ESP - Aguilar making quick progress

MADRID (2010 FIBA World Championship) - It's amazing how quickly one's star can rise in a national team program.

Just one year ago, Spaniard Pablo Aguilar was warming up for the U20 European Championship that was to be staged in Greece.

Now the 21-year-old center of CB Granada is within touching distance of a place in the senior squad that will play at the FIBA World Championship in Turkey.

Aguilar is in the 15-man preliminary squad that was announced several days ago by Spain coach Sergio Scariolo.

"I am very happy to have taken a step forward and entered into the pre-selection of the national team,” Aguilar said.

"Sergio placed this trust in me and I will work hard and do everything possible to stay in this selection and go to the World Championship in Turkey."

Anyone that watched Aguilar play in Rhodes, Greece, last summer at the U20 European Championship and this year for CB Granada would not have been surprised to see his name called by Scariolo.

Last year in Greece he averaged 12.5 points and 5.3 rebounds, though he missed the early part of the tournament with an ankle injury.

After scoring 16 points in Spain's Semi-Final defeat to eventual gold medalists Greece, Aguilar had 14 in the bronze-medal triumph over Italy.

Another youngster in the 15-man squad is Estudiantes forward Carlos Suarez, who was voted into the ACB's Ideal Quintet after helping his club reach the play-offs.

At 24 years old, Suarez oozes with talent.

"It is an honor to be among the 15 chosen ones," Suarez said.

"I haven't stopped, nor will I stop training until the date of our first get together in July."

That date will be July 21 in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.

Two other potential national team newcomers in the 15-man squad are Rafa Martinez of Power Electronics and Fernando San Emeterio of Caja Laboral.

Fran Vazquez of Barcelona is in the squad, too.

He last played for Spain at EuroBasket 2005 in Belgrade.

In the squad for the 2006 FIBA World Championship, a back injury forced Vazquez to pull out and he’s not been back since, although he cited personal reasons when turning down an invitation to join last year’s preliminary squad for EuroBasket 2009.

With Pau Gasol not playing this year, Vazquez has a good chance of making it back.

"I'm very happy,” Vazquez said.

“Now it is a reality. I am among the 15 chosen and I know this has been thanks to the help of my family, my work and Sergio Scariolo, which I am very grateful.

"Despite being among the 15, I know that all is not yet done. I am working hard as I have throughout this long and successful season with Regal Barcelona and I hope the effort pays off for me being one of the final 12 chosen.”

FIBA