Argentina national team 2010

[rikhardur]

ARG – Nocioni: ‘Aim is to reach podium in Turkey’

BUENOS AIRES (2010 FIBA World Championship) - Argentina haven’t been the number one team in the FIBA World Rankings the past few years because of talent alone.

The national team’s players have shown unbridled passion and commitment to the cause, and the result has been finishes at or near the top in major tournaments for many years.

After capturing gold at the 2001 FIBA Americas Championship on home soil, the South Americans travelled to Indianapolis and reached the title game of the FIBA World Championship.

Following a runners-up finish the next year at the FIBA Americas Championship in San Juan, Manu Ginobili and Co went to the Olympics in Greece and won the gold medal.

After last year's bronze-medal triumph at the Beijing Games, an under-strength Argentina finished third again this summer at the FIBA Americas Championship in Puerto Rico and that qualified them for next year's FIBA World Championship in Turkey.

"Argentina's national team has pride, love for the jersey and passion for what it does," said one of the team's superstars, Andres Nocioni.

"This means that you need less to sacrifice of yourself for the team and you notice that a lot."

Nocioni has had a lot of injury-related problems in recent years but has been able to play for his country in the biggest of tournaments.

At the Olympics in China, he overcame a knee injury and played 36 minutes and made a solid contribution in the bronze-medal triumph over Lithuania.

Injuries forced him to watch the team play this year, though, and Argentina lost their first two games only to bounce back and beat Canada in the third-place game to earn a trip to Turkey.

"At the beginning, I was worried like everyone but I knew the team would be able to react," Nocioni said.

"In the moment of truth, (Luis) Scola, (Pablo) Prigioni and Leo Gutierrez took control and the team followed them.

"I was happy for that. I notice that there is a mentality for the past years, that is transmitted from team to team.

"The team showed a lot of seriousness and that is normal in the national team."

Argentina (865 points) only have a slender lead in the FIBA World Rankings over Team USA (861pts), with Spain (759pts) third and Greece (529) fourth.

Nocioni says the Argentina mindset heading into next year's tournament is to remain on top.

"The aim is to reach the podium," he said to Ole.

"That is what we must aspire to. We have the team and the experience to achieve that.

"The FIBA World Championship is very important to me. We will arrive with a complete team, with quality, to be able to compete and finish in the top places."

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews/p/newsid/34625/arti.html

[rikhardur]

ARG – Familiar foes await Scola and Argentina

HOUSTON (2010 FIBA World Championship) - Luis Scola is hard at work making sure the Houston Rockets make the Western Conference play-offs but the Argentinian power forward has one eye on the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

Argentina, the number one side in the FIBA World Rankings, were last month drawn in Group A against Serbia, Australia, Germany, Angola and Jordan for the Preliminary Round and Scola expects some very hard games although he believes it could have been more difficult.

"There's no doubt that the draw could have been much worse so overall, I am happy,” Scola said.

“Besides Jordan, of whom we don't have much information, the rest of our rivals we know them well.

"With Serbia we have a long history against them. It seemed as though their level had fallen but in the last EuroBasket they were at their best level. They are an historic team and we cannot underestimate them. It's going to be a difficult rival.”

Indeed, Serbia’s players formed the bulk of the former Yugoslavia squad that beat Scola and Argentina in the gold-medal game at the 2002 FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis.

Serbia coach Dusan Ivkovic took a very young squad to the EuroBasket in Poland last year and made a stunning run to the Final where they eventually fell to Spain.

Milos Teodosic was just one of the Serbian youngsters who excelled and he earned All-Tournament honors.

"Angola is a very physical team,” Scola said of the African champions.

“They lack height and a bit of talent but they have surprised more than one. We just have to make sure we are not one of them.

"Australia has a lot of talent, especially in interior play. We always have done well against them but each game is a different story.”

There are a lot of questions to be asked of Argentina, including which players are going to show up to play.

The NBA foursome of Carlos Delfino, Manu Ginobili, Fabricio Oberto and Andres Nocioni didn’t compete at the FIBA Americas Championship last year and Argentina struggled early on before getting hot and winning a bronze medal behind the excellent play of Scola.

No side will take Argentina lightly, and Scola and Co know they should respect all of their opponents.

