ARG – Next generation of Argentina stars on display in Mannheim

BUENOS AIRES (Albert Schweitzer Tournament) - Argentina enter the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing as reigning gold medalists and major contenders for as second straight crown.

But Manu Ginobili, Andres Nocioni, Luis Scola, Pablo Prigioni, Pepe Sanchez, Walter Herrmann and Fabricio Oberto are all 28 years or older.

And those looking toward the future of the Argentina national team will get a healthy glance at the up-coming Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Mannheim, Germany from March 22-29.

The biennial competition of many of the world's top under-18 stars will include an Argentinian squad which features six players who led the South American giants to the 2007 U-17 South American Championship in Venezuela.

Among the roster for Argentina are U17 continental title-holders Pablo Martin Orlietti Chera, Claudio Fabian Ramirez Barrios, Andres Landoni, Maximiliano Martin, Ramiro Iglesias and Federico Glinberg.

The power forward/center Orlietti is considered the country's top post position prospect and even played sparingly as a 17-year-old at last summer's FIBA U19 World Championship in Novi Sad.

And Fabian is seen as a talented, smart and quick guard who can play both guard positions and small forward.

The main name from last summer's U17 title team missing in Mannheim will be point guard Matias Nocedal Pagano, who averaged 13.2 points and hit six foul shots in the final moments to knock off Venezuela 61-55 in the title game.

The other nations at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament are reigning champions France, Australia, Canada, Croatia, hosts Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United States.

FIBA