ARG - Oberto to make roster, fit or not

CORDOBA (FIBA Americas Championship) - Fabricio Oberto played only five games during the 2010/11 NBA season before announcing his retirement due to a heart condition, in November 2010.

Life and basketball gave the center a second chance but a new injury threatens him to take the chance away.

Argentina coach Julio Lamas had summoned him to help his teammates to make it to the London Games.

Oberto entered a basketball court again after 284 days, in Argentina’s 106-53 easy win over Venezuela in a friendly game on Saturday, 13 August.

But after three minutes of his second game, last Tuesday, the former Portland Trail Blazers player suffered a fibrillar rupture on his left adductor muscle and doctors indicated him to stop practicing for 10 to 15 days.

Despite the proximity from tips off, coach Lamas is still faithful.

“I hope I can count on him for the tournament,” said Lamas, who plans summoning Oberto to the FIBA Americas even if he can play only from the quarterfinal round.

“I’m not sure he will make it, though.”

The 36-year old player has started physiotherapy in his hometown, Córdoba, and will be back to the team on Wednesday.

Lamas will listen to the doctors before informing the final 12-player roster following a friendly game against Venezuela in Buenos Aires, on Thursday.

Oberto made his senior debut for the National Team’s at the 1995 Pan-American Games and has shared the National Team staff with Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola, Andres Nocioni and Juan Ignacio Sánchez since 2001. Together, they won a gold medal in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

“We need him,” said Ginobili.

Leonardo Gutiérrez, another member of the Golden Generation, was ruled out of the tournament due to a heart condition in early August.
 
“Oberto will be part of the team,” said Gutiérrez, who became part of the coaching staff.
 
“He’s a key player and he has to be there even if he plays five, ten or fifteen minutes.”

Argentina remains unbeaten after six friendly matches: Paraguay, Basque Country, Cuba, Venezuela – twice - and Uruguay.

At the FIBA Americas Championship, Argentina will compete in Group B against Paraguay, Uruguay, Puerto Rico and Panama. The first four teams will advance to the quarterfinal round.

FIBA