2006 FIBA Americas U18 Championship in San Antonio

[Kori Ellis]

I know Spurschick is going. LJ and I will likely go.
Is anyone else interested?



EVENT OFFICIAL TITLE: 2006 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Men
EVENT SITE: St. Mary’s University, Bill Greehey Arena, San Antonio, Texas
DATE: June 28-July 2, 2006

Click here for GAME SCHEDULE (http://www.usabasketball.com/men/2006/06_mu18_schedule.html)

TICKET INFORMATION: Tickets are now on sale for the 2006 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Men. June 28-30 and July 1 all-session, single day, general admission passes are just $5 each, and reserved seating passes are available for $10. All tickets for the July 2 finals will be $10. For tickets or information about corporate ticket packages, call 210-820-2100, or go online to http://www.SanAntonioSports.org.

QUALIFIED TEAMS: Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, United States and Uruguay.

EVENT DESCRIPTION: The FIBA Americas Men's U18 Championship will feature eight national teams from North, South and Central Americas and the Caribbean. The top four finishing teams qualify for the 2007 FIBA U19 Men's World Championship that will be held July 7-22 in Malaysia.

The eight FIBA Americas Men's U18 Championship teams will be divided into two preliminary rounds groups of four teams each. After playing each of the three other teams in its preliminary round group between June 28-30, the top two finishing teams from each preliminary round group will advance to play in the July 1 medal round semifinals, while the third and fourth place finishing teams in preliminary round play will meet in the consolation round semifinals on July 1. The gold medal, bronze medal, 5th/6th place and 7th/8th place games will be played on July 2.

EVENT HISTORY: Originally known as the FIBA Americas Junior World Championship Qualifier, the tournament has been held every four years since 1990. USA men's teams are 25-1 in the U18/ Junior World Championship Qualifiers and won gold in 1990, 1994 and 1998, while capturing bronze most recently in 2002. Hosts of prior U18 championships are: Isle de Margarita, Venezuela in 2002, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic in 1998, Santa Rosa, Argentina in 1994 and Montevideo, Uruguay in 1990.

[Kori Ellis]

Anyone going?

[angel_luv]

I would like to.

[TMTTRIO]

I'm thinking about it

[KEDA]

I leave for CC on the 30th but I might go on the 28th and 29th

[GrandeDavid]

I wish I could but I'll be in World Cup Kingdom until August. Speaking of which, I'm curious to see how the young Brazilian ballers are looking.

[Das Texan]

Its possible I could go on the weekend.

[spurschick]

For those who are going, there has been a change in the schedule.

http://www.sanantoniosports.org/fiba/news/06_06_26b.htm

[ro_50]

I would love to go but I'm stuck in Bham, Ala.


I have a couple of friends that are attending.

[Please_dont_ban_me]

I would like to, but I can't go until after 3 or 4'ish.

What are the times like for this, and what is availability of tickets like?

[Please_dont_ban_me]

Nevermind this link helped:

http://www.sanantoniosports.org/fiba/news/06_06_26b.htm


You think they'll have tickets available at the door? I will probably come with my cousin.

[CubanMustGo]

I'm sure they'll have tix at the door.

[WalterBenitez]

I'd like to go, but it'll be expensive, just keep us posted ... don't forget that it'll be played under FIBA's rule.

[Please_dont_ban_me]

I'd like to go, but it'll be expensive, just keep us posted ... don't forget that it'll be played under FIBA's rule.

I thought it was like $5 a pop? That's what the site said.

[Brutalis]

Uh, soccer?

[Please_dont_ban_me]

Uh, soccer?

Yeah, dawgy!




*edit - :elephant

[WalterBenitez]

I thought it was like $5 a pop? That's what the site said.

$5 :elephant

Just add some $$$ form a plane ticket from Argentina to Dallas, then to SA ... I will need a place to stay in and ... a good excuse to say to my girlfriend :oops , and ...some stock of beers :drunk

[Please_dont_ban_me]

$5 :elephant

Just add some $$$ form a plane ticket from Argentina to Dallas, then to SA ... I will need a place to stay in and ... a good excuse to say to my girlfriend :oops , and ...some stock of beers :drunk

Hm, the place to stay and beers I could help you with.

As for the plane ticket and gf you're on your own. :elephant

[WalterBenitez]

Hm, the place to stay and beers I could help you with.
As for the plane ticket and gf you're on your own. :elephant

Thanks for your offert

Do you know of any Airline accepting vbookies :smokin ??

