Argentina announced preliminary World Basketball Championship squad
The Argentina Basketball Association has recently announced their preliminary roster for the upcoming World Basketball Championship in Turkey.
San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili was not included in the 16-man lineup that was selected by their Head Coach Sergio Hernandez. The 32-year old guard was very instrumental for Argentina’s conquest of the 2004 Olympics in Greece where they won the Gold Medal. He decided to skip this year’s championship because he’s concerned with his health and he wants to spend more time with his wife and the newborn twins.
Ginobili said that skipping the World Basketball Championship was a very hard decision for him since he has been with the team for years now and he has been the leader of that team. But Ginobili reiterated that he is quite sure that it is the best decision for now.
Coach Sergio Hernandez and the rest of the Argentina National Basketball squad will certainly miss the scoring prowess of Ginobili and the intangibles that he can bring inside and outside the court. Ginobili was named as the Most Valuable Player in the 2004 Olympics after averaging team-highs 19.3 points and 3.3 assists per game.
With his absence, Coach Hernandez will rely on his veteran players like Luis Scola, Fabrico Oberto, Carlos Delfino, Andres Nocioni, and Pablo Prigioni. All of them have been a member of Argentina’s National team in the big tournaments that they have participated in like the World Championships, Olympics, and FIBA Americas Qualifiers. Scola, Oberto, Delfino, and Nocioni have also played in the National Basketball Association.
Luis Scola played for the Houston Rockets these past three seasons. On his rookie year, he posted 10.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game and in his second season with the Rockets, he averages 12.7 points and 8.8 rebounds a game. This past season, Scola’s role with the team became more important because he has to fill in the shoes vacated by Yao Ming, who sat out the rest of the season because of a foot injury. Scola proved that he’s up to the task as he finished the season with an impressive 16.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.
Carlos Delfino also played a big role in the winning run of the Milwaukee Bucks this season. During the regular season, he averaged his career-best in points and rebounds at 11 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. The Bucks qualified in the Playoffs but they suffered a heart-breaking first round exit when the Atlanta Hawks defeated them in seven Games. Nocioni averaged 8.5 points per game for the Sacramento Kings while Oberto played limited minutes for the Washington Wizard.
Even without their main scoring threat, Argentina is still capable of making a big impact in the upcoming World Basketball Championships. They have players who are expected to improve because of their NBA experiences. They also have a veteran point guard in Pablo Prigioni who can dictate their offense well. Their experience in the past International Tournament will also be a big plus for them. They have also been together for several years now unlike other teams, which constantly changes the core of their team every tournament.
Argentina was drawn in Group A and they will compete in the Preliminary Rounds with Australia, Germany, Serbia, Jordan, and Angola. In terms of talent, Argentina is more superior to the other teams in the Group. The biggest threat to them will be Serbia and Germany, if Dirk Nowitski decides to play in the Championship. They will have easy time dealing with the Andrew Bogut-less Australia, Jordan, and Angola.
In the Round of 16 onwards, Argentina can pull off big wins that can eventually bring them to the Medal Round. Even without NBA Star Manu Ginobili, Argentina will still be a team to watch in the upcoming World Championships.
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