Pekin -
Argentina, imperial against Serbia (97-87) and led by an impressive Facundo Campazzo, and Spain, showing their experience against Poland (90-78), became the first semifinalists of the World Basketball Championship in China on Tuesday, and will respectively face the winners of France-United States and Australia-Czech Republic.
With their triumph, Spain will qualify for Tokyo 2020 if either of the two remaining European teams loses on Wednesday.
- Ecuadorian referee Carlos Peralta, in the World Championship in China
In this 2019 China World Championship, the two highest-ranked European teams qualify for the Olympics, so Spain is one step away from achieving it.
Argentina has already achieved this goal after Brazil's elimination on Monday against the United States, the other American team with a direct ticket to Tokyo 2020.
Third quarter and Rubio, crucial
"It is a success to be in the semifinals, it is what we were looking for, to fight for the medals. We have done an incredible job throughout the tournament. We have to step up our defense and continue like this in attack," said Sergio Llull at the end of the match.
In Shanghai on Tuesday, the team led by Sergio Scariolo achieved the definitive gap in the third quarter. Ricky Rubio stood out again in both distribution and scoring, with 19 points and 9 assists.
The Hernangomez brothers also shined, with 14 points for Juancho and 18 for Willy, while Rudy Fernandez scored 16 points, going 5/5 on three-pointers, and Marc Gasol contributed 10 points and 7 assists.
Congratulations Ricky! - @rickyrubio9 became the player with the most assists in the history of @FIBAWC.'s
Spain entered the last quarter with a nine-point lead. Poland was sustained by the offensive production of American-born Anthony Slaughter, who scored 19 points, aided by Adam Waczynski with 15.
China 2019's revelation came to be within four points, but then Willy had his moment, with four consecutive baskets and a free throw to withstand Poland's final push.
Two three-pointers from Ricky Rubio finished off the Polish team. Spain, world champion in 2006 and out of the medal hunt in the next two editions, will travel to Beijing, where the final stages of the World Championship will be held.
Prior to that, Argentina impressed in Dongguan against Serbia, the team with almost all its members over two meters tall, which many even put ahead of the United States in the odds.
Campazzo, brilliant hero
It was a player close to 1.80 meters, Facundo Campazzo, who led the team directed by Sergio Hernandez.
"Before everything started, our main goal was the semifinals and we knew we could do it, we knew we could play like today," said the Real Madrid point guard, who scored 18 points and made 12 assists, carrying the weight of the game in both attack and defense, where he contributed three steals.
Olympic gold medalist in the inaugural edition of the World Championship held in Argentina in 1950, and silver medalist in Indianapolis-2002, Hernández's team will once again fight for a medal.
Luis Scola, the only survivor of the 'Golden Generation', which won silver in 2002 and the Olympic gold two years later, offered the prestigious Serbian centers a basketball clinic at 39 years old, with 20 points and 5 rebounds.
This continues! - pic.twitter.com/pQXgRCJl8O
Gabriel Deck, with 13 points, Patricio Garino with 15 and two crucial three-pointers, and Luca Vildoza with 11 points coming off the bench, also delivered strong performances to complete an excellent performance from the Argentine team.
"We had to have played better on defense and be more focused. The toughest games are in the quarterfinals and now we have no chance of winning a medal. We have to fight to finish 5th," said Serbian star Bogdan Bogdanovic, the leading scorer with 21 points.
From the beginning, the players led by Hernandez showed more intensity in the game, keeping the Serbian "beasts" away from the paint with help defense and showing more fluidity on offense. (D)