[SsKSpurs21]

I go to stmarys and am taking summer classes there as well so i will most likely stop in and see whats up.

[WalterBenitez]

According to OLE.COM we have a short team and we'll go small in every game :king

http://www.ole.clarin.com/diario/2006/06/28/thumb/f041bh04.jpg

[spurschick]

I only watched the first game today because I wanted to get home for the draft. I will definitely see more games tomorrow.

Argentina vs. Bahamas

I would love to be able to give you a great analysis of both teams, but there really isn't much to report about Team Bahamas. Argentina basically owned them from start to finish in today's game. While Team Bahamas showed hustle, they went for the quick three way too often and didn't finish well at the basket. Their defense left a lot to be desired and they simply had no answer for Argentina. Beyond that, I have to say that they didn't give up and kept playing hard, even when Argentina completely pulled away from them in the 3rd quarter.

Now... on to Team Argentina.

I have seen the next Manu. I shit you not. There is a reason that Nicolás De Los Santos wears #5. He plays like Manu, he's fearless, he f@*ps like Manu... he even throws towels on the bench like Manu. :lol On the flip side, he is prone to turnovers while making lightening quick and flashy behind-the-back passes and has a tendency to be reckless (still sounding like someone we know). He is a right-handed shooter, but he clearly favors his left hand for dribbling. I don't know how much of his Manu-ness is natural and how much is pure emulation, but my bet is on the latter. Whatever it is, he shot 89% from the field. He is 18-years-old and only 6'2", so he is going to need to grow a bit more if he wants to have a shot in the NBA, but I'd say that the Argentine National Team is in good hands with him, as well as the rest of the youth I saw today.

Having given my praise for De Los Santos, Team Argentina, while leading the entire game, opened it up to a 30+ point lead, going on a run in the 3rd after De Los Santos left the game with his third foul. He had played the entire 1st half (the rest of the team was subbed) and started the 2nd half, but Bowleg took him out after he got two quick fouls and I think he may have hurt his hand a bit because they wrapped it in ice the minute he sat down. Enzo Ruiz, Diego Gerbaudo and Sebastián Uranga took over after that, going on a 3-point shooting rampage. Gonzalo Traverso also impressed me. He started off a bit slow, but he's got some weight on him and he was really able to finish strong against fouls under the basket. Argentina's big men, Orlietti and Aguerre, were very quick on the boards and Aguerre had a couple of nice dunks. Backup PG, Sahdi, is a bulldog. That guy is solid mass. Not as quick as Gerbaudo, but every bit as effective and a solid shooter - 100% from the field and FT line for 11 pts.

With 7 minutes left, the score was 83-50 and it was serious garbage time. Overall, a very impressive first game by Argentina, but I can't say that Team Bahamas was a formidable opponent for them. Bahamas plays Canada tomorrow, so I'm hoping to see more out of them. Argentina plays Puerto Rico - maybe they'll be more of a challenge.

More tomorrow :smokin

[ALVAREZ6]

I only watched the first game today because I wanted to get home for the draft. I will definitely see more games tomorrow.

Argentina vs. Bahamas

I would love to be able to give you a great analysis of both teams, but there really isn't much to report about Team Bahamas. Argentina basically owned them from start to finish in today's game. While Team Bahamas showed hustle, they went for the quick three way too often and didn't finish well at the basket. Their defense left a lot to be desired and they simply had no answer for Argentina. Beyond that, I have to say that they didn't give up and kept playing hard, even when Argentina completely pulled away from them in the 3rd quarter.

Now... on to Team Argentina.

I have seen the next Manu. I shit you not. There is a reason that Nicolás De Los Santos wears #5. He plays like Manu, he's fearless, he f@*ps like Manu... he even throws towels on the bench like Manu. :lol On the flip side, he is prone to turnovers while making lightening quick and flashy behind-the-back passes and has a tendency to be reckless (still sounding like someone we know). He is a right-handed shooter, but he clearly favors his left hand for dribbling. I don't know how much of his Manu-ness is natural and how much is pure emulation, but my bet is on the latter. Whatever it is, he shot 89% from the field. He is 18-years-old and only 6'2", so he is going to need to grow a bit more if he wants to have a shot in the NBA, but I'd say that the Argentine National Team is in good hands with him, as well as the rest of the youth I saw today.

