ARG – Unheralded Juampi takes Player of Week gong

GRANADA (2010 FIBA World Championship) - Argentina have so many prominent players in their line-up that the reserves often go unnoticed.
 
It was impossible not to notice Argentina national team big man Juan Gutierrez in his latest game with CB Granada, though.
 
His 18 points and seven rebounds against Unicaja Malaga helped the 26-year-old forward net Player of the Week honors in the ACB.
 
"To have been nominated is beautiful,” he said.
 
“I had always dreamed of this title since I started to play in the ACB.
 
“Moreover, I am very satisfied to have had such a good regular season.
 
"In the years I have been in Spain, I have never managed to do that.”
 
Despite Gutierrez's season-high in scoring, Unicaja Malaga beat Granada, 86-79.
 
“The award has not been complete, however, as it didn't come with a win,” he said.
 
“It was a pity because it would have rounded up a triumph and more so, in front of our fans.”
 
Granada have had to endure relegation battles in recent seasons but not so this year.
 
Their 14 wins have assured top-flight basketball for another campaign.
 
"The chemistry of the team has been key to get good results this season,” he said.
 
"Our first months of the competition were not good, up to December and January I played very badly, but I never lost my head and fortunately, at the end of the season things changed.
 
“When things go well, you have the will to work but the important thing is to be able to do that when things don't go as planned."
 
Gutierrez and Argentina
 
Players like Gutierrez will be crucial for Argentina when they play in Group A at the FIBA World Championship this summer against Serbia, Australia, Germany, Angola and Jordan.
 
The 2.05m power forward has played well for his country in the past.
 
In fact, the former Obras Sanitarias player had a very interesting cameo at the Beijing Olympics two summers ago.
 
With Team USA seemingly on their way to a first-half blowout of Argentina in their Semi-Final and leading by 21, Gutierrez came off the bench and had six points and three rebounds in eight minutes to help his team pull to within six.
 
With Argentina’s Manu Ginobili having exited the game with an injury, the Americans eventually pulled away for a 101-81 victory.
 
In two of their vital wins at the FIBA Americas Championship last year that, Gutierrez provided a very important spark off the bench.
 
He had eight points in an 80-78 win over Puerto Rico and in the very next game against Uruguay, a game Argentina had to win to reach the FIBA World Championship, Gutierrez played 10 minutes  and scored six points on three of four shooting and also pulled down two rebounds in a 73-66 triumph for his team.
 
Argentina will travel to Turkey next year as the number one team in the FIBA World Rankings.
 
FIBA