ARG - Nicolini: "We won’t stop giving everything until the final game"

IBIRAPUERA (2006 FIBA World Championship for Women) - Argentina have surprised everyone so far in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Not only have they made history by winning their two of their first three games in the first group stage.

They also finished top of Group A on goal difference above Brazil and Spain as all three teams had 2-1 records.

The team also defeated one of the Europe’s top sides Spain, and also beat Korea on their way to topping the group.

The team’s starting guard, Laura Nicolini, could not hide her emotions on her country’s performance thus far.

Speaking to PA Sport in Sao Paulo, she said: "We are very happy with what we have been doing here. It is very important for us.

"We are beating all the odds and pre-tournament predictions. We won’t stop giving everything until the final game."

A smiling Nicolini then jokingly asked me, "How do you see us faring against the United States?"

That will not happen until after the second group games, if they both advance.

Nicolini, a 31-year-old guard, thinks defensive play has been a crucial factor in their campaign, especially in their wins.

"Against Korea," she said, "we’ve gone from playing a more offensive style to a more defensive one, especially in the second and third quarters. This is the strongest point of the team."

Argentina won that game on Thursday night, 74-63.

There were a lot of doubters among the fans and media in Argentina, and even in Brazil.

National team coach Eduardo Pinto warned at the beginning of the tournament during a warm-up series against Cuba that he had "the best team produced by Argentina in the last 15 years".

"I totally agree," Nicolini said.

"We have done our best to achieve this level.

"We are not really surprised to have claimed he results we have achieved, because we have played as we expected. We all deserve a tournament like this, especially after spending such a long time together."

Looking forward to the second group phase, the Union Florida said: "We haven’t watched so much about the teams who come from Group B. But we’ll play the same way we have been playing."

Argentina’s feat in the tournament is even more remarkable taking into account that eight out of their 12 players play in their domestic basketball league, which is completely amateur.

At present, each province in Argentina has its own women’s league.

Nicolini would like to see the formation of one national league.

"I hope that this campaign will make sponsors, organisers, officials and everyone involved take women’s basketball more seriously, so we can help the game develop," she said.

"The creation of a national league would also help the sport progress dramatically."

By Matias Greco
PA Sport, Exclusively for FIBA