ARG - Argentina stars hungry for glory

BAHIA BLANCA (FIBA Americas Championship) - Carlos Delfino and Luis Scola claim Argentina are confident of success at the FIBA Americas Championship - despite the absence of several key players.

The Argentina squad arrived in Bahia Blanca, south east of Buenos Aires, for a training camp on Tuesday morning ahead of the competition which takes place in Las Vegas from August 22 to September 2.

Olympic gold medal winners Manu Ginobili, Fabricio Oberto, Walter Hermann, Pepe Sanchez,
Andres Nocioni and Ruben Wolkowisky have opted not to take part.

But Toronto Raptors guard Delfino insists the team "will have more energy and hunger for glory than the one that won the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens".

Houston Rockets power forward Scola played down the effect the absences would have, vowing the team will secure one of the two automatic qualification berths for the 2008 Olympic basketball tournament in Beijing.

The 27-year-old said: "Too much importance is being given to a theme which does not deserve it.The ones that didn't come have the right to rest and we are here because we want to be here.

"Argentina will go to Las Vegas with a competitive squad and our possibilities of qualification are intact."

On August 1, Argentina will entertain Uruguay in a friendly game at the Osvaldo Casanova stadium, Bahia Blanca, and two days later they fly to Mar del Plata city to face Spain.

Jorge O Blanco
FIBA