Having given my praise for De Los Santos, Team Argentina, while leading the entire game, opened it up to a 30+ point lead, going on a run in the 3rd after De Los Santos left the game with his third foul. He had played the entire 1st half (the rest of the team was subbed) and started the 2nd half, but Bowleg took him out after he got two quick fouls and I think he may have hurt his hand a bit because they wrapped it in ice the minute he sat down. Enzo Ruiz, Diego Gerbaudo and Sebastián Uranga took over after that, going on a 3-point shooting rampage. Gonzalo Traverso also impressed me. He started off a bit slow, but he's got some weight on him and he was really able to finish strong against fouls under the basket. Argentina's big men, Orlietti and Aguerre, were very quick on the boards and Aguerre had a couple of nice dunks. Backup PG, Sahdi, is a bulldog. That guy is solid mass. Not as quick as Gerbaudo, but every bit as effective and a solid shooter - 100% from the field and FT line for 11 pts.

With 7 minutes left, the score was 83-50 and it was serious garbage time. Overall, a very impressive first game by Argentina, but I can't say that Team Bahamas was a formidable opponent for them. Bahamas plays Canada tomorrow, so I'm hoping to see more out of them. Argentina plays Puerto Rico - maybe they'll be more of a challenge.

More tomorrow :smokin
Thanks for the analysis, that's great info



Do you know if any of these games are televised?

[spurschick]

Thanks for the analysis, that's great info
Do you know if any of these games are televised?

I doubt it, but you can get more numbers here
http://www.fibaamericas.com/torneos_roster_us.asp?t=RSUOAGVSZJ&team=237&n=Argentina&c=ARG

[boutons_]

KSAT/12 late news thought NDLS was worth a mention and a couple of seconds film time.

People are noticing.

[spurschick]

KSAT/12 late news thought NDLS was worth a mention and a couple of seconds film time.
People are noticing.

It's very hard not to notice him. Within 2 minutes of the game starting, I saw the comparisons. It's seriously like watching an 18-year-old Manu. If this kid can reign some of the recklessness in over the next few years, he's going to be a star. Probably will anyway.

[spurschick]

Day 2

Bahamas vs. Canada

These two teams were evenly matched, although I can't believe that Canada beat Puerto Rico last night. Both Bahamas and Canada played sloppy the entire game and it was almost unwatchable. They seemed to be more concerned with fast breaks and throwing the ball up than actually following any kind of game plan. I honestly didn't see Bahamas running any kind of play! They would just run up the court as fast as they could and throw the ball at the basket. They throw mostly long passes up the court, which makes for a fast game, but nothing seemed to come of it. Canada wasn't much better, but they set up more plays while Bahamas basically flys by the seat of their pants.

All of that being said, Bahamas actually led for most of the game. The bright spots on their team are Darshtyn Baker, who played pretty good defense, and Devaughn Jackson. They both led the team in scoring and were the most consistent. In the end, Canada made a run in the 4th and won the game 77-70. They've got a 7-footer, Robert Sacré, who definitely has potential, and Kristopher Joseph, who really turned it on in crunch time and hit some big shots at the end.

One thing I have noticed these two days is Bahamas coach, Mario Bowleg. This guy is brutal. He spends the entire game yelling and screaming in anger at his team. Yes, I know that coaches yell and scream at players, but this guy doesn't offer any kind of encouragement and truly comes across as an asshole. I wouldn't want to play for him.


Puerto Rico vs. Argentina

This was definitely the best game of the tournament so far. These two teams match up well, but while Puerto Rico was relying on speed, ARG used their heads and it proved the right strategy.

It was a good turnout, a lot of Puerto Rico fans with flags. (I notice that they show Manu's Time Warner commercial on the big screen in the corner whenever Argentina plays.) PR came out with a lot of energy, going through some pre-game team rituals and such. The game started with Nico (ARG) making a quick basket in a play we've seen the Spurs run for Manu when they win the opening tip. There were some FIBA officials sitting behind me and we started talking about how much his game resembles Manu's and they said that they've talked to quite a few scouts that have noticed it too. They also said that the best pick in last night's draft was Rajon Rondo, calling him a "superstar".