"If you want to be in the world elite, you can never choose a rival,” he said.

“We have to adapt to those that we got. In any case, it's never good to choose a rival."

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews/p/newsid/38028/arti.html

[rikhardur]

ARG – Gutierrez indicates Turkey will be his last run with Argentina

BUENOS AIRES (2010 FIBA World Championship) - Leo Gutierrez isn’t the best known player in Argentina’s national squad but rest assured, he’s very important.

A 31-year-old forward on the books of Peñarol Mar del Plata, the side coached by Argentina boss Sergio Hernandez, Gutierrez is the club’s best known player.

He competed at the 2002 FIBA World Championship when his team captured silver and then two years later celebrated an Olympic gold medal in Athens.

Gutierrez expects this year’s FIBA World Championship in Turkey to be his last run with the national team.

“It takes a lot for me now to recover after those competitions,” he said.

“I prefer to give way when I am okay instead of being replaced by a younger player or retiring because of personal reasons.

"I think that the FIBA World Championship will be my last tournament with the Argentinian national team.”

Gutierrez played an instrumental role for his country last year at the FIBA Americas Championship with the likes of Andres Nocioni and Carlos Delfino not taking part.

The 6ft 8in sharpshooter averaged 8.6 points per game in Puerto Rico, helping his team capture the bronze medal.

When Gutierrez gets hot from outside, there aren’t many teams that can stop him.

He was five of seven against Canada in their first meeting last summer.

Gutierrez shot four of eight against Mexico, four of six against Puerto Rico and four of seven against Uruguay – all Argentina wins.

Puerto Rico then played Argentina in the Semi-Finals and won that game, but Hernandez’s team bounced back to win the bronze by beating Canada for a second time.

In Turkey, Argentina will face Serbia, Germany, Australia, Angola and Jordan in Group A.

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ARG – Hernandez: Coaching Argentina ‘Is the best experience of my life’

BUENOS AIRES (2010 FIBA World Championship) - There was a time last summer when Argentina’s prospects of competing at the FIBA World Championship in Turkey looked downright bleak.

It was a most unusual situation.

Runners-up at the 2002 FIBA World Championship, Olympic champions in 2004 and bronze-medalists at the 2008 Olympics, the South American giants were (and still are) number one in the FIBA World Rankings.

Yet after the opening two games at the FIBA Americas Championship in Puerto Rico – the qualifying event for Turkey - they were in trouble.

Argentina crashed to an 85-69 defeat to Venezuela and then fell to Brazil, 76-67.

After an 80-55 victory over Panama, the Argentines faced a crunch game against a star-laden Dominican Republic, a country that was among the favorites to reach the podium, and trailed 74-71 in the final minute.

Argentina’s Andres Pelussi caught a pass from Luis Scola and buried a three-pointer to knot the game with 43 seconds to go.

After both sides missed opportunities to take the lead in regulation, the Dominicans’ NBA stars began to take over in the extra period.

Charlie Villanueva scored down low and after Scola leveled the game at the free-throw line, the Dominicans went back in front again with Al Horford scoring five straight points.

Argentina battled back, however, with Pablo Pablo Prigioni connecting from behind the arc and Leo Gutierrez also hitting a three-pointer to put them in front to stay.

They won the game 89-87.

Scola, Argentina’s legend in the making, walked off the court with a game-high 30 points and eight rebounds.

The win did not earn Argentina a medal, but it is one that will be remembered in the country for a very long time.

"It meant a lot,” Argentina coach Sergio Hernandez says to FIBA.com.

“A victory like this was like an explosion in the team.

“It was a big test for us. If we can beat them, we can beat everybody.

“We saw the light for the first time.”

Hernandez’s team went on to reach the Semi-Finals to clinch a spot at the FIBA World Championship before signing off with an 88-73 victory over Canada to win the bronze medal.

Growing Into The Job

Hernandez has coached Argentina for several years, now.

He is a veteran of the international game, but in 2005 when he replaced Ruben Magnano at the helm, that wasn’t the case.

"I came to the team four or five months after the (Athens Olympics) gold medal,” he says.

“That's crazy because when a team usually changes coaches, it's usually because something bad happened.

"But in this situation, it was totally different because all of the players had a gold medal, but not me.

"Pablo Prigioni and I were the change.”

