BRA/ARG - Olympic preparation already started

MAR DEL PLATA (FIBA Americas Championship) - Brazil and Argentina have plenty of reasons to celebrate after FIBA Americas in Mar del Plata.

Brazil will play an Olympic Game for the first time in 16 years.

Argentina won FIBA Americas playing home for the second time in history and will travel to London 2012 with the goal of claiming their third consecutive Olympic Medal after winning Gold in 2004 and Bronze in 2008.

But after celebration comes planning and hard work.

Ruben Magnano will have to make a difficult call for next year's Games. Will he call up Leandrinho Barbosa and Nene Hilario, the two NBA players that missed FIBA Americas for questionable reasons?

"It's not our issue," answered Tiago Splitter, another NBA player for the San Antonio Spurs. "We are friends with all of them and it's the coach's decision."

Anderson Varejao, the fourth Brazilian in the NBA, ruled out of the tournament due to an injury and always showed desire of making the team.

Coach Magnano was asked if he found a different team's attitude with Leandrinho's withdrawal.

"Not at all. The attitude has always been the same. We just had tactical differences regarding the 2010 World Championships," said Magnano on the last time the guard played with the team.

Argentina, by the way, will prepare the Olympic Games with almost the same team that played FIBA Americas.

However, only a day after the final, Juan Ignacio Sánchez announced his retirement from the National Team.

"I have no ambition to make it to next year's Games. I had enough and the team needs young blood," said the 34-year old point guard on his ESPN blog.

Manu Ginóbili has already confirmed he will be in London.

"All we're doing here is to play our third Olympics. After that, who knows?" added the three-time NBA champion.

The 2011 FIBA Americas MVP, Luis Scola said he felt a little bit older every year.

"It's getting harder and harder to prepare for a tournament.

"Every year the difficulties grow. It's so hard physically and mentally that achieving the goals make it even better than before," said Scola, who averaged 21,4 points in 10 FIBA Americas' games.

FIBA