ARG - Scola still motivated by chase for titles and medals

INDIANA (NBA/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - After losing to the Miami Heat in last year's Eastern Conference Finals, the Indiana Pacers are expecting to do better this season.

And so far in the 2013-14 campaign they've done just that, currently holding the best record in the NBA (33-7).

The reason for Indiana's success is essentially down to the incredible team spirit and the impact of their star players.

Behind Paul George, who is fast becoming one of the biggest stars in the league, and the towering Roy Hibbert, the Pacers have one of the most balanced rosters, one that has a mix of young talents and savvy veterans such as Argentina's Luis Scola.

In his seventh NBA season, Scola, the former Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns player, has proved himself to be one of the most solid and efficient big men and is doing an excellent job of backing up Hibbert and two-time All-Star David West.

"It is a great opportunity for me to play on one of the NBA's most competitive teams and under one of the league's best coaches, Frank Vogel," Scola told FIBA.com.

"Even if I am not a starter anymore, my motivation to help the team remains the same. I know that I can help my teammates and be efficient when I am on the court."

Getting to play alongside MVP candidate George has been an experience Scola has enjoyed so far and the 33-year-old has huge expectations for the future.

"Our team is very talented and the group of players is very united. We have been playing well since the start of the season but we want more. We are serious contenders and we are going to fight for the title," he said.

"I am getting older and I am closer to the end of my career than the beginning. But the motivation remains the same. I really want to win titles and I think that we have the potential to do so here."

Winning titles and medals is a habit for one of the best players in the history of Argentinean basketball.

After playing two seasons for his local team of Ferro Carril Oeste in Argentina, Scola crossed the Atlantic to join Saski Baskonia in 1998. After playing two seasons in Spain's second division, he returned to Vitoria and was named the ACB League's rookie of the year and MVP of the FIBA Americas U20 tournament in 2000.

From then until 2011, Scola won at least a title, a medal or an individual award every single year. His impressive list of accolades include ACB League and Copa del Rey titles and multiple medals with the Argentinian national team.

"The gold medal won at the 2004 Athens Olympics is one of the best moments of my career so far," smiled Scola.

"We had a superb group of players and we were playing at an incredible level. I will never forget the game against Team USA and the Final, where we beat Italy."

Having earned his first senior national team cap in 1999, Scola has taken part in just about every important competition with La Selección since then, which makes him the NBA player with the most appearances for his national team at international competitions.

"Playing for Argentina has always been an honor for me. I, alongside my teammates, have always wanted to make our national team one of the best in the world," he admitted.

By finishing third at last year's FIBA Americas Championship in Venezuela, Argentina booked their place for this summer's FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.

"We were disappointed to lose against Mexico in the Semi-Final because our goal was to win the tournament. Mexico surprised everyone, including us, but at least we qualified for Spain 2014," Scola said.

"Argentina's national team is going to do its best in this competition. Every player is motivated to show that Argentina is still one of the best teams in the world. I think that our team has a great future."

FIBA