ARG - Tintorelli left out

BUENOS AIRES (Pan American Games) - Ben Hur center Damian Tintorelli was the last player to be cut from Sergio Hernandez's squad as the Argentina head coach finalised his 12-man line-up for the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Hernandez and his assistant Gonzalo Garcia have encountered several problems in their build-up to the tournament, which takes place between July 25 and 29.

The original 18-man squad was reduced to 13 with Andres Pelussi, Antonio Porta and Nicolas Gianella pulling out through injury and Juan Ignacio Jasen opting instead to go to a camp in Granada, Spain. Pablo Moldu, meanwhile, did not join up with the national team as he preferred to move his belongings to Sunchales ahead of his move to Libertad for the next Liga Nacional season.

However, the team will have their leader in Roman Gonzalez, who was part of the side which played the 2005 FIBA Americas Championship in Santo Domingo, where Argentina lost in the final to Brazil.

Regatas Corrientes center Gonzalez, formerly of Venezuelan giants Trotamundos and who also had a spell in American university basketball, will be accompanied by Diego Lo Grippo.

Burgos forward Lo Grippo, who has been in good form in recent friendlies, led the Argentinians to third place in last year's South American Championship in Venezuela.

Lo Grippo's team-mate Carlos Matias Sandes played at the FIBA U21 World Championship in Mar del Plata and Cordoba two years ago, while forward Leonardo Mainoldi is expected to break into the full team if he maintains his current form.

Martin Leiva, who won the Liga Nacional title with Boca Juniors last season and became the leading rebounder (482 and 8.5 per game) and the top blocker (80 and 1.4), will partner Gonzalez in the centre.

In the Pan American Games, Argentina have been drawn in Group B, alongside Panama, Uruguay and the United States.

Uruguay have defeated Argentina in the past three warm-up friendlies.

On Saturday night in Paysandu, the Charruas won 77-69, having already triumphed 80-73 on Thursday and 74-69 in the Top 4 quadrangular friendly tournament played in Valparaiso, Chile, on July 1.

Argentina are playing the Pan American Games with a B Team, under the guidance of Hernandez's assistant Garcia, with Hernandez preparing the A Team for the FIBA Americas Championship.

Argentina squad for the Pan American Games:
Point-guards: Luis Cequeira, Raymundo Legaria (both Boca Juniors).
Shooting-guards: Mariano Byro (Sionista), Diego Garcia (Regatas Corrientes).
Small-forwards: Javier Bulfoni (Leon), Matias Sandes (Burgos), Patricio Prato (Rieti).
Power-forwards: Diego Lo Grippo (Burgos), Leonardo Mainoldi (Lleida), Gabriel Mikulas (Penarol).
Centers: Martin Leiva (Boca Juniors), Roman Gonzalez (Regatas Corrientes).

Matias Greco
FIBA