Mexico will be seeking a successful defence of their Central American and Caribbean Basketball Championship title ©Getty Images

Mexico will seek a successful defence of their Men's Central American and Caribbean Basketball Championship title when the biennial tournament opens in Panama City today.

The Mexicans won the inaugural tournament on home turf in 1965 before triumphing again a decade later in Santo Domingo.

But they had to wait 39 years for a third victory, which they achieved in Nayarat in 2014 with a 74-60 win over Puerto Rico.

Ten teams will participate this time around in the event also known as Centrobasket.

The top five teams will automatically qualify for Division A of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification and for the 2017 FIBA Americup, with the top seven qualifying for the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games.

Hosts Panama will be seeking to repeat their triumph in 2006 ©Getty Images
Hosts Panama will be seeking to repeat their triumph in 2006 ©Getty Images

Ten-time champions Puerto Rico will be the team to beat in Group A, with hosts Panama among the opposition along with Nicaragua, Antigua and Barbuda and Cuba,

Panama will be hoping to repeat the gold medal they won the last time the event was held on home courts in 2006.

Mexico and 2012 winners Dominican Republic will go head-to-head in Group B.

Also competing will be Costa Rica, Bahamas and the US Virgin Islands.

It comes as Mexico continues their return to the international fold following their suspension from the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) last year.

Action is due to begin today and continue until Saturday (June 25).