was important for me," Claver said of the EuroBasket.

"I've been in the national team for a long time and I didn't have a chance to play that much and when I did, it was hard for me."

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ARG - Campazzo the passer

MAR DEL PLATA (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - There have been plenty of adjectives used to describe the play of Argentina point guard Facundo Campazzo in his young career.

He has been brilliant, crafty, gritty and heroic.

Sometimes, the terms haven't been complimentary.

Such was the case after his high-profile incident with Carmelo Anthony during the London Olympics.

In a play at the end of the third quarter of their Preliminary Round meeting, with the United States having taken a huge lead, Anthony was attempting a three-pointer when Campazzo ran in his direction.

Anthony dropped to the court in pain, and the USA players and coaches complained that Campazzo had intentionally hit the NBA star in the groin.

After a few tense moments when the players on both benches were on their feet, calm was restored.

Campazzo has been the talk of the town a lot since.

This week, his passing ability has captured the spotlight.

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SEN - An injection of quality may come with Dieng

MINNESOTA (2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Senegal will have a very exciting team at next year's FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.

Looking back at this summer's AfroBasket in Cote d'Ivoire, the Senegalese had high-fliers who like to play the game above the rim.

When it was all said and done in Abidjan, and Senegal's players had bronze medals hanging from their necks, Maleye Ndoye led the squad in scoring with an average of 10 points per game and Hamady Ndiaye had a team-best 15 blocked shots.

Imagine how formidable Senegal's frontline would be if Gorgui Dieng, a member of the NCAA Championship-winning Louisville Cardinals earlier this year, joined their squad for the World Cup.

The 2.10m shot-swatting machine wasn't available this summer as he concentrated on getting ready for his rookie campaign in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

So far, Dieng's raised plenty of eyebrows in Minneapolis.

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