Hernandez invites 20 players to training camp for Rio Games
BUENOS AIRES (2016 Rio Olympics) - Argentina will be led by three of their all-time greats at the Rio de Janeiro Games with 2004 Olympic champions Luis Scola, Andres Nocioni and Manu Ginobili in the 20-man
BUENOS AIRES (2016 Rio Olympics) - Argentina will be led by three of their all-time greats at the Rio de Janeiro Games with 2004 Olympic champions Luis Scola, Andres Nocioni and Manu Ginobili in the 20-man preliminary squad named by coach Sergio Hernandez.
| Argentina 20-player squad for 2016 Rio Olympics |
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| Roberto Acuna | Federico Aguerre | Nicolas Brussino | Facundo Campazzo |
| Gabriel Deck | Marcos Delia | Tayavek Gallizzi | Patricio Garino |
| Manu Ginobili | Nicolas Laprovittola | Leo Mainoldi | Marcos Mata |
| Andres Nocioni | Nicolas Richotti | Selem Safar | Javier Saiz |
| Leonel Schattmann | Luis Scola | Juan Pablo Vaulet | Luca Vildoza |
Nine of the players are currently with the Argentina side that is competing at the South American Championship in Caracas, Venezuela, a tournament that concludes on 2 July.
Ginobili, the Most Valuable Player of the Athens Games 12 years ago, last competed in a major tournament with Argentina in 2012. He had wanted to play at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup but got injured and was unable to take part.
The San Antonio Spurs great was on hand at last year's FIBA Americas Championship when his country beat Mexico in the Semi-Finals to clinch a spot in the Olympics.
Facundo Campazzo will have a vital role to play for Argentina in the point guard's second Olympic appearance after London. The 25-year-old had a tremendous campaign with Murcia in Spain's Liga Endesa, helping the club reach the play-offs.
Patricio Garino had a big role with Argentina last year before his senior season in American college basketball at George Washington University. He is sure to be important again. Garino will play in the NBA summer league and will join Argentina three days after the first day (4 July) of their training camp at CeNARD in Buenos Aires.
Garino jugará la Liga de Verano NBA para Orlando. Se suma a la Selección el 7 de julio. https://t.co/JMayuR3wKo pic.twitter.com/BwUt5pyZvx
— CABB (@cabboficial) June 25, 2016
Argentina will travel to Las Vegas in the United States on 12 July to continue their preparations. While in America, Argentina will take on Nigeria in friendlies on 18 and 20 July at the Thomas & Mack Center and the USA on 22 July at the T-Mobile Arena.
Hernandez and Co will leave the USA and return to CeNARD to continue their workouts before hosting a tournament with Australia and Lithuania, 26-27 July. Argentina will stage a four nations tournament 29-30 July to 1 August in Cordoba with the winners of the three FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.
At the Rio Games, Argentina will play in Group B with Spain, Nigeria, Lithuania and two of the teams that win FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.
FIBA