ARG - Oveja looks ahead to tough road to China

BUENOS AIRES (FIBA Americas Championship) - Argentina's number one aim this summer is to qualify for Beijing 2008 where they hope to defend their Olympic title.

National team coach Sergio Hernandez firmly believes his players will again be good enough to reach the Summer Games.

"There are three (FIBA Americas) teams who ought to win the (FIBA Americas) Championship, because of their global status," Hernandez told PA Sport.

"They are Argentina, Brazil and the United States.

"There will be only two (Olympics) spots for these three."

The draw for the FIBA Americas has put the Argentinians in Group A alongside Puerto Rico, Panama, Uruguay and Mexico.

Puerto Rico and Panama both played at last summer's FIBA World Championship, while Mexico recently signalled their intentions by appointing former Arkansas Razorbacks coach Nolan Richardson as their coach.

Richardson led Panama into the World Championship, but did not coach them in Japan.

After avoiding their arch rivals Brazil, Hernandez said: "The point was Brazil or no Brazil in our group, because if we had been drawn together, the group would have had a special taste and our goal would be to finish on top at the end of the first stage."

As it is, Group B features Brazil, the United States, Canada and the US Virgin Islands.

"Oveja" (as Hernandez is nicknamed) does not rule out any surprises in either section.

"There is always one team that plays better than expected, like Panama in the last FIBA Americas Championship," he said.

"And there are also teams that let everybody down, such as Canada did in that (2005) championship, when they lost against all their rivals by 30 points.

"Then, we'll have to see if all coaches go with their strongest teams, because it would have been the same.

"Venezuela or Uruguay, Panama or Canada - if we don't know whether (Canadian) Steve Nash will play...We also don't know if Mexico will count on (Eduardo) Najera."

Nash is the two-time reigning NBA MVP who plays for the Phoenix Suns, while Najera is a tough-as-nails big man who plays for the Denver Nuggets.

"I am sure of one thing - All teams will have men on the court. We will not face teams who play similar to college level," added Hernandez, who still does not know which players will be available.

The 43-year-old coach said: "Fans are really looking forward to watching NBA men Emanuel Ginobili, Fabricio Oberto, Carlos Delfino, Andres Nocioni and Walter Herrmann, who will be in the squad again, as they did during their golden moments.

"The idea is in mid-April or even before that, to go to the States to discuss with the five NBA players and then fly to Europe to talk to six or seven more.

"There will be two different teams to play the Pan American Games (in Rio de Janeiro) and the FIBA Americas Championship, so we would be about 30 players in total."

Matias Greco, Buenos Aires
FIBA