By Paul Osborne

Mexico, Uruguay, Colombia and Ecuador will host the opening group games for next years FIBA Americas League ©Getty ImagesDecember 10 - Group stage matches for the 2014 International Basketball Federation's (FIBA) Americas League will be held in Uruguay, Mexico, Colombia and Ecuador, organisers announced today.


The annual tournament, bringing together the top club teams from across the Americas, sees 16 teams split into four groups of four.

Each team will play one match against each of their group opponents with the top two teams from each group moving through to a quarter final stage where the winners of these match progress to a Final Four.

Here, as in the opening round, the four teams will play each other once with the leader at the end of the three matches being crowned champions and the best team in the Americas.

"The 2014 edition is shaping up to be the best FIBA Americas League organised so far," said FIBA Americas secretary general Alberto Garcia.

"We have the elite teams in the best leagues on the continent and in venues that we know will host a great show for our sport."

The tournament is due to get vunderway in late January in Neiva, Colombia, where Bambuqueros play host to defending champions Pinheiros of Brazil, Mexico's Toros de Nuevo Laredo and Cocodrilos of Venezuela in group A.

Mexico's Lorenzo Mata will be looking to continue the form that helped his country win the FIBA Americas Championship earlier this year ©Getty ImagesMexico's Lorenzo Mata will be looking to continue the form that helped his country win the FIBA Americas Championship earlier this year ©Getty Images



Mexico's Halcones UV Xalapa, led by 2013 FIBA Americas Championship-winning coach Sergio Valdeolmillos, will lead group C with matches due to take place at the start of February in Mexican city Xalapa.

The Halcones boast the country's national team players Lorenzo Mata, Orlando Mendez-Valdez, Jovan Harris and Noe Alonzo, and rising star Jose David Estrada Stone who will all be looking to impress in the build up to the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup scheduled for September next year.

Travelling to Mexico to for the opening group stages of the competiton will be Brazilian side Uniceub BRB, Argentinians Regatas Corrientes and Marinos de Anzoátegui of Venezuela.

Uraguay's Aguada, who just held an electric Liga Sudamericana Final Four in Montevideo, will hold games in Group B from 30 January to February 1.

They will square off against Brazil's Uberlandia, Argentina's Lanus and Leones de Ponce of Puerto Rico.

Quito, Ecuador will be the site of Group D games with hosts Mavort, Brazilians Flamengo, Puerto Ricans Capitanes de Arecibo and a yet-to-be-named team from Chile.

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