The position was vacant after Magnano decided to coach in Italy and could not coach both a club side in Europe and Argentina.

Alejandro Montecchia, one of Argentina’s Olympic heroes, also retired and that paved the way for point guard Prigioni to make it.

Hernandez inherited an awesome team.

There was Manu Ginobili, as well as prominent players like Fabricio Oberto, Andres Nocioni, Scola and Pepe Sanchez.

Hernandez, looking back on his first couple of years, admits he knew very little about the players in the international game and had to rely on his own for their insight.

"In the beginning, the guys in Argentina said, 'Why does the coach need to ask the players?' he says, smiling.

"But that's true. The coach doesn't play in Europe, or coach in the NBA. I was a coach in Argentina.”

Several summers later, however, and that’s no longer the case.

“But now, it's four years on,” he says. “I know all the players in the world so I don't need so much information. I've got my own information.”

The dream opportunity

Hernandez, who leads Argentina club side Penarol, still has to pinch himself in the summer when he looks at himself in the mirror wearing the Argentinian coaching shirt.

It’s an honor for him.

It’s also a challenge like no other.

"I feel like a young coach all the time, like a rookie, every day,” he says.

“That's my philosophy. When you think you have all the answers, someone changes the questions. So I want to learn all the time.”

There are great expectations when it comes to leading Argentina.

The team is always among the favorites to reach the podium, as will be the case this year when they go up against Serbia, Australia, Germany, Angola and Jordan in the Preliminary Round of the FIBA World Championship in Turkey.

"I know there is a lot of stress because we are in a great position right now,” Hernandez says.

“So everyone is ready to watch Argentina and expects to see a Dream Team.

"But I love the pressure. I love to live the two months with those players.

“I love to know other people, other countries, to learn.”

When it comes to Argentina, Hernandez says, there is nothing like it.

“It's the best experience in my life," he says.

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/inte/p/newsid/39048/arti.html

[rikhardur]

ARG – Argentina coach visits players in USA

HOUSTON (2010 FIBA World Championship) - Argentina coach Sergio Hernandez has traveled to the United States to meet with his players that are based in the NBA.

Hernandez isn’t expecting to receive confirmations, however, as to which players will represent the national team this year.

Manu Ginobili of San Antonio, Luis Scola of Houston, Carlos Delfino of Milwaukee, Andres Nocioni of Sacramento and Fabricio Oberto of Washington are all players Hernandez want to have in Turkey, where his team will face Serbia, Australia, Germany, Angola and Jordan in Group A.

“I am convinced they will not give me an answer on this trip," said Hernandez, who watched Oberto’s Wizards take on Scola’s Rockets on Tuesday.

He spoke to both players.

“If if was that easy, they would have already told me,” Hernandez said.

“From there, I will go to Charlotte to see Carlos Delfino, who we hope will play.”

Delfino on Saturday had to be stretchered off the floor in Milwaukee when his Bucks were taking on the Miami Heat.

Miami big man Udonis Haslem accidentally stepped on Delfino’s neck, but the Argentinian appears to be fine.

“Then I travel to Los Angeles to watch the Lakers against San Antonio, and meet Manu. And I will then go to Sacramento, where incidentally Manu will play again, but I will meet Chapu (Nocioni). Then I will return."

Hernandez is maintaining an even keel on this trip.

"I always act in the same manner, whether it's with the national team or with my club, or with everything else,” Hernandez said.

“The expectations are simply to have a chat with them, tell them we are planning the preparations, know their feelings, how they feel, how they see themselves and their possible participation in the team or not.

“At times when one has doubts , you talk about the aims and the dates that can help them answer those doubts.

“I don't expect them to say yes or no. I will speak to them and see them and spend time with them."

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews/p/newsid/39206/arti.html

[rikhardur]

Nocioni is in 100% sure.

[rikhardur]

Nocioni is in 100% sure.

Scola too.

[rikhardur]

ARG – Fab-ulous news for Argentina

BUENOS ARIES (2010 FIBA World Championship) – The number one team in the FIBA World Rankings, Argentina, is looking as if it is going to have another shot at a gold medal this summer because the country’s stars are lining up to play in Turkey.

The Argentinians, who captured gold at the 2004 Olympics and bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games, will compete in Group A with Serbia, Australia, Germany, Angola and Jordan.

