Kori Ellis
12-06-2004, 07:48 AM
Carrying the torch for Argentina
By Mike McGraw Daily Herald Sports Writer
Posted Monday, December 06, 2004
http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/sports_story.asp?intID=3832767
When Argentina upset the United States 89-81 in an Olympic semifinal on Aug. 27, the top two scorers for the winning side were Manu Ginobili (29 points) and Andres Nocioni (13).
They've earned a gold medal together. Now Ginobili and Nocioni will square off in the NBA for the first time when the Bulls host the San Antonio Spurs tonight at the United Center.
San Antonio (15-3) is tied with Seattle for the league's best record. Ginobili, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard, averages 15.2 points, second on the team behind Tim Duncan (22.9 points, 12.8 rebounds).
The Bulls' Nocioni said he and Ginobili aren't best friends or anything, but he does appreciate seeing his Olympic teammate across the court.
"It's special because it's not normal in the NBA," Nocioni said. "There aren't a lot of Argentinean players. It's very special for me. It's special too for Argentina basketball."
Argentina as a basketball power is a relatively new phenomenon. No Argentinean reached the NBA until 2000, when former Temple point guard Pepe Sanchez played for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Sanchez and Ginobili both were in the league during the 2002-03 season. Beyond that, the only other time two Argentineans met on an NBA court was Friday, when the Spurs hosted the Detroit Pistons and Argentine rookie Carlos Delfino.
"Now, it's going to start happening pretty often," Ginobili was quoted as saying in the San Antonio Express-News. "It's not going to be so special anymore."
According to two Argentine journalists - Nelson da Silva of Chicago's La Raza and Hernan Sartori from el Clarin in Buenos Aires - the growth of basketball was similar to what happened all over the world.
People there began paying attention to the NBA during Michael Jordan's rise in the late 1980s. A national league was formed, and through good fortune Argentina developed a group of talented players. Most of them were together on the national team for seven or eight years before winning in Athens.
"It's like a golden generation," Sartori said.
Nocioni thinks basketball's popularity is still not very strong in Argentina, especially when compared to soccer. He wondered whether he would have played the sport at all if his father hadn't taught him the game.
"I could have done volleyball, swimming. I never played soccer," he said. "There are a lot of Argentine players that are very good. But I don't know why, because I think in Argentina, basketball is not important."
After starting the season well, Nocioni experienced a mild slump. But he seemed to snap out of it in the Bulls' 95-88 loss at Washington on Saturday. The 6-foot-7 forward produced 16 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks while hitting 6 of 10 shots from the field.
The 25-year-old is new to the NBA, but he has plenty of professional experience from four seasons in the Spanish League.
"We all want to make an assumption that he's not a rookie. I do it, too," Bulls coach Scott Skiles said. "But he is a rookie. Every night, he's playing against guys that he hasn't played against before. It's just a huge adjustment. So I'm sure he's going to be up and down some. Obviously, when he's playing like that, he's very good."
Skiles said he also thinks it was a relief for Nocioni to go home to Argentina recently and see his newborn son Laureano for the first time.
By Mike McGraw Daily Herald Sports Writer
Posted Monday, December 06, 2004
http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/sports_story.asp?intID=3832767
When Argentina upset the United States 89-81 in an Olympic semifinal on Aug. 27, the top two scorers for the winning side were Manu Ginobili (29 points) and Andres Nocioni (13).
They've earned a gold medal together. Now Ginobili and Nocioni will square off in the NBA for the first time when the Bulls host the San Antonio Spurs tonight at the United Center.
San Antonio (15-3) is tied with Seattle for the league's best record. Ginobili, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard, averages 15.2 points, second on the team behind Tim Duncan (22.9 points, 12.8 rebounds).
The Bulls' Nocioni said he and Ginobili aren't best friends or anything, but he does appreciate seeing his Olympic teammate across the court.
"It's special because it's not normal in the NBA," Nocioni said. "There aren't a lot of Argentinean players. It's very special for me. It's special too for Argentina basketball."
Argentina as a basketball power is a relatively new phenomenon. No Argentinean reached the NBA until 2000, when former Temple point guard Pepe Sanchez played for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Sanchez and Ginobili both were in the league during the 2002-03 season. Beyond that, the only other time two Argentineans met on an NBA court was Friday, when the Spurs hosted the Detroit Pistons and Argentine rookie Carlos Delfino.
"Now, it's going to start happening pretty often," Ginobili was quoted as saying in the San Antonio Express-News. "It's not going to be so special anymore."
According to two Argentine journalists - Nelson da Silva of Chicago's La Raza and Hernan Sartori from el Clarin in Buenos Aires - the growth of basketball was similar to what happened all over the world.
People there began paying attention to the NBA during Michael Jordan's rise in the late 1980s. A national league was formed, and through good fortune Argentina developed a group of talented players. Most of them were together on the national team for seven or eight years before winning in Athens.
"It's like a golden generation," Sartori said.
Nocioni thinks basketball's popularity is still not very strong in Argentina, especially when compared to soccer. He wondered whether he would have played the sport at all if his father hadn't taught him the game.
"I could have done volleyball, swimming. I never played soccer," he said. "There are a lot of Argentine players that are very good. But I don't know why, because I think in Argentina, basketball is not important."
After starting the season well, Nocioni experienced a mild slump. But he seemed to snap out of it in the Bulls' 95-88 loss at Washington on Saturday. The 6-foot-7 forward produced 16 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks while hitting 6 of 10 shots from the field.
The 25-year-old is new to the NBA, but he has plenty of professional experience from four seasons in the Spanish League.
"We all want to make an assumption that he's not a rookie. I do it, too," Bulls coach Scott Skiles said. "But he is a rookie. Every night, he's playing against guys that he hasn't played against before. It's just a huge adjustment. So I'm sure he's going to be up and down some. Obviously, when he's playing like that, he's very good."
Skiles said he also thinks it was a relief for Nocioni to go home to Argentina recently and see his newborn son Laureano for the first time.