ARG - Vaccaro believes veterans will continue after London

MAR DEL PLATA (2011 FIBA Americas Championship) - It would be a mistake to think that Argentina are not counting on their leading players to compete for the country beyond the London Games.

That is the message by the country's basketball federation president German Vaccaro.

Manu Ginobili, Andres Nocioni and Fabricio Oberto are three of the country's icons competing at the FIBA Americas Championship in Mar del Plata this month and the hope is that Argentina will at least reach the Final to earn a trip to next year's Olympics.

Otherwise, a third-, fourth- or fifth-place finish would seal a place in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

"I don´t think this generation will reach an end in London," Vaccaro said to FIBA.com.

"If you look at the age of (Carlos) Delfino, (Luis) Scola and Nocioni, they can play in Spain (FIBA World Championship).

"And why couldn´t Ginobili play in Spain as well, maybe not play 30 minutes but bring his experience and play 15 to 20 minutes.

"That will depend on the players but I wouldn´t rule that out."

Delfino turns 29 on August 29 while Scola is 31, Nocioni 32 and Ginobili 34.

Oberto retired at the beginning of the 2010-11 NBA campaign because of dizzy spells suffered while playing for Portland, a condition linked to the arrhythmia he was diagnosed with in 2008.

But at the age of 36, he has come out of retirement to play at the FIBA Americas Championship.

As for the FIBA Americas Championship, Argentina are hosting the event and fans in Mar del Plata are accustomed to seeing big-time basketball.

The city's club side is Penarol and it has not only thrived in Argentina's top flight but also won a couple of FIBA Americas League titles.

"There´s a lot of expectation in Mar Del Plata," Vaccaro said.

"Mar Del Plata is a special place for what it has achieved at national and international level.

"Penarol is not just the team of the city but of the region and of Argentina.

"You can breathe the atmosphere of the tournament for what it means, the possibility to qualify for the London Olympics and for what it means for the Golden Generation to play at home 10 years after they emerged."

FIBA