ARG/GRE – Argentina win thriller over Greece to set up USA rematch

BEIJING (Olympics) – Argentina edged Greece 80-78 to advance to the semi-finals of the Olympics where they will take on gold-medal favourites Team USA.

The South Americans, who beat Greece in the quarter-finals four years ago in Athens and then defeated the Americans in the last four, had to survive a nervous finish on Wednesday.

They led by five after a daring drive into the lane from Manu Ginobili, who lofted a left-handed lay-up over the Greek defense for an 80-75 advantage.

Greece called timeout and when play resumed, they passed the ball around the perimeter before Panagiotis Vasilopoulos hurried up a three-pointer that banked in to close the gap to 80-78.

After Argentina called timeout, Ginobili ran the clock down to 10 seconds before launching a three that bounced off the rim and into the hands of Greece’s Vasilis Spanoulis.

He rushed the ball up the floor before attempting to win with a shot from several feet beyond the top of the key.

Spanoulis missed, and as players from both sides fought for the ball, the final seconds ran off the clock.

"This Olympic tournament has been of a high level and we have to acknowledge Greece for being one of the best teams,” Argentina coach Sergio Hernandez said.

“We are proud to have beaten a Greek team that has played with great intelligence and quality.

"Argentina is the only team to have competed in four consecutive semi-finals (including FIBA World Championships), I have been a part of two."

Argentina lost in overtime to Yugoslavia in the 2002 FIBA World Championship final in Indianapolis and won the gold against Italy two years later in Athens.

At the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan, Argentina lost at the death to Spain in the semi-finals and then fell to Team USA in the bronze-medal game.

Now they will take on a Team USA that has looked unbeatable in 2008.

"It could be that we have an advantage because of our starting five, four play in the NBA,” Hernandez said.

“It means experience to play against Kobe Bryant and those players. We played in Las Vegas and you have to play a different type of basketball.

“We have players accustomed to that. We will try to adjust to that."

One of those Argentina players is Chicago Bulls’ star Andres Nocioni, who hurt his knee against Greece and now has 48 hours to get over the injury.

"Nocioni asked to come out of the game and for a player like Nocioni to ask to be changed, he must have felt an acute pain," Hernandez said.

Argentina, with Nocioni out, got a huge lift from Carlos Delfino.

He scored 18 of his 23 points in the second half and finished five of eight from three-point range.

Hernandez said: "Regarding Carlos Delfino, he plays his best games when games are more heated.

“Carlos seems as though he shows no interest in anything in life, even when you talk to him and yet when he enters the court, he seems like a computer.”

Argentina would not have not have won without Delfino, and they will need him to be a big-time player against the United States.

"I feel fantastic,” Delfino said to FIBA.com.

“The ball just kept going in when the team needed it most. I have to thank the work done by team-mates who freed me up to take those shots.

“We have been extremely effective from three-point range tonight. We have to give merit to Greece who really pushed us hard.”

Ginobili had a game-high 24 points and was six of 13 from long range while Argentina shot 14 of 32 from behind the arc overall.

Antonis Fotsis was immense with 17 points and a game-high 10 rebounds for Greece.

Panagiotis Yannakis’ men were eight of 19 (42%) from long range.

"I am very glad because my players participated in the best games of the tournament,” said Yannakis, whose team had to win a spot in Beijing via the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in July.

“Considering the performance, both teams could have gone to the final four. Argentina made a good start, we fought and we took the final shot.

“I am very proud of my players.

“We played better basketball day after day. We deserved to go to the final four.”

FIBA