ARG/URU - Mata with shoulder injury scare

BUENOS AIRES (FIBA Americas Championship/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Marcos Mata is one of the players in an under-strength Argentina squad to have tasted big-time hoops.

He played at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and at last year's Olympics, so the last thing national team coach Julio Lamas needs with several veterans out of the team is for Mata to get hurt and miss this summer's vital games.

Argentina will play at the FIBA Americas Championship in Venezuela and there were fears that 2.01m small forward suffered a serious shoulder injury in the team's game against Uruguay on Sunday.

An MRI has shown that not to be the case.

The Argentinian Basketball Confederation (CABB) has announced: "The doctor of the Argentina national team, Diego Grippo, confirmed that he has seen an edema that corresponds with a grade 1 injury. He has not observed a rupture (of shoulder ligaments). It is not a serious injury and a week of recuperation is estimated."

Mata recently signed a contract to play for Cajasol Sevilla in Spain's Liga Endesa.

Argentina defeated Uruguay, 86-80, with Luis Scola once again carrying the team on his broad shoulders.

The NBA star had 21 points, eight rebounds and four assists while center Juan Gutierrez, another of the experienced Argentinian players in the group, contributed 18 points.

Leandro Garcia Morales and Sebastian Izaguirre had 14 points apiece and Nicolas Mazzarino 12 for the Pablo Lopez-coached Uruguay side.

Argentina on Tuesday fly to Puerto Rico to continue their build-up to the FIBA Americas Championship.

Lamas' squad will take part in the Tuto Marchand Cup, with their first game against Canada on Friday.

Four national sides at the FIBA Americas Championship, which begins on Friday, will qualify for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

FIBA