ARG - Ginobili: I've never been on a team like this

SALTA (FIBA Americas Championship) - Manu Ginobili has played on plenty of successful teams at both club and international level, but claims he has never been part of a group more focused than the Argentina team as they prepare for the FIBA Americas Championship on home soil.

The San Antonio Spurs star, who has an Olympic gold, FIBA Americas gold, FIBA World Championship silver, three NBA titles, and a Euroleague crown amongst his considerable decorations has hailed the camaraderie in the Argentina squad as they prepare for the tournament in Mar del Plata.

"I have never been part of a team like this where everyone is fighting for the same goal with so much team-work," he said.

"We are all proud to be a part of it, it is a great honor, a great pleasure to represent the country and unite together.

"There are players who are stars from their club teams who come here and leave their ego aside. That's what I admire.

"To play with players of this quality makes eveything easier."

Speaking at a press conference in Salta ahead of the latest stage of their preparations, coach Julio Lamas declared himself delighted with the progress they have made so far.
"The pace is dizzying, so much has been achieved in a five days," he said. "It seems like it has been twenty.

"The difference to club basketball is that everything is done so quickly, in 40 days rather than 10 months.

"We have players who know each other well and that is a huge benefit. The first objective is to play well as a team and for that we must keep working."

There has, however, been bad news for Argentina this week, with confirmation on Wednesday that Leo Gutierrez will miss the tournament.

The player complained of dizziness after a training session and tests have found he is suffering from tachycardia, a problem relating to his heart beat.

He has now been ruled out for a month at least and will not be able to play at the tournament.

"The important thing is that the scare is over and that we now have a definitive answer as to what the situation is," said team doctor Diego Grippo.

"It is a low point because the team has lost a huge player, but the important thing is for him to recover."

Fabricio Oberto, who initially called time on his career last year over a similar problem before making his comeback for this tournament, said he had spoken to Gutierrez.

"I told him he must be patient, and listen to the doctors and follow them to the letter," he said. "You have to see the positive and say it is better to discover something like this early."

FIBA