Argentina coach Sergio Hernandez has named a 16-man preliminary squad for the FIBA World Championship in Turkey. The South Americans, who hold the number one spot in the FIBA World Rankings, will play in Preliminary Round Group A against Serbia, Australia, Germany, Angola and Jordan and Hernandez will have the majority of players that captured a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics at his disposal.
Carlos Delfino, U1st's player, missed last year’s FIBA Americas Championship when Argentina rebounded from a difficult start to finish third but he’s back in the national squad and fresh off his best NBA season in which he started and played a vital role in the Milwaukee Bucks’ run to the Eastern Conference play-offs.
With Manu Ginobili not playing this summer, Delfino and fellow Quinteros and another Olympian, Penarol’s Leo Gutierrez, will be counted on to provide a perimeter threat as they did at crucial times at the Beijing Games.
Argentina’s best known players, Luis Scola of Houston, Fabricio Oberto of Washington and Andres Nocioni of Sacramento, are all included. Hernandez’s players will begin their preparation on July 26 in the city of Salta and will compete in a tournament with Brazil, Puerto Rico and Uruguay on August 2 and 3.
On August 4, the Argentinians will go to Buenos Aires to face Brazil and nine days later, the team will travel to Spain and face the Brazilians and Spaniards in a tournament in Logrono. On August 21 and 23, Argentina will move on to Ankara, Turkey, to Ankara to play against Turkey, Lebanon and Canada in their final warm-up games before travelling to Kayseri for the Preliminary Round.
Argentina preliminary squad: Pablo Prigioni (Real Madrid), Juan Manuel Fernandez (Temple), Juan Pablo Figueroa (Atenas de Cordoba), Juan Pablo Cantero (Atenas de Cordoba), Paolo Quinteros (CAI Zaragoza), Carlos Delfino (Milwaukee Bucks), Andres Nocioni (Sacramento Kings), Matias Sandes (Ayuda en Accion Fuenlabrada), Hernan Jasen (Asefa Estudiantes), Federico Kammerichs (Regatas Corrientes), Marcos Mata (Penarol de Mar del Plata), Luis Scola (Houston Rockets), Leonardo Gutierrez (Penarol), Fabricio Oberto (Washington Wizards), Roman Gonzalez (Quimsa), Juan Pedro Gutierrez (CB Granada).