Rio-bound Spain beat Angola, debutant Diop shines

BURGOS (Rio 2016 Olympics Games) - As part of their preparations leading up to next month's Rio Olympics, Spain on Tuesday had little trouble beating Angola 85-61 in a friendly game in Burgos.

Nikola Mirotic led the EuroBasket 2015 champions with a game-high 19 points, while Alex Abrines and Felipe Reyes combined for 29 points. The pair of Hermenegildo Santos and Valdelicio Joaquim sparked the former African champions with 11 points apiece.

In the absence of big men Pau and Marc Gasol, 21-year-old Ilimane Diop made his senior national team debut, finished with 4 points, 3 rebounds and 1 block in 11 minutes off the bench.

Although head coach Sergio Scariolo is yet to announce the final roster, the Senegal-born Diop - who has long been tipped as a potential option for the European powerhouse - was just happy to have been given a chance of teaming up with more experienced players.

Ilimane Diop (@eliimane): "Voy a hacer mi trabajo aquí, que es ayudar"
📺 Vídeo @baloncestofeb https://t.co/yhUoAGPVkn

— Liga Endesa (@ACBCOM) July 12, 2016

"My objective is to help the team. I am happy to be here, and my future in the team doesn't depend just on me." the 2.11m big man said when asked about his goals with the national team.

Prior to the Olympic Basketball Tournament tipping off on 6 August, Spain are expected to play friendlies games against Lithuania in Malaga on 21 July and play a double-header against Venezuela in Madrid on 23 July and in Valladolid two days later.

Spain, silver medalists at the Beijing and London Olympics in 2008 and 2012 respectively, will open their Rio 2016 campaign in Group B, alongside Argentina, hosts Brazil, Nigeria, Croatia, and Lithuania. 

FIBA