ARG - Record-setting Osella hails Atenas, Liga Nacional

CORDOBA (Liga Nacional) - Diego Marcelo Osella made history on November 5 - at the not-so-tender age of 37.

The veteran center wrote a new chapter in Argentina's Liga Nacional record books when he took the court for Atenas against Central Entrerriano in Gualeguaychu.

It was his 849th league appearance, breaking the record held by Marcelo Milanesio, one of Osella's former team-mates at Atenas.

The Oncativo-born big man had equalled Milanesio's mark on Friday when he played in Atenas' 102-66 hammering of Obras Sanitarias. He was to make history just two days later.

"It was a special weekend for me really," Osella told PA Sport.

"On Friday, I managed to equal Milanesio's figure and yesterday (Sunday) I surpassed it. This is something very important in my career and to have the chance to go on playing is even more important for me.

"Now I have the opportunity to increase this figure, so I'll keep the record with me, at least for a while!"

Osella made his Liga Nacional debut on March 26, 1988, in Atenas' 92-84 triumph over Gimnasia y Esgrima from Pergamino.

He scored four points that day and it would herald the start of a wonderful career.

"It was great. I arrived at a team who had won the title the previous year and it had great names such as Pichi (Hector Campana), Marcelo (Milanesio) and (Carlos) Cerutti.

"I arrived in the hope of being on the bench, to share trips with them - but in the first league match at the club, I played. That was important for my career."

Eighteen-and-a-half years and 848 matches later, the domestic league in Argentina is totally different, according to Osella.

"Basketball's changed, the officials have changed, the players' and coaches' ways of thinking have changed.

"In 2001, there was a critical financial situation in the country and the Liga Nacional's evolution stopped for a while.

"Now it is taking off again and the peak of this evolution is the great generation of Argentinian players we currently have in the national team."

Atenas have won the most amount of league titles in Argentinian history. Between 1987 and 2004, they won eight Liga Nacional titles, three Liga Sudamericana crowns, two South American Championship for Champion Clubs titles and one Pan-American Championship.

Osella was part of the squad that claimed all six of those international titles, as well as five of the eight domestic ones. He is therefore a status symbol at the Greeks, as Atenas are often called.

What is it about Atenas that leads them to have the two players with the most amount of domestic appearances?

"Seriousness, persistence and the support of a whole city (Cordoba)," Osella continued.

"Atenas is an institution that has given more titles to the province than football itself, so Atenas has turned basketball into the most important sport in Cordoba.

"They are also the only team that has been in the Liga Nacional since its creation, so that is important, too."

Osella played for 10 years in the national team and took part in all the big tournaments, including three FIBA World Championships, an Olympic Games, and South American and Pan-American Games.

"Those 10 years were totally amazing. I was part of the national team just one year after joining Atenas. Everything happened so quickly.

"The 10 years were indescribable, but having the opportunity to play at the Olympic Games was the greatest honour."

Diego believes his generation has influenced the current crop of stars, such as Manu Ginobili, Pepe Sanchez, Fabricio Oberto and the others who have formed the "Golden Era" of Argentinian basketball.

"When we were playing, we tried to improve, to grow up as a team. We wanted to be among the best teams," he said.

"But in my opinion, the Liga Nacional around at that time was crucial in the creating the current generation of great players we have now.

"Thanks to this league, they jumped from here to Europe and the NBA, something our generation could not achieve as successfully, because we did not have so many opportunities."

Osella had a spell in Europe, including stints at Spanish side Alicante and at Varese in Italy. But things did not go as planned

"I started on the right foot, but in Spain, I did not join the right team," he said.

"In Italy, I felt much more comfortable, but I was a bit old when I went to Europe, so I did not have as many opportunities there."

Osella, who has played in 10 All-Star games in Argentina, says the gold medal he picked up in the 1995 Pan-American games in Mar del Plata is the highlight of his career.

"It was something Argentina had not won before."

He added: "All the titles I won with Atenas are very important too."

How long does he intend to carry on?

"It will depend how I feel at the end of this year.

"I'm feeling very well physically, but it will depend how I am at the end of the season. The past two or three seasons were the same.

"I want to finish this season on top form, and then we'll see. Perhaps 900 games - or more!"

From Matias Greco
PA Sport, Buenos Aires