Argentina vs Brazil Recap
Just a few hours ago two of South America’s biggest basketball powerhouses, Argentina and Brazil faced off for one of the most anticipated matches of the 2010 FIBA World Championship. It was a round 16 game not likely to be forgotten by anybody who saw it. It was close, it was intense, it was exciting, and now that it’s over Argentina is left to celebrate while Brazil mourns another difficult loss on the world stage.
Brazil and Argentina have been great basketball rivals for years. Interestingly enough, Brazil was being coached by Argentinian Ruben Magnano. Magnano is among those responsible for Argentina’s win in the gold medal game of the 2004 Olympics.
The first quarter wrapped up with both teams having a dead-even, 25-point score, and it was the shooting game that was showcased most prominently. An honourable mention must go out to Argentina’s Carlos Delfino who looked like a young Larry Bird at the three-point line. He scored three of three adding a considerable nine points to Argentina’s score. Combined with Luis Scola, the duo had 18 of the team’s 25 points between them.
Meanwhile, in Brazil’s camp, it was Marcelo Huertas and Leandrinho Barbosa that put on the show. Their combined score in the first quarter was 20; this is due to Argentina’s great defence at the post. The ball never made it there; this forced Brazil to show what they could do with just a little bit of space, and show Argentina they did.
The second quarter was owned by the Argentinian team but right before the half, Marcelo Huertas came alive and went on an 8-0 streak. By half-time the two teams were still in an almost dead heat. But Huertas’ game had given Brazil the advantage. The half-time score was Brazil 48 and Argentina 46. Both teams gave an impression of mute respect for their rivals and the stadium was loud, excited, and energetic. The tension was mounting.
Brazil was well aware of what was at stake in the beginning of the third quarter. They took a seven-point lead early on and really took control of the paint and post positions. Clearly a half-time change in strategy on behalf of the ex-Argentinian coach had something to do with it, but in true Hollywood fashion, Argentina came back.
It was none other than the tandem of Scola and Delfino, the Butch Cassidy and Sundance kids of this game, that brought Argentina back from the brink and tied the game up at 66 all.
Leandro Barbosa of Brazil wasn’t going to take Argentina’s advances sitting down; in the fourth, he sprung to life. Off the bench he scored two straight three-point shots. It was the little-known Hernan Jasen who answered that for Argentina.
In the first few games of the FIBA World Championship his presence went almost entirely unnoticed, but in this game he scored an impressive 15-point total and his quick hands in the fourth quarter brought about a 72-all tie.
The rest of the game saw both teams holding on to every inch and battling it out for every point. Then came a shocker: Luis Scola scoring six points in a row. With 1.9 seconds left, Marcelo Huertas tried to take Brazil home with a potentially game-winning, desperate 3-point shot, which he missed. It was all Luis Scola needed, he got the ball with 1.2 seconds left, was instantly fouled and scored both shots for Argentina.
Now Argentina will face Lithuania in the quarter-finals on Thursday, and if you ask me, the smart money is on Argentina’s blue boys.
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