ESP - Copa del Rey MVP Llull's Olympic statement

BARCELONA (Copa del Rey/Olympics) - Real Madrid had a fantastic weekend at the Copa del Rey and that was due in large part to their bustling and fearless guard, Sergio Llull.

A member of the Spain team at the last two EuroBaskets and at the 2010 FIBA World Championship, Llull scored 23 points and led Madrid to a 91-74 victory over Barcelona in the Copa Final.

When it was all over, the whole experience became even sweeter for Llull because he was named MVP of the Copa.

While competition will be fierce for spots in the national side again, coach Sergio Scariolo won’t have to think long when deciding whether or not to include Llull.

The 1.92m shooting guard was just 21 and making his senior team bow when Scariolo decided to play him big minutes at EuroBasket 2009.

Spain were looking to capture their first European title at the time and Llull’s most famous play came against Turkey, when Scariolo decided to put the ball in his hands with the game hanging in the balance.

The Spaniards trailed by a point and nearly everyone expected Pau Gasol to end up with the last shot.

Scariolo, however, decided Llull was good enough, and brave enough, to get to the basket.

He dribbled into the lane from the top of the key and exploded to the rim but his dunk attempted was blocked by a tall Turkish frontline.

More important than success or failure for Llull on that play was the fact that he wanted the ball, just as he has in a lot of big games since, and just as he did for Madrid on Sunday when they won the Copa del Rey for the first time in 19 years.

Llull has won two European gold medals with Spain and reached the last eight of the FIBA World Championship in Turkey but before Sunday, his time with Madrid had had some frustrating moments because the team had played second fiddle to Barcelona in recent times.

"The problem was more mental than anything else," Llull said after Sunday.

"We have shown we can play basketball and today, we were convinced we would win.

"We knew it was very complicated, that it was hostile territory, that the (Barcelona) club has a great team, but we came out from the beginning to bite and we ended up happy with what has been achieved."

Juan Carlos Navarro, Rudy Fernandez, Jose Calderon and Ricky Rubio all appear to be assured of their places in the Spain Olympic squad while Llull’s Real Madrid teammate, Sergio Rodriguez, is also pushing for a recall.

Now that he is the Copa del Rey MVP, though, Llull looks to be a lock himself to be in the Spain squad for the fourth summer in a row.

FIBA