With so many consecutive games and no days off, how long do you think Uruguay can hold on?
Batista: It’s true that the physical aspect affects your performance as the days go on, but you really can’t think about that too much. There is no time for recovery and all the teams are going through the same thing. Maybe I have more playing time on me, but the fact that I haven’t played this many minutes with the Hawks has helped me stay at 110 percent for this competition. I also went through a lot of hard, physical training prior to this tournament.

There’s talk about you winning the MVP prize for this tournament. What do you think about that?
Batista: I’m happy that people are talking about me this way. But I have to stay focused on our team’s goals. I have to forget about what’s being said about this tournament. I’ve been working hard for the Uruguay National Team and we’re playing well as a team. That goes beyond my performance.

What is your general opinion of the first round of this tournament?
Batista: I think that it’s been good. We won a historic game against Puerto Rico and we placed second in our group with three games won. Now we have to continue working towards more wins in the second round for an opportunity to be in the semifinals.

What has been your most exciting moment so far?
Batista: I think that every moment has been special. Having started this process with my teammates four years ago and going through what we’re going through now is incredible. Just the fact that we’ve made it to the second round is something that I’m really enjoying.

How do you think Uruguay will do in this second round?
Batista: If we continue playing with the same energy, mindset and dedication, I think we’ll have good results. We still have some difficult games ahead, especially against the U.S.

Do you feel a special motivation when you play against the U.S.?
Batista: No. I think that when your rival comes onto the court, whoever it is, your motivation just comes naturally. It’s obviously special to play against players with so much talent, but when you are representing your country, you forget about the “star” title that’s used to refer to the U.S. players.