ARG - Campazzo emergence continues in Súper 8

BUENOS AIRES (Súper 8) - Argentina basketball caught a glimpse of their magnificent past, present and promising future as Peñarol beat Libertad to win the Súper 8 at the weekend.

Andrés Nocioni, the 2004 Olympic champion who signed recently with the Mar del Plata outfit during the recent lockout, helped the club win 78-75 win over Libertad Sunchales in the Súper 8 final.

Nocioni had 11 points and fellow national team veteran Leo Gutiérrez had 16.

But the player to make the biggest impression on 4,000 spectators in the Polideportivo Islas Malvinas was young Argentinian guard Facundo Campazzo.

The 20-year-old had 18 points, nine assists, six rebounds and four steals and was the MVP of the Final.

Campazzo has been on a tear of late.

When Nocioni had 24 points and 16 rebounds in a 75-59 win over Atenas last week in his second game with Peñarol - Campazzo made headlines with 22 points, nine boards, five assists and three steals.

In the Súper 8 final, Campazzo buried four of six three-balls.

Coach Julio Lamas will be evaluating all of the players in the Liga Nacional ahead of next summer's London Games and Campazzo has done his chances of at least making the preliminary squad no harm.

Nocioni will soon be returning to America to resume his NBA career following the weekend announcement that the lockout is set to end.

While in Argentina, he has made a dramatic impact on those around him, including Campazzo.

In a recent blog by Nocioni, he wrote that Peñarol has a bright future and a lot of young talent that was best represented by Campazzo.

"I get goose bumps when I hear that and it gives me motivation to continue to work and train hard," Campazzo said.

"He helped me a lot to improve on reading a game."

FIBA