MIAMI (United States) - Argentina has continued to dominate since the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens when they won the gold medal. In their five consecutive Olympics trips they have always reached the quarterfinals, medaling twice (bronze in Beijing 2008), and three Semi-Finals along the way.

Now they are facing a new challenge in the Quarter-Finals against a very tough team like Australia. Their fight for the medals is very significant for a generation that comes from being runner-up in the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China.

Argentina struggled in the initial phase, with losses against Slovenia and Spain, but then recovered against host Japan, to qualify as the best third in Group C with a 1-2 record (-8 in the +/- in points). That win allowed them to regain the confidence of the team, who will now arrive with a different mentality for the duel against Australia.

The last time the two teams met was in a Las Vegas friendly in July. Argentina had a great game and only lost by a last-minute triple by Patty Mills, that left the final score 87-84.

“What’s coming is brutal players. We know them, we already played in Las Vegas,” said coach Sergio Hernández to the Argentine Basketball Confederation (CABB), moments after the victory over Japan. “The key right now will be to rest a little bit because these days we were nervous, tense, because we don't like to lose. Then we will prepare mentally and with scouting. We want to be in the semifinals,” he added.

Although Argentina does not come out as the favored one, it does have the tools to deliver the authority. Point guard Facundo Campazzo has the ability to do what is required on both sides of the court. First by being the axis of the offense, distributing for his teammates, and then fighting on defense against Mills and Dellavedova. There is also the experience in these types of matches, which they’ve gained with five Olympic Games. That is precisely where the presence of Luis Scola is more valuable, who at 41 years of age is the leader of the attack with 19.7 points per game.

The biggest adjustment Hernandez's troop will have to make is in the three-point area. Australia comes with an efficient 38 percent from the 3pt line, while Argentina showed only 30.

Leaving the role at a disadvantage is not new for the Argentines, it happened in the 2004 Athens Semi-Finals against the United States. Recently at the 2019 FIBA World Cup Quarter-Finals, it was the same against Serbia and then in the Semi-Finals against France.

Argentina faces Australia Tuesday, August 3 (9:00 p.m. local time) in the Quarter-Finals.

FIBA