Scola Flexing Muscles for Argentina in Worlds

Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/

Manila, Philippines — Just when everybody thought that Argentina will be badly missing San Antonio Spurs star Manu Ginobili in Turkey, a familiar face emerges and silently makes a statement as the South American giants’ newest go-to guy.




Luis Scola, who plays for the Houston Rockets in the NBA, took charge on Tuesday, pumping in 37 points (22 coming in the second half) in 39 minutes of action, highlighted by a terrific 70 percent field goal shooting (14-of-20), in their 93-89 win against fellow basketball powerhouse Brazil.

The Argentines advance to the quarterfinals of the 2010 FIBA-World Basketball Championships against Lithuania this Friday (Manila time.)

Carlos Delfino, of the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA, and Hernan Jasen chipped in 20 and 15 points, respectively, for Argentina.

The 6-foot-9 Scola was particularly unstoppable in the fourth quarter, pouring in 10 points from a variety of shots in the final three minutes to crush the hopes of the Brazilian fans in the venue of their team making it to the next round. The captain of the Argentine national squad was a beast, finishing with nine rebounds, three assists, and two steals in another MVP-like performance.

“It was a great game. I wish we would have faced them later in the tournament,” said the 30-year old power forward in a post-game interview. “It was real close. Either team could have won. It came down to the little things.”

"I was blessed that I could make all the chances I took,'' Scola added, as quoted in Fanhouse.com by Chris Tomasson. ”This is the way basketball is. Sometimes it goes in. Sometimes it goes out.''

The game was what every basketball fan would have loved and wished to see, and perhaps the finest showdown of the tournament so far. Brazil shot 56.7 percent from the field, while Argentina wasn’t far behind with a 56.4 clip. Both teams also came up with decent percentages from the three-point area, with Argentina knocking 11-of-18 treys (61 percent) and Brazil making half of their 24 attempts (Toronto Raptors’ Leandro Barbosa shone brightly in this category, going 5-of-9 from beyond the arc for the Brazilians and finishing with 20 markers).

“We knew it would be a big battle and a very physical one. It was surprisingly high-scoring,” said Brazilian guard Marcelo Huertas, who led his team with 32 points on a stellar 62 percent field goal shooting (10-of-16). “Carlos Delfino and especially Luis Scola made tough shots with hands in their faces. They played the pick-and-roll very well. That was the key of how they were able to score.”

With Ginobili and Philadelphia 76ers forward Andres Nocioni begging off from suiting for Argentina, the squad went to Scola, who delivered the goods and was very efficient all throughout the tournament. The three-year NBA veteran is currently averaging 30.3 points and 8.3 rebounds in the six games that Argentina played so far in the premier basketball tourney.

“I know the team is going to look for me at the end of the game,” said Scola, who signed a $47-million, five year pact with the Rockets recently. “I guarantee you there are many games when I missed shots at the end of the game and I will have more. Today I was able to make them. That’s how basketball goes.”

"Luis is great,'' said Argentina center Farbricio Oberto, as quoted by Tomasson. "He has such stamina. He's so thirsty to play basketball. He makes everything look so easy.''

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