ARG – Sanchez calls it quits with Argentina

BARCELONA (Olympics) - Argentina’s Pepe Sanchez has announced his retirement from the national team.

The veteran Barcelona guard, Sanchez was an integral part of Argentina’s success the past several years which culminated with a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics.

"For personal reasons I announce this difficult and painful decision but a right one,” Sanchez said.

"I just want to thank my teammates for all these years we have shared with the national team and all the Argentinians that have shared our happiness and sadness.”

Sanchez will be 31 years old in May. He made a lot of headlines in the United States even before Argentina beat the United States in the semi-finals at the Athens Games because Sanchez played college basketball at Temple University for the legendary and now retired coach, John Chaney.

Sanchez then became the first person from his country to play in the NBA, though he did not find success in the professional ranks until he moved to Europe where he turned out for some of the true giants on the continent like Panathinaikos, Unicaja Malaga and this year, Barcelona.

His first tour of duty with the national team came in 1998 when he made the team that played in Athens at the FIBA World Championship, and he was also in the side that nearly won the world title in Indianapolis four years later.

The South Americans lost that game to Yugoslavia in overtime.

"I am proud to have had a small part in this group of people that elevated our country to the highest in world basketball," he said.

His departure means that Argentina no longer has the point guards that played on their gold-medal winning team four years ago.

That side had Sanchez, and Alejandro Montecchia.

Tau Ceramica’s Pablo Prigioni is almost certain to start at playmaker this summer when Argentina defend their gold medal.

FIBA