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Rubio, Lopez and Garba included for Spain – Sergio, Cabezas out
MADRID (Olympics) – New Spain coach Aito Garcia Reneses has dropped Sergio Rodriguez and Carlos Cabezas and included 17-year-old Ricky Rubio and veteran Raul Lopez in his squad for the Olympics.
Aito has also made a stunning decision to name Jorge Garbajosa, despite the world champion having hardly played this season with Toronto following a leg operation.
The other eight players from last year’s silver-medal winning squad under former boss Pepu Hernandez – Jose Manuel Calderon, Juan Carlos Navarro, Rudy Fernandez, Alex Mumbru, Carlos Jimenez, Pau Gasol, Felipe Reyes, Marc Gasol and Berni Rodriguez – are named.
Pamesa Valencia’s Victor Claver, Polaris World Murcia’s Juan Jose Triguero and Akasvayu Girona’s Victor Sada are on stand-by.
Aito, making his first comments to the media following his appointment at the weekend as Hernandez’s replacement, spoke about the exertions of Pau Gasol in the NBA Finals with the Los Angeles Lakers.
"I hope the players will arrive with the best physical and mental condition in order to do a great job in our preparation for the Olympics,” said Aito, who stepped down as DKV Joventut Badalona coach after the season.
"We will need to give Pau Gasol time to rest and get ready. We have other players who have contractual disputes that we need to resolve as soon as possible.
"This issue does worry me, as does the possible incorporation of Jorge Garbajosa.
"Garbajosa needs to find his physical condition for a player and we don't want to wait to the last minute to know whether he will or will not be able to play.
"Berni, like Victor Claver, will be available should they need to replace Garbajosa."
Not being selected is another setback for Rodriguez, who spent a disappointing year in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers.
After a promising rookie season, he received little playing time. Aito is confident that Rubio, his guard at DKV, and the return of Raul Lopez will be adequate back-ups to Calderon at the point.
"Ricky has had a lot of merit,” Aito said. “He is a unique case. He made his debut in the ACB at the age of 14 and has achieved a lot. It's pretty clear what his qualities are and he can help national team.
“The quality of Raul cannot be disputed. This year (at Real Madrid) has been positive for him. He is a player that can read the game very well, with a ver
MADRID (Olympics) – New Spain coach Aito Garcia Reneses has dropped Sergio Rodriguez and Carlos Cabezas and included 17-year-old Ricky Rubio and veteran Raul Lopez in his squad for the Olympics.
Aito has also made a stunning decision to name Jorge Garbajosa, despite the world champion having hardly played this season with Toronto following a leg operation.
The other eight players from last year’s silver-medal winning squad under former boss Pepu Hernandez – Jose Manuel Calderon, Juan Carlos Navarro, Rudy Fernandez, Alex Mumbru, Carlos Jimenez, Pau Gasol, Felipe Reyes, Marc Gasol and Berni Rodriguez – are named.
Pamesa Valencia’s Victor Claver, Polaris World Murcia’s Juan Jose Triguero and Akasvayu Girona’s Victor Sada are on stand-by.
Aito, making his first comments to the media following his appointment at the weekend as Hernandez’s replacement, spoke about the exertions of Pau Gasol in the NBA Finals with the Los Angeles Lakers.
"I hope the players will arrive with the best physical and mental condition in order to do a great job in our preparation for the Olympics,” said Aito, who stepped down as DKV Joventut Badalona coach after the season.
"We will need to give Pau Gasol time to rest and get ready. We have other players who have contractual disputes that we need to resolve as soon as possible.
"This issue does worry me, as does the possible incorporation of Jorge Garbajosa.
"Garbajosa needs to find his physical condition for a player and we don't want to wait to the last minute to know whether he will or will not be able to play.
"Berni, like Victor Claver, will be available should they need to replace Garbajosa."
Not being selected is another setback for Rodriguez, who spent a disappointing year in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers.
After a promising rookie season, he received little playing time. Aito is confident that Rubio, his guard at DKV, and the return of Raul Lopez will be adequate back-ups to Calderon at the point.
"Ricky has had a lot of merit,” Aito said. “He is a unique case. He made his debut in the ACB at the age of 14 and has achieved a lot. It's pretty clear what his qualities are and he can help national team.
“The quality of Raul cannot be disputed. This year (at Real Madrid) has been positive for him. He is a player that can read the game very well, with a ver
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