Ex-PBA import Balkman helps Puerto Rico secure World Cup berth

MANILA, Philippines – Remember Renaldo Balkman?

Banned for life in the PBA for an on-court outburst early this year, Balkman has moved on, starring for the Puerto Rican team that secured berth in the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain.

The former Petron Blaze import put in 26 points and 12 rebounds as Puerto Rico pulled off a gripping 86-85 win over Venezuela Saturday to clinch the first semifinals spot in the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship in Caracas, Venezuela.

Through the second round of the Caracas meet, Balkman was Puerto Rico’s main man, averaging a tournament-best 20.1 points and sixth-best 8.7 rebounds a game.

Puerto Rico’s other big stars are NBA players Carlos Arroyo and Jose Juan Barea.

Mexico, Dominican Republic and Argentina also made the FIBA Americas Final Four and qualified to the world meet with victories over separate rivals Sunday (Monday morning in Manila).

Mexico repulsed Puerto Rico, 66-59; Dominican Republic crushed Uruguay, 86-78; and Argentina drubbed Canada, 73-67.

The Final Four pairings pit Argentina versus Mexico and Puerto Rico against Dominican Republic.

Whatever happens, all four teams, however, are assured of a trip to Spain for the FIBA World Cup next year, joining Olympic champion USA, Asian qualifiers Iran, the Philippines and South Korea, Oceania teams Australia and New Zealand, and African qualifiers Angola, Egypt and Senegal.

Yet to be determined are the six teams that will represent Europe and the four wild card berths.

Argentina and Puerto Rico both booked a 13th appearance in the world meet, Mexico will be making a first “WC” stint since 1974 while Dominican Republic will be back in the world joust for the first time since 1978 in Manila.

Out of the Spain conclave is two-time champion Brazil, which suffered a big disaster in Caracas, failing to make it past the first round of elims play.

Before their 2013 debacle, the Brazilians had been to all previous 16 editions of the world championship, a record they shared with the Americans.

They were the world champions in 1959 and 1963 and had four other podium finishes (second or third) in 1954, 1967, 1970 and 1978.

Outside of the USA and Brazil, Argentina is the only other team from the American continent that has had Top Three finishes in the world championship, going all the way to the top in Indianapolis in 2002 and finishing fourth in Saitama, Japan in 2006.

Luis Scola, however, is the only familiar player left in the current Argentina team. Gone are stars Manu Ginobili, Andres Nocioni, Fabricio Oberto and Pepe Sanchez.