Argentina Basketball Federation president German Vaccaro met Washington Wizards center Fabricio Oberto on a visit to the United States and said: "I saw Fabricio well. He told me he wants to play in the national team because it's good for him. He has a medical test in May, for the issue of his heart, but he thinks there will be no impediments.

"Once he knows those results, he will confirm his participation.”

Oberto had a procedure last June to correct an irregular heartbeat.

"The likelihood is that Fabricio will have a place in the national team, just like Luis (Scola) Chapu (Andres Nocioni), and Carlitos (Carlos Delfino), who have already made themselves available,” Vaccaro said.

“I reiterate that Fabricio's wish is to play in Turkey."

The other player that Argentina basketball fans are hoping will play in Turkey is the most famous basketball player ever to put on an Argentina jersey, Manu Ginobili.

The 32-year-old has recovered from injuries this season and returned to top form with the San Antonio Spurs.

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews/p/newsid/39355/arti.html

[mvblair]

It's good to see Oberto in, too. I think the guy everybody is forgetting about is Delfino, though. He can straight up play. He's extremely athletic and plays hard-nosed defense on the perimeter. I think he'll be a huge X-factor for the Celestiazules.

[rikhardur]

ARG – Manu announcement on Turkey next week

SAN ANTONIO (2010 FIBA World Championship) – Argentina basketball fans will be sitting on the edge of their seats for the next week as Manu Ginobili prepares to announce if he will represent his national team this summer at the FIBA World Championship.

The San Antonio Spurs star, bothered by injuries in recent years, is back to full fitness and ready to take center stage in the NBA’s Western Conference play-offs.

The 32-year-old and the Spurs recently reached agreement on a contract extension.

With Argentina’s other veterans having revealed their intention to play at the FIBA World Championship, Ginobili has yet to commit.

"Next week I will announce my decision, although I have not made my mind up yet," Ginobili said to La Nacion newspaper.

"There are minor things that I have to resolve considering that the most important variable (contract with San Antonio) is no longer an issue.

“What I can assure everyone is that I want to play at the 2012 Olympic Games and of course, I would like to play the Pre-Olympic (2011 FIBA Americas Championship) tournament.

“But let's just wait a little bit more for Turkey."

One other consideration for the superstar is that his wife is expecting twins in May.

Argentina will compete in the Preliminary Round against Serbia, Australia, Germany, Angola and Jordan in Group A.

Sergio Hernandez’s team won the bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics and at last year’s FIBA Americas Championship in Puerto Rico.

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews/p/newsid/39362/arti.html

[PRSURF]

Who will play in the "SUPER 4"?, I know that Puerto Rico, Argentina and Brazil will play, but who is the other NT?

[mvblair]

Who will play in the "SUPER 4"?, I know that Puerto Rico, Argentina and Brazil will play, but who is the other NT?

I have no idea. I haven't heard about it this year. My guess would be Canada, but maybe Australia, since they played in the Super 4 last year.

[rikhardur]

What a disappointment

ARG – Manu and twin sons will cheer on Argentina from San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO (2010 FIBA World Championship) - Manu Ginobili will be Argentina's "number one fan" when they compete at the FIBA World Championship after taking the difficult decision not to play at this summer’s 24-team basketball extravaganza.

The 32-year-old superstar will remain at his home in San Antonio with his wife and newborn twin sons when the tournament is played.

"After several days debating this issue and putting in the balance my family, head and heart, the time has come to take a decision regarding my participation in the World Championship," Ginobili said in his La Nacion newspaper column.

"I have come to the hard conclusion that right now, the best thing for me and my family is not to play in the World Championship in Turkey.

"It was not an easy decision to take because I like very much to play with my friends of many years...

"But on this occasion, there are many things that come into play and I had to analyze it.

"As everyone knows after several years of trying, my wife and I will be parents of twins in May.

"I would like to be present at every moment that will never repeat itself.

"The other reason behind my decision is that my body is not ready to play three straight years with the national team, without having a break, nor the physical preparation necessary."

The most valuable player of the 2004 Olympics when Argentina won the gold medal, Ginobili said that international hoops fans have not seen the last of him in the national team jersey.

