The warm up friendlies before the basketball World Championships in Japan are about to get to an end for Argentina.
Our trip to Singapore gave us a scare when we lost 83-64 against Serbia & Montenegro (one of our rivals in the group stage). The Europeans are competing with only one of their NBA players (Darko MILICIC) and I was surprised to see them winning so easily over HERNANDEZ's men.
Blame it on the jet-lag. Blame it on being a little bit out of form in a process in which the enphasis is on the physical tune-up. The truth is that losing so badly against the Serbs, after being clearly defeated by Spain a few days earlier, was not a good sign.
But this Saturday, Argentina pulled their act together defeating Slovenia 94-72.
Luis SCOLA (21) and Andrés NOCIONI (17) were our top scorer and tomorrow we'll have a chance to redeem ourselves in another match against Spain, a team who defeated Serbia with a score of 80-65.
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14 comments:
Dear Seba,
I watched both games. Clearly, Argentina was the crowd favourites in both games. Ginobili and Delfino were also fan favourites.
Against Serbia, Argentina started well in the first few minutes but after that was struggling for most part of the game.
In the second game against Slovenia, it cause quite a scare when Slovenia led 5-0 initially. As the game progresses, Argentina got a better grip of the proceedings and went on to win by a convincing margin.
In a few hours time, I will be watching Argentina vs Spain.
Thanks for your views. I've been unable to watch these games as it was incredible early and most importantly, no channel was showing them.
We've lost again to Spain and it seems they are the better team right now. In fact, they defeated us right before the Athens games and I think we were lucky not to face them in that Olympic tournament!
Now it's 3 defeats in a row against them and we are not getting any closer to GASOL and company.
It was 87-66 and I'm worried because in only 7 days we have to make our debut in the World Championships in Japan.
I'm confident too, but not over the top.
Dear Seba,
I watched the Slovenia Game and the Spain game. During the first half of the slovenia game it was pretty close but after the break, Argentina broke away. As for the Spain game, we were trailing them all the way. This is sure cause for concern. Do you think the coach was experimenting? or is this just s warm-up game, im afraid by the way Argentina played, especially against Spain we are behind them on most aspects.
Delfino who was excellent against Slovenia was out of sorts against Spain, but i must say that i saw a really amazing Block from Ginobli during the dying minutes of the Spain game, eventhough Argentina were trailing far behind, Manu was still giving it his all.
Cheers,
Alwin (Malaysia)
I heard Zanetti might be back to the national squad for the ARG-BRA game. Is it true? If it is, I will be really happy!
When is Basile going to announce the name of the national squad?
Ni hao Joey! ;)
I'm sorry everyone, I've been really busy lately and I'm not writing here as much as I want to.
BASILE is due to announce the team not after August 19th.
Rumour has it ZANETTI might return to the team.
MESSI and AGÜERO look certain.
And BASILE have called RIQUELME three times, leaving him messages on his answering machine.
Federico INSUA (now playing for Borussia Moenchengladbach), Fernando CAVENAGHI and Clemente RODRIGUEZ (both at Spartak Moscow) could also feature.
Will write about it as soon as I find the time.
Basile called Riquelme three times? Who does Riquleme think he is, Maradona?
I am sorry but I don't like him. I would much prefer to see Aimar play.
I won't say his performance in the world cup is bad. But...he didn't seem to be playing very hard. You think he is just playing a normal league game or something. He doesn't have any passion or enthusiasm. Always look so sad and unhappy as if everyone on the field owns him money.:)
He called him 3 times because he had his mobile phone turned off. Only because of that. Is not that they talked and RIQUELME refused to join the team or something like that.
RIQUELME didn't call BASILE back because COCO didn't give him a number in the messages he left.
Seba, where did you get all these details? It sounds like you are the one who actually made those phone calls, not Basile!
Still, I don't like Riquelme. I want to see players on the field playing with a passion and a smile, things I could never see from Riquelme. Why is he always so sad? Why doesn't he have any passion? Is he always like that?
Joey...why are you talking to me like that? I'm just writing what I've read in OLE (a sports newspaper in Argentina). They've got the information through contacts in both sides of the story (BASILE and RIQUELME).
Seba, I am just joking. Of course you read it from somewhere.
Is that a bad joke? I hope to make you laugh.
If I made you upset I am sorry.
No problem Joey. I think I took it the wrong way and I apologise if I made you feel bad with my reaction.
Xiexie
;)
Zannetti coming back .....I just cannot wait.....
Not sure though if any channel in India will show the game. I hve not seen any advertisemtn yet.
I hope Riquelme does well under Basile too. His unique style of play and vision deserve more success. But he needs to improve on his fitness, if not his looks.
While one would desire a player to have a cheerful disposition which does help in inspiring your teammates, not every footballer needs to be like that. But one has to be a fighter who imposes himself om the game when the going gets tough. Not someone who retreats to one forlorn corner like a spent force after 60 minutes.
This I find altogether more intriguing with Riquelme since he does not run much anyway. He should be the one stepping on the gas in the later stages of the game.
Guys,
Riquelme has a different approach to a game compared to many playmakers out there. The problem with a normal human behaviour is that people tend to praise a player alot when they win and score and then when the going gets tough, you guys just tend to forget the contribution done by him and turn their backs on him. Always stand behind your players, i know Riquelme is no Maradona, but in a different way Maradona is no Riquelme. Both are different and incomparible.
Joey,:- Apperance is not the only thing that matters.
I do not think that I wanted to be harsh on Riquelme. I really admire his game, his sheer audacity and courage in refusing to change his own game for the more physical modern game and his exploits with Boca Juniors and Villareal.
Even when he did not have the best possible world cup, he showed that he can turn games with moments of brilliance. [The Messi goal in 2nd round which was disallowed, the way he controlled the symphony against Serbia, his probing dead ball deliveries which never failed to create panic and very often also got goals and I felt he adapted admirably in a more withdrawn role once Aimar came in against Mexico ....what do you think Seba?]
But I just want him to be a better player so that he can bring out the best of himself. He should never change his style of play. At the same time, he should work towards having the ability to strut his magic for the entire 90 minutes.
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