ARG – Exciting times for Lamas, Argentina
BUENOS AIRES (FIBA Americas Championships) - Julio Lamas is in the business end of his season with Obras Sanitarias in Argentina's Liga Nacional.
He's focused on winning the league title.
Obras qualified directly to the quarter-finals thanks to a strong regular season and will face the winner of the first-round series between La Union and Olimpico.
Lamas does turn his attention turn to the national team often, though.
He was appointed coach of Argentina for the second time several days before Christmas.
"I am in my best professional moment," he said.
"Obras is a project that I'm very much involved in and to coach the national team is the maximum that you can have from a sporting sense.
"I have the maximum enthusiasm for the national team but right now, my focus is on ending the season with Obras.
"Experience helps me not to get anxious, although the days that I'm planning the national team program or watching the NBA, my mind flies to Mar del Plata for a minute."
This summer
Mar del Plata, Argentina, is where the FIBA Americas Championship will be staged from August 30 to September 11.
The sides that reach the Final will earn trips to the London Olympics.
As the host nation, Argentina had a right to choose the timetable.
Hence, Lamas chose to play Paraguay on August 30 and then Uruguay on August 31 before resting and taking on Puerto Rico and Panama on the last two days of the first round.
"The idea was to have a day's break, September 1, which I felt was more convenient," Lamas said.
"I also wanted to have time to see Puerto Rico, who will be a key rival and who will play on the first three consecutive days, and the fourth day against us."
Mar del Plata is buzzing right now with the Olympic qualifying event to be held there.
Argentina Basketball Federation president German Vaccaro recently travelled to the United States to meet with the NBA players and consult them on their wants and needs.
Getting to the Olympics
Being able to host the FIBA Americas Championship is an opportunity that everyone in Argentina treasures, but there is also pressure.
Argentina’s national team players had their proudest moments reaching the Final of the 2002 FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis and winning the gold medal two years later at the Athens Games.
While the FIBA Americas Championship will be the last time the golden generation of players get a chance to play in front of their country’s fans, it also represents an opportunity to get back to the Olympics.
"We know what the venue is and that generates motivation and responsibility," Lamas said in an interview with Clarin.
"We will have to manage expectations but the players have experience and quality to deal with pressure.
"We cannot think we will win the games without playing them.
"We assume the role of candidates but we will have to be on alert until the last minute because there is no margin for error.
"There are only two spots available (for the Olympics).
“Puerto Rico and Brazil will fight against us while Venezuela, Canada, Uruguay and the Dominican Republic will also try to be among the four semi-finalists."
The sides that finish third, fourth and fifth will also be invited to the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Lamas confirmed in early March that Pablo Prigioni, Man Ginobili, Carlos Delfino, Andres Nocioni, Hernan Jasen, Luis Scola and Leo Gutierrez would be selected for this summer’s squad, barring injuries.
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