"As I expressed before, my two experiences at the Olympic Games have been the best as a sportsmen, including NBA rings, tournaments in Europe and what I have experienced in 15 years of my career," Ginobili said.

"I have no doubt in my mind that I would like to experience that.

"That is why my aim is to play at the Pre-Olympic tournament in 2011 (FIBA Americas Championship) and try to earn qualification and then play my last tournament with the boys and with Argentina (in London)."

Argentina, who hold the number one spot in the FIBA World Rankings, will still be among the teams to beat under coach Sergio Hernandez.

There is a glittering array of talent in the squad with Luis Scola, Pablo Prigioni, Carlos Delfino, Andres Nocioni, Fabricio Oberto and Leo Gutierrez.

Argentina will take on Serbia, Australia, Germany, Angola and Jordan in Group A, with those Preliminary Round games in Kayseri.

"There's no doubt that it's going to be hard to watch the World Championship on TV," Ginobili said.

"I will want to eat the TV screen and I will miss competing like no-one else.

"I analyzed my situation, a difficult one but the right one.

"I hope that everyone understands it. I am not retiring from the national team, I'm just prioritizing London over Turkey and the possibility to experience the Olympic Games again."

Argentina must rally again

Argentina have proved they can win big games without Ginobili.

At the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship in Las Vegas, Hernandez's side that was without many of its top players won the silver medal to earn a trip to the Beijing Games.

The following year in China, Argentina lost Ginobili to injury in the first half of their Semi-Final against Team USA but hit back in the bronze-medal game and defeated Lithuania.

Last year in San Juan, Scola and Prigioni again led Argentina to the podium as they earned another trip to the FIBA World Championship.

"In any case, the heart, talent and temperament of the team is not under discussion, with or without me," Ginobili said.

"That was proved in Las Vegas in 2007 and in Puerto Rico in 2009.

"If you add Chapu (Nocioni), Fabri (Oberto) and a few more, as always, we will fight for the top places and reach the podium again.

"I will be watching from San Antonio as a number one fan, with (sons) Dante and Nicola with their little jerseys on helping from afar."

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews/p/newsid/39634/arti.html

[neo]

manu's exceptional abilities will be missed.

but argentina has enough veteran and new players to take that off-guard spot.

scola and nocioni will now have to take the lead.

[rikhardur]

26/04/2010
ARG – Life goes on for Hernandez and Manu-less Argentina

BUENOS AIRES (2010 FIBA World Championship) - Argentina coach Sergio Hernandez is a father of twins and fully understands Manu Ginobili's decision not to represent the country this summer in international competition.

Ginobili, whom Hernandez calls “the best FIBA world player”, is in arguably the best form of his playing career with the San Antonio Spurs but he decided last week not to play for Argentina at the FIBA World Championship since his wife is due to give birth to twin boys in May.

The 32-year-old star says he intends to play for Argentina the following two summers at the FIBA Americas Championship and, if they qualify, at the London Olympics.

"As coach of the national team, I understand, support and thank Manu that he does not definitely end his adventure with the national team, something which would make a few in the NBA happy," Hernandez said.

"Manu will still be available to be called up in future tournaments.

"As father, incidentally of twins, I understand that he is going to experience something that never happens again in life. It's complex, and I understand that he wants to be with his wife.

"Obviously, the team will be affected. But now that's it and there's no turning back.

"We have to think of a team without him, try not to talk of Ginobili's absence, but talk of the presence of other players and think of building a strong team to be at the height of our level, which is what we want.

"We all want to win but those who have experienced a World Championship and the Olympics know how difficult that is."

Argentina are number one in the FIBA World Rankings but will be in a very tough Preliminary Round.

They must face Serbia, Australia, Germany, Angola and Jordan in Group A.

Nevertheless, with Luis Scola, Andres Nocioni, Pablo Prigioni, Carlos Delfino, Fabricio Oberto, Leo Gutierrez and others, they will be a force in Turkey.

"It would have been difficult with Manu to reach the Semi-Finals and without him, it will be all the more challenging because I believe he is the best FIBA World player,” Hernandez said.

"But that's it. Now we have to focus on the ones we have, and there are many and good.

"Once the World Championship is over, then we will wait for the next event to see Manu back in action.

"For the time being, Manu is another fan."

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews/p/newsid/39657/arti.html