Basketball World Cup: Argentina strengthens the defense and dominates Poland – 09/08/2019

The Argentine basketball team faces Poland in a match of the last date of Group I that serves to determine their position of access to China Basketball World Cup quarter-finals 2019, instance to which both teams are already classified. After a first half in which he showed a great level, especially in defense, Argentina was up by 42 to 27 and showed its superiority, in the closing of a group for which Russia earlier beat Venezuela 69- 60 and took the third place.

The national team left determined to establish differences before a less experienced rival. With a very active and precise Facundo Campazzo in the passes (he gave 4 assists in that initial quarter), he got an advantage that, although Poland managed to shrink at times it remained in favor of Argentina throughout the period.

The defense worked very well and barely allowed 14 points for the Poles. And in attack, Marcos Delía stood out especially, who, beyond his four rebounds and a cover, closed the period with 10 points. At that start, Argentina had achieved the goal of showing the teeth of a rival who arrived at a good level but in the papers is a step down.

Far from loosening, the Argentine defense became even more closed in the second quarter. Although not so fine on offense, Argentina came to make a maximum difference of 17 points in 37-20 when there were just under 3 minutes left until the end of the period.

Campazzo rested a little and the driving then fell to Laprovittola, while Scola contributed his wisdom but without the team becoming dependent on him: all contributed their own to maniatar a Poland that could not find the return to the game.

In case there was something missing to reinforce the Argentine dominance, Gabriel Deck, who became a new problem for the Poles, jumped to the court. The seven points of the Real Madrid player underpinned the difference, which closed at 42-27 after the first half.

The resumption found something cold to Argentina, which allowed Poland to shorten distances with a couple of hits. But a gust reached him to re-establish differences and get back 15 points.

Argentines and Poles arrived at the crossing undefeated and with a full four victorys, after having awarded their respective zones in the first round and obtained their ticket to quarters with wins over Venezuela and Russia, respectively.

What remains then is to define which team will advance to the final phase as winner and second of Group I and then know if they will play in quarters with Spain or Serbia (last runner-up), who are in the same condition and will play from 9.30 for the last Date of Group J based in Wuhan City.

If Argentina beats Poland, it will play for a place in the semifinals next Tuesday at 8 in the city of Dongguan with the loser of the match between Spaniards and Balkans; otherwise, in case of defeat, it will be presented that same day at 10 with the winner of the European crossing at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center.

Sergio Hernández's team showed a convincing performance during the competition and advanced to the final round without constraints after beating South Korea (95-69), Nigeria (94-81), Russia (69-61) and Venezuela ( 87-67).

With the leadership of veteran Luis Scola (39 years old) and the leadership of the Cordovan base Facundo Campazzo, the Argentine team is excited about another great performance in a World Championship, 17 years after the runner-up in Indianapolis that meant the irruption of the remembered Generation Golden

Since then, Argentina, the first organizer and champion of the World Cup in 1950, was ranked fourth in Japan 2006, fifth in Turkey 2010 and eleventh in Spain 2014.

Poland, ranked 25th in the FIBA ​​ranking, in which the selected "albiceleste" ranks fifth, has accumulated victories against Venezuela (80-69), China (79-76), Ivory Coast (80-63) and Russia (79-74).

In China it fulfills its second World Cup participation, 52 years after the previous one in Uruguay, where it finished in fifth place.

"I think we have not played our best basketball yet. We will face better teams every time and we will have to raise the bar. But let us take us to where this dream takes us," invited the American Mike Taylor, coach of the Polish team, in an interview with the agency EFE.

On his rival this Sunday he got rid of praise: "I really liked watching Argentina play. I think they are a very gifted team, well trained. I love how the bases play, Campazzo and Laprovittola. I like Garino, Scola is a Legend, Deck is undervalued, with his activity, his intelligence and his skill, "he said.

Argentina faces a second objective in this World Cup: to catch one of the two places for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, for which it must remain one of the two best classified among teams of the American continent.

The defeat of Brazil against the Czech Republic by Group K, which seriously jeopardized its move to the final round, left the national team very well profiled to achieve that goal.

However, the base Nicolás Laprovittola clarified: "It is not yet insured, so until it is not official we cannot celebrate it. Anyway, nobody is going to relax here. We are very concentrated playing this tournament and nothing will make us lose focus to get the best possible result. "

"We have maintained a very good line during this World Cup, without ups and downs. The team is playing very well, feels dominant in the matches and has shown that it is up to this tournament," he concluded in statements to the Argentine press after the last training before facing the Poles.

(Source: Télam)