FIBA: Gutierrez and his dreams for Mexico

There was a great feeling brewing around the arena when Mexico led 51-47 over team Lithuania. According to the reports and write ups, a "monumental" upset spread out in the tournament opener with 6:25 minutes to play in the third quarter at the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Packets of surprise came along with FIBA Americas as they made sophisticated playmaking of Jorge Gutierrez and a vocal band of supporters more. These things matched every part of noise coming from Lithuania's side of green army.

"It was wonderful, I wasn't expecting that many people," Gutierrez said afterwards.

He added: "We really enjoyed having them support us."

Team Mexico was leashed and tamed for several years of not participating in the FIBA flagship event. No FIBA since 1974 and no Olympics since 1976, a dozen of years before the amazing point guard was born.

Gutierrez is well informed and aware of how many people's attention were caught by him and his team from across the Atlantic.

"It means a lot for us to be here because we've worked so hard, but it means a lot to Mexico," said the 25-year-old player.

He continued: "Playing for Mexico, we want Mexican basketball to be on a world stage and compete against the world's best teams."

"We competed against a really good team (against Lithuania), unfortunately we couldn't finish it off but we have to learn from it," he said.

He added: "Every team at this tournament is tough, and we've got to prepare and play the same way from the beginning to the end. We've got to learn that."

Come what may for the youthful Gutierrez but he will still play with a smiling face. His drives, defense and passing actions have been honed over years of dreaming what it would be like to take the lead in making Mexico onto the limelight.

"Like you say, it was a dream, now I'm living it," he added.

(Source: FIBA official website)

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