FIBA Basketball
ARG - Quinteros waits in the wings
BUENOS AIRES (FIBA World Championship 2006) - Paolo Quinteros believes he has a legitimate chance to make Argentina's squad for next summer's FIBA World Championship.The 26-year-old is a shooting guard, like current national team players Emanuel Ginobili and Carlos Delfino, and his performances of late have been raising eyebrows.No matter how good you
BUENOS AIRES (FIBA World Championship 2006) - Paolo Quinteros believes he has a legitimate chance to make Argentina's squad for next summer's FIBA World Championship in Japan.
The 26-year-old is a shooting guard, like current national team players Emanuel Ginobili and Carlos Delfino, and his performances of late have been raising eyebrows.
No matter how good you are, it's always going to extremely tough to break into a national side like Argentina.
"It is difficult because there are a lot of good players," Quinteros said to PA Sport.
"The only advantage I have is that I do not have to prove anything to Sergio (Hernandez).
"He knows me. I did well in the FIBA Americas Championship in the Dominican Republic and I did much better than I expected."
Quinteros averaged more than 13 points per game as Argentina claimed a silver medal this summer in the Dominican Republic.
In their 84-67 second phase victory over the United States, Quinteros exploded for 21 points.
The thought of making it to Japan truly excites him.
"Everyone knows that Ginobili and Delfino will play in Japan next year... but for me, just being able to train alongside these 'monsters' is an honour."
When Quinteros says Hernandez knows him, he means it.
Hernandez also coached the player at Boca Juniors.
Hernandez left his post at Boca in July to concentrate solely on the national team.
Quinteros is backing Hernandez to keep the momentum going that started under Ruben Magnano.
"He knows what the best part of each player is," Quinteros said.
"It is going to be hard not to have him in Boca and I will miss him a lot.
"But I think the Argentinian team will succeed in the Championship with him in charge.
"It is well known that Argentinian players always want to win and we never quit."
Argentina's national side is not old, but it is not young, either.
What the FIBA Americas Championship proved is that once Argentina's current crop of superstars do retire from the national side, plenty of talent is waiting in the wings.
That was evident as Argentina's second team nearly won gold in the Dominican Republic.
They ultimately lost to Brazil's first team in the gold medal game 100-88.
Even though they won silver, there was disappointment in the Argentina camp, because the country is so accustomed to finishing first.
The last few years have been especially successful.
At the FIBA World Championship 2002 in Indianapolis, they made it to the final before losing in overtime to Yugoslavia.
Magnano's men put that disappointment behind them and marched to the gold medal at the Olympics, beating Team USA in a semi-final before laying waste to Italy to win gold.
The senior team also won the South American Championship in 2003 and 2004.
Argentina's youngsters have been successful of late, too, winning the U16 and U18 South American Championship earlier this year.
Quinteros began his career at Armonia, in the province of Entre Rios and some years later went to Boca Juniors' training camp.
He trained there and was picked as one of only five of the 70 there to sign professional terms.
Boca have been succesful with Quinteros but they fallen behind arch-rivals River Plate in the Southern Division this season.
"After winning the South American Championship for Clubs and the Argentina Cup, it was obvious the team needed to rest," Quinteros said.
"However, I am happy here and as a club, we are as good as any European team."
Quinteros envisions himself having a big career, like his compatriot Emanuel Ginobili has enjoyed in Europe, and the NBA.
"I want to succeed in the national team and I am never scared of anything," he said.
"I have looked at each player in the NBA who comes from Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Brazil, and I see players like Alex Garcia, who is as short as I am ... and then I wonder 'why not me?'"
By Sergio Ferraro, PA Sport, Exclusively for FIBA
The 26-year-old is a shooting guard, like current national team players Emanuel Ginobili and Carlos Delfino, and his performances of late have been raising eyebrows.
No matter how good you are, it's always going to extremely tough to break into a national side like Argentina.
"It is difficult because there are a lot of good players," Quinteros said to PA Sport.
"The only advantage I have is that I do not have to prove anything to Sergio (Hernandez).
"He knows me. I did well in the FIBA Americas Championship in the Dominican Republic and I did much better than I expected."
Quinteros averaged more than 13 points per game as Argentina claimed a silver medal this summer in the Dominican Republic.
In their 84-67 second phase victory over the United States, Quinteros exploded for 21 points.
The thought of making it to Japan truly excites him.
"Everyone knows that Ginobili and Delfino will play in Japan next year... but for me, just being able to train alongside these 'monsters' is an honour."
When Quinteros says Hernandez knows him, he means it.
Hernandez also coached the player at Boca Juniors.
Hernandez left his post at Boca in July to concentrate solely on the national team.
Quinteros is backing Hernandez to keep the momentum going that started under Ruben Magnano.
"He knows what the best part of each player is," Quinteros said.
"It is going to be hard not to have him in Boca and I will miss him a lot.
"But I think the Argentinian team will succeed in the Championship with him in charge.
"It is well known that Argentinian players always want to win and we never quit."
Argentina's national side is not old, but it is not young, either.
What the FIBA Americas Championship proved is that once Argentina's current crop of superstars do retire from the national side, plenty of talent is waiting in the wings.
That was evident as Argentina's second team nearly won gold in the Dominican Republic.
They ultimately lost to Brazil's first team in the gold medal game 100-88.
Even though they won silver, there was disappointment in the Argentina camp, because the country is so accustomed to finishing first.
The last few years have been especially successful.
At the FIBA World Championship 2002 in Indianapolis, they made it to the final before losing in overtime to Yugoslavia.
Magnano's men put that disappointment behind them and marched to the gold medal at the Olympics, beating Team USA in a semi-final before laying waste to Italy to win gold.
The senior team also won the South American Championship in 2003 and 2004.
Argentina's youngsters have been successful of late, too, winning the U16 and U18 South American Championship earlier this year.
Quinteros began his career at Armonia, in the province of Entre Rios and some years later went to Boca Juniors' training camp.
He trained there and was picked as one of only five of the 70 there to sign professional terms.
Boca have been succesful with Quinteros but they fallen behind arch-rivals River Plate in the Southern Division this season.
"After winning the South American Championship for Clubs and the Argentina Cup, it was obvious the team needed to rest," Quinteros said.
"However, I am happy here and as a club, we are as good as any European team."
Quinteros envisions himself having a big career, like his compatriot Emanuel Ginobili has enjoyed in Europe, and the NBA.
"I want to succeed in the national team and I am never scared of anything," he said.
"I have looked at each player in the NBA who comes from Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Brazil, and I see players like Alex Garcia, who is as short as I am ... and then I wonder 'why not me?'"
By Sergio Ferraro, PA Sport, Exclusively for FIBA