I have to say that Argentina is the only team I've seen so far who professionally execute plays. Like the senior men, these kids look like they've been playing together forever. Puerto Rico definitely gave them a run for their money though. The game was close, even down to the last seconds. Puerto Rico's defense started causing ARG turnovers and they tried to keep the tempo up by constantly going for the fast break. ARG started to get caught up in the pace Puerto Rico was setting and started to get the better of them in the 3rd. They outweigh ARG by quite a bit and they were using that to muscle them under the basket. Things started to get really chippy and physical and both teams were getting away with some cheap shots. While Nico, once again, played fantastic, I pick Diego Gerbaudo (PG) as the stud of the game. He was able to calm his team down, showing a lot of poise and patience, bringing the tempo back to enable them to play their game. He also made a great steal in the final minutes which put them ahead by 1. Vega, Ruiz and Piñero were also a great supporting cast.

For Puerto Rico, I would keep an eye on Angel Garcia. He's 6'11" and very agile and athletic. He stepped up big time and provided a clutch 3 with two minutes left in the game. They're also a very good passing team. (I'm still trying to figure out how they lost to Canada.) Unfortunately for them, Puerto Rico choked at the free throw line at the end and it cost them the game. Both teams went to the charity stripe in the last two minutes and ARG one that battle, 79-77.

For tomorrow, I look for Puerto Rico to eat the Bahamas for lunch and Argentina will beat Canada and go 3-0. I'm really looking forward to see the U.S. play Brazil as well.

[Ariel]

Awesome. Thanks for the recap!!! :tu

[spurschick]

Day 3

Notables:
Bill Schoening, R.C. Buford and Chip Engelland

Bahamas vs. Puerto Rico
Close, but no cigar.

Well, I thought that Puerto Rico was going to run away with this one and I couldn't have been more wrong. After going toe-to-to with Argentina last night, I expected to see the same energy and execution from PR. They attempted the same fast-paced tempo, but Bahamas showed up in this game in a way I hadn't seen in their previous two. They led Puerto Rico for most of the game by as much as 12. They somehow managed to break up PR's offensive fast-break strategy with some good D and actually play better on offense.

Puerto Rico didn't show enough patience in the first half, rushing the ball up the floor and throwing long passes that led to TOs. They did recover in the end though, going on a run in the 4th quarter and taking the lead with 2 minutes left in the game. With both teams being 0-2 coming in to the game, they were both playing for pride. The score was 78-77 with 5 seconds left, Bahamas missed a layup and then intentionally fouled. PR actually missed both FTs, so Bahamas still had a chance. With 3.5 seconds, they fouled Bahamas again and PR went 1 of 2. Then, with 1.5 seconds left, Bahamas inbounded the ball and went for the prayer shot, but no go. PR won 79-77.

Of note:
• Puerto Rico had a lot of fans sitting behind them and you could tell they really fed off that
• Guillermo Andino (PR) reminds of Tayshaun Prince both physically and in shooting style
• I look for Angel Garcia (PR) to enter the draft in the next couple of years

Canada vs. Argentina
Patience wins out again.

Leandro Cecchi is a fucking stud. He went 9 of 11 from 3-pt land and finished with 29 points.

Argentina led 24-9 after the first quarter, but then the wheels came off the wagon in the second where they only scored 10 points and Canada picked up their D in a big way. (There was a sad moment with 4 minutes left in the half when Enzo Ruiz (ARG) went down with what looked like a severely sprained ankle. He was clearly upset, knowing that it was bad enough that he probably won't play the rest of the tournament. They will definitely miss him against Team USA.) Canada started killing them with fast-break points and FTs and led at the half, 39-34. They were playing more fluently and with a lot of confidence.

As the second half began, Argentina still couldn't find their shot and started passing too much and giving up open looks. The drought finally ended with a minute left in the 3rd when Cechhi made back-to-back 3's and brought them within 6. Once again, they showed poise and patience, let the game come to them in the end, and they came back strong to win 90-79.

Of note:
• I wish Diego Gerbaudo (ARG) could grow taller than 5'8". He is very smart, sees the court well and has potential to be a great PG. I just don't know if his size will allow him to get to the NBA, but I think he will do very well in Europe.
• De Los Santos went down hard on his hip in the first quarter and only ended up playing 19 minutes, but it was nice to see that the team is deep enough that they can win without him.
• Definitely more Argentina fans in attendance for this one. Quite a few kids, some wearing Manu jerseys, treating the team like mini-celebrities, which they ate up.
• Robert Sacré (Canada) is another guy I expect to see enter the draft. He is 6'11", very athletic and a good team leader.

