ARG - Nocioni looks ahead to Sevilla

VITORIA (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Andres Nocioni is a veteran campaigner of Argentina's basketball team, a member of the golden generation.

The 34-year-old is nearing the end of his national team career.

'Chapu' is going to have some incredible memories, most of them good, to look back on one day.

He helped Argentina claim the No. 1 spot in the FIBA Ranking Men.

Nocioni was there every step of the way as Argentina finished runners-up at the 2002 FIBA World Championship, captured gold at the 2004 Olympics, came in fourth at the 2006 FIBA World Championship and won bronze at the Beijing Games.

After pulling out of the 2010 FIBA World Championship with an injury, Nocioni helped Argentina win gold on home soil at the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship before playing big minutes at at the London Games where the South Americans came in fourth.

He'll be a leading figure in the Argentina squad that competes at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain, the country where he plays professionally for Laboral Kutxa.

Nocioni, Luis Scola and Pablo Prigioni have all confirmed their presence, and national team coach Julio Lamas is keeping his fingers crossed that Manu Ginobili and Carlos Delfino will be available as well.

Argentina will play in Group B against Greece, Puerto Rico, Croatia, the Philippines and Senegal.

The clashes will be in Sevilla.

"The first sensation is that it seems a group that we are able to fight in and to be well," Nocioni said.

"It is not what is known as a 'group of death'. We are able to do our job well and grow for the decisive phase of the World Cup.

"Of the rivals, of course there are three to highlight. Greece is very strong. It's a team to be feared. It will be led by (Vassilis) Spanoulis, without a doubt the thermometer of the team. It will also be a hard rival with experienced players like (Ioannis) Bourousis and (Georgios) Printezis.

"Greece didn't have a good European performance, needing a (wild card) invitation to be in the World Cup, and they will look for revenge."

Another is Puerto Rico, who lost in the Final of the FIBA Americas Championship.

"Puerto Rico is the other rival to be wary of,” Nocioni said. “They are able to give you an easy night or a terrible one. It's a dynamic team, fast, that likes the transition game. At the FIBA Americas Championship, (Renaldo) Balkman was at a very high level and you count on (Carlos) Arroyo and (Jose) Barea, the dangerous pair on the perimeter.

"The third rival to be careful of is Croatia. They come after a very good EuroBasket, where they finished fourth. It's a young team, versatile and full of talent highlighted by Bojan Bogdanovic and Ante Tomic.

"It's definitely a group of teams with character."

Nocioni predicts that Eighth-Finals clash will be tough, especially with so many good teams in Group A (Spain, Serbia, France, Brazil, Egypt and Iran).

"The crossover will be difficult, like in all World Cups," he said to ESPN Deportes.

"Experience shows that there is no use speculating because the groups never finish as you imagine. There always seem to be good and bad surprises."

FIBA