MONTEVIDEO (FIBA Americas Championship/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - It’s not difficult to pinpoint the most celebrated era of Uruguayan basketball.

Turn the clock back 61 years, when the Olympics were held in Helsinki, Finland, and Uruguay captured a bronze medal.

Four years later at the Melbourne Games, Uruguay finished third again.

The last time the national team was in an Olympic Games, though, was 1984 and Uruguay haven’t made an appearance at a FIBA World Championship since 1986 in Spain, when they came in 13th.

Uruguay will have to have a top-four finish at this summer's FIBA Americas Championship in Caracas to qualify for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

At the recent draw, Uruguay ended up Group A with Puerto Rico, Canada, Jamaica and Brazil.

The top four sides will advance to the next phase, and will take on the best four from Group B that include Argentina, the Dominican Republic, hosts Venezuela, Mexico and Paraguay.

The top four sides after the first two rounds of play will clinch spots at the World Cup.

"All the FIBA Americas Championships are hard," Uruguay captain Martin Osimani said.

"Given the history that we have playing in these tournaments, we generally have our best performances in this round (early), therefore I see that as something positive.

"Our performance depends on a lot of factors, but the opportunities are there like all the tournaments that we play in. At times, it can be a positive run that brings you there (in contention), or a negative one that takes you out.

"The only thing that we can control is not to worry about the rivals, but how to prepare as a group and structure wise in order to feel strong at the time of the competition.

"Having experienced these tournaments before, how long they are, the urgency is there to be strong at the start."

There is plenty of time for Uruguay to get ready for Caracas, Venezuela, where the FIBA Americas Championship is to be staged from 30 August to 11 September.

Even so, all national teams will feel the need to start laying the groundwork if they are to be successful in Venezuela.

This is especially true for Uruguay, who are 29th in the FIBA Rankings with eight other sides in the Americas above them.

The United States are at the top of the FIBA Ranking Men and behind them are Argentina (third), Brazil (ninth), Puerto Rico (19th), Venezuela (24th), Canada (26th), the Dominican Republic (27th) and Panama (28th).

"I've not had any communication with anyone," Osimani said.

"Yes, with teammates but not with the coaching staff or the executives."

One factor for Uruguay is whether or not Jayson Granger, the 23-year-old guard of Spanish outfit Asefa Estudiantes, will play.

He did not feature a couple of years ago in Mar del Plata, but would be among his country's best players in Caracas should he make himself available.

FIBA