USA vs. Brazil
Ownage.

I only stayed for the first half of this game because it was just ridiculous, 52-31 at halftime. Brazil started off strong, but USA eventually found their footing and started to basically embarrass them. The US needs a little work on D, but their size, strength and speed more than make up for it on offense. They obviously owned their group and I don't see things being much different on Saturday and Sunday.

Of note:
• Johnny Flynn (US) has a nice TP-style floater

I'm hoping that Argentina beats Brazil tomorrow just so we can see if they give the US any kind of challenge, because I don't see Canada getting by them and it would be nice to see the two best teams in the tournament go at it. That being said, I don't think that Argentina can get by the US. They both have team chemistry, speed and decent D, but the US has Argentina beat in size and strength, so it will be difficult to keep them off the glass and I don't see Argentina able to body up as well as they have against the other teams.

[angel_luv]

I saw Argentina play. I love that team! They are awesome. And their coaches are so spirited- just a great group.

I didn't see you there M.

I was there with Rasho8 and Roxy. We looked for you. :)
I was to the left of Bill Shoening facing the court in the second row.

[Solid D]

Awesome recaps spurschick!

Final Friday USA 90 Brazil 66

[spurschick]

I saw Argentina play. I love that team! They are awesome. And their coaches are so spirited- just a great group.

I didn't see you there M.

I was there with Rasho8 and Roxy. We looked for you. :)
I was to the left of Bill Shoening facing the court in the second row.

I saw you front and center. I even text messaged you, but I guess you didn't get it. I've been sitting higher up and hanging out with some of the FIBA and Sports Foundation people.

[angel_luv]

I haven't received any text messages, but my phone has been a royal pain so watch me get it today or something.

[spurschick]

Day 4

Notables:
Vinny Del Negro, Sam Presti, R.C. Buford, Chip Engelland

Bahamas vs. Uruguay
Better luck next time.

As expected the Bahamas went home 0-4, final score 79-60. They came close to winning a couple of games, but lack of overall chemistry and talent inevitably held them back. Their best player, Baker, shows enough talent and skill to really contribute to a college team, but the rest of the team really needs some work. Uruguay had most of their starters in double digits. They moved the ball well and no one person really stood out. They move on to face Puerto Rico tomorrow... good luck with that.

Brazil vs. Argentina
Welcome back to the Nicolas De Los Santos show.

Brazil came at Argentina hard with crazy energy and defense. They were constantly in Argentina's face, slapping at the ball and causing TOs. Their strategy was to immediately double and triple whoever had the ball, which would normally leave a man open, but they were so quick that it caused Argentina to be out of position and they threw the ball out of bounds quite often in the first half.

Once Argentina was able to calm down a bit and regain their composure, Nico turned into Mini-Manu and started pushing the ball up fast, weaving in and out of Brazil and either finding the open man or going in for the layup himself. While Brazil still attacked them defensively, Argentina figured out a way to spread the offense and get better looks and they had a nice 44-33 lead at the half, including a buzzerbeater from halfcourt by Gerbaudo.

Argentina pretty much owned the second half, a 22 point lead in the third, although they got a little sloppy, started racking up fouls, and let Brazil back to within 6 in the fourth. In what was one of the longest two minutes I can remember, it became a series of fouls and who could make their free throws that decided the game. To combat more of Brazil's desperation defense at the end, Argentina played a great game of keepaway and got the score back up to double digits.

In the "Pop would have kicked his ass" moment, the score was 87-73 in the final seconds, Argentina got the ball back, Nico brought it up and hoisted a shot from halfcourt. It went in, final score 90-73. (Kind of rare for the same team to have two buzzerbeaters in one game.)

Of note:
• Gerbaudo (ARG) got two quick fouls and had to go out, but I think that Sahdi was actually a better fit for this game and his size matched up better with Brazil.
• More Argentina fans with flags at the one and some fans threw the flags to the players as they celebrated the win.
• Brazil's defense was really quite good, but I think they wore themselves out trying to keep that pace
• Brazil's Marcel Campos (PG) is probably the most talented on their team. His defense reminded me a lot of Bowen's.

Argentina is riding high right now, but I'm sure they know what they're up against with Team USA, who was kicking Canada's ass when I left. USA has the height and size advantage, but we've heard that story before. I'm hoping for a good game. So far, nobody ever challenged the US team, but Argentina had a few nervous moments and was able to play through them. Even if Team USA whips their ass tomorrow, Argentina has a lot to be proud of. Manu can rest easy that they represented well in SA.

[angel_luv]

Argentina won... yes!

Ah man! I wish I had seen Vinny Del Negro.
I remember thinking he was so cool when I was a kid. My parents took me to a game in the Alamodome and Vinny hit all these threes.
I couldn't have been more than eleven but I was super impressed. :)

[angel_luv]

M -you are a pro at the recaps.:) Reading them makes me feel like I was there.

[spurschick]

M -you are a pro at the recaps.:) Reading them makes me feel like I was there.

Thanks, although I would say my writing is a bit sloppy. This entire tournament has been exciting and I feel very fortunate to have been able to go to most of it. The most boring games have been Team USA because they have pretty much rolled over everyone. That was exciting back in 1992 with the Dream Team, but it doesn't do much for me at this level.

I have really enjoyed seeing these international teams go at it. The rules are noticably different (No wonder Oberto gets in foul trouble so quickly
:lol ). If anyone here has the chance, you should definitely get out there tomorrow for the bronze and gold medal games. They should be a blast.

[Kori Ellis]

In the "Pop would have kicked his ass" moment, the score was 87-73 in the final seconds, Argentina got the ball back, Nico brought it up and hoisted a shot from halfcourt. It went in, final score 90-73. (Kind of rare for the same team to have two buzzerbeaters in one game.)

:lol

Thanks for the great reports.

We've haven't been able to come because we have a lot of work to do.

[spurschick]

:lol
Thanks for the great reports.We've haven't been able to come because we have a lot of work to do.

You guys should really try to come out tomorrow. Who knows the next time we'll have this kind of international competition here.

[Kori Ellis]

You guys should really try to come out tomorrow. Who knows the next time we'll have this kind of international competition here.

What time are the games?

[spurschick]

What time are the games?

The first game is at 1pm between Uruguary and Puerto Rico fighting for 5th and 6th place. That one could be brutal with blood and everything. :spin

The bronze medal game is at 3pm between Brazil and Canada. I swear that Brazil is doped up on crack and I don't know if Canada will be able to keep up with them.

The gold medal game is at 5pm between Argentina and USA. On paper, the US should make good work of them, but they don't play the game on paper, so I'm hoping for a great game.

It's $10 for the whole day.

[spurschick]

Below is Manu Jr.

http://www.spurschick.com/manujr.jpg

More photo galleries here:
http://www.sanantoniosports.org/fiba/tournament.htm

[Kori Ellis]

Cool.

Thanks for the info, I'll see what we can do.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

I'm in town and I'm about to get my ticket online.

I'll be there for at least the last two games.

[angel_luv]

I'm in town and I'm about to get my ticket online.

I'll be there for at least the last two games.


Don't get your ticket online if you haven't already. They charge you five extra bucks as a processing fee.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Don't get your ticket online if you haven't already. They charge you five extra bucks as a processing fee.

I noticed that...I said F-that and decided to just get them at the door.

"Shipping and handling, my ass!"

[furry_spurry]

Still no Pop in sight?? I thought he would be there, for sure.

[tempest186]

Robert Sacré who you mentioned previously from the Canada roster will be playing for Gonzaga next year.

[danyel]

awesome reports, thanks a lot

[gregpschneid]

Who won the final? What's wrong with you people...........

[danyel]

USA won 104-82

52-42 at half time

USA: Spencer Hawes 24 pts and 10 rbnds, Kyle Taylor 14 pts. 4/5 on 3s.

Argentina: Nicolás de Los Santos 23 pts, Diegos Gerbaudo 21 pts. 5 assists

http://www.fibaamericas.com/noticiasread.asp?r=TALSVVFFIT

[gregpschneid]

thankyou

[spurschick]

The Finals

Bronze medal game
Canada vs. Brazil

This game was a lot slower than I expected, but I think that the back-to-back games over the past few days finally caught up to both teams. (Canada had to fight very hard against the US last night and Brazil ran around with Argentina.) Brazil still showed smothering defense, but not at the level they had against Argentina. Canada stayed in the game with their big three (Cadougan, Ashaolu and Sacré), but they went completely cold in the end and Brazil won the bronze.

Gold medal game
Argentina vs. USA

As noted in the previous game, I think that the back-to-back, often close, games finally caught up with Argentina*. They tried to hang tough and did much better than expected, at least in the first half. You could see the size difference the moment both teams stepped onto the court and the US dominance on the boards was just too much for Argentina to get much done. De Los Santos and Gerbaudo led the team in scoring, but both did it very quietly and had to work very hard for those points.

*Since the Dominican Republic dropped out of the tournament, the US had a full day off and only played 4 games instead of 5.

The standouts for the US in tonight's game were Taylor King (14 pts in 14 minutes), Kyle Singler and Spencer Hawes. Singler's defensive presence in the paint proved extremely challenging for Argentina and Hawes is simply a beast on both ends of the floor. As I had expected, the US ended up running away with this one, but Argentina played a great tournament and can definitely hold their heads and silver medals high.

On a strange sidenote, I felt like I was back at a Spurs game when most of the huge crowd started to leave with 4 minutes left in the game. I give major kudos to the Argentine fans who showed up to the game with flags and a drum and cheered their asses off throughout, even when it was clear the game was over, and never left. And they were the ones you actually heard cheering during the game, while the predominantly US crowd was not nearly as vocal. Kind of reminded me of the Mavs fans at the AT&T Center who, in some ways, embarrassed the home crowd by actually cheering louder at times.

Overall, it was a great tournament and I feel very fortunate to have been able to attend. I wish that there was a network that showed more international basketball. Unfortunately, many of the talented players I saw will probably never make it to the NBA because of their size, but I think they will do well in Euroleague and I wish I could have the opportunity to see their progress.

And congrats to San Antonio for playing excellent hosts. From what I've heard, the FIBA officials and national participants loved the city and were very impressed.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

The Finals

Bronze medal game
Canada vs. Brazil

This game was a lot slower than I expected, but I think that the back-to-back games over the past few days finally caught up to both teams. (Canada had to fight very hard against the US last night and Brazil ran around with Argentina.) Brazil still showed smothering defense, but not at the level they had against Argentina. Canada stayed in the game with their big three (Cadougan, Ashaolu and Sacré), but they went completely cold in the end and Brazil won the bronze.

Gold medal game
Argentina vs. USA

As noted in the previous game, I think that the back-to-back, often close, games finally caught up with Argentina*. They tried to hang tough and did much better than expected, at least in the first half. You could see the size difference the moment both teams stepped onto the court and the US dominance on the boards was just too much for Argentina to get much done. De Los Santos and Gerbaudo led the team in scoring, but both did it very quietly and had to work very hard for those points.

*Since the Dominican Republic dropped out of the tournament, the US had a full day off and only played 4 games instead of 5.

The standouts for the US in tonight's game were Taylor King (14 pts in 14 minutes), Kyle Singler and Spencer Hawes. Singler's defensive presence in the paint proved extremely challenging for Argentina and Hawes is simply a beast on both ends of the floor. As I had expected, the US ended up running away with this one, but Argentina played a great tournament and can definitely hold their heads and silver medals high.

On a strange sidenote, I felt like I was back at a Spurs game when most of the huge crowd started to leave with 4 minutes left in the game. I give major kudos to the Argentine fans who showed up to the game with flags and a drum and cheered their asses off throughout, even when it was clear the game was over, and never left. And they were the ones you actually heard cheering during the game, while the predominantly US crowd was not nearly as vocal. Kind of reminded me of the Mavs fans at the AT&T Center who, in some ways, embarrassed the home crowd by actually cheering louder at times.

Overall, it was a great tournament and I feel very fortunate to have been able to attend. I wish that there was a network that showed more international basketball. Unfortunately, many of the talented players I saw will probably never make it to the NBA because of their size, but I think they will do well in Euroleague and I wish I could have the opportunity to see their progress.

And congrats to San Antonio for playing excellent hosts. From what I've heard, the FIBA officials and national participants loved the city and were very impressed.

I, Joe Ruiz, certify the events happened as Spurschick has reported.

:lol

[WalterBenitez]

Good recaps, congrats everybody over there ... especial mention to Spurschick :D (I miss your previous avatar).

USA got the gold, I read was a great team ... ARG second ... and someone discovered the Mini-Manu out there.

At least we reach the finals here, since in WC we are out.

[angel_luv]

What do you mean you are out in the W.C. ????

[spurschick]

What do you mean you are out in the W.C. ????

Argentina is out of the World Cup.