BRA - Brazil hope to learn from mistakes

LAS VEGAS (FIBA Americas Championship) - Brazil know they must eradicate the mistakes in their quarter-final round defeat to Argentina if they are to win the second showdown at the FIBA Americas Championship and qualify for the Olympics.

The South American giants meet in one semi-final on Saturday while Team USA and Puerto Rico play in the other, with that winner also earning the right to play at the Beijing Games.

In their 86-79 win over Brazil this week, Argentina had trailed by 17 points at the start of the third quarter but came back and stunned their South American rivals.

Nene, Brazil's Denver Nuggets center, said: "This is a big moment in our lives as we have a big step ahead and we know we could do it properly.

"We are going to watch the game (tape) on TV to identify all the mistakes we made. We can't fail again."

How important is this game for Brazil's players?

"This will be the most important game in everybody's life," shooting guard/small forward Marcelinho said.

Argentina have been the dominant force in South America in recent times.

They claimed a silver medal at the 2002 FIBA World Championship and a gold medal two years later at the Athens Games.

But Brazil does have a proud basketball tradition.

They are the country that gave the world Oscar, a five-time Olympian whose most famous moment on the court came in 1987 when he erupted for 46 points and led Brazil to a come-from-behind victory over the United States in the gold medal game at the Pan American Games.

Among the talented American players in that game was David Robinson, a future superstar in the NBA with San Antonio.

Argentina's great teams of late have had players like Manu Ginobili and Fabricio Oberto, key men for now for San Antonio - the winners of the NBA title.

But Ginobili, Oberto, Andres Nocioni and Walter Herrmann - all NBA players - along with veteran center Ruben Wolkowisky, a journeyman center in Europe, decided not to play this summer in Las Vegas.

"Argentina suffered form the absence of some big players, but they have a tactical power and 10 or 12 high-quality players in Europe," said Brazil coach Lula Ferreira.

Luis Scola, who has this summer agreed to sign with the Houston Rockets, along with Toronto Raptor Carlos Delfino and Tau Ceramica's Pablo Prigioni are three who did show up to play for Sergio Hernandez.

Argentina have won six of their seven games.

"They are a strong team, as the same as Brazil," Ferreira said.

The Brazilians are without Cleveland Cavalier Anderson Varejao, but they do have Phoenix Suns guard Leandro Barbosa, Nene and Tau Ceramica power forward/center Tiago Splitter.

Brazil finished second in the first stage after losing to United States.

But in the tournament's second phase, Puerto Rico surprised the Brazilians and they also fell to the Argentinians.

Brazil, who won the Pan American Games this summer, have not qualified for the Olympics since 1996 in Atlanta.

"Brazil are ready to play and have a team to be in the Olympics," Ferreira said.

"What has happened in this championship has matured us. We have a strong team and are set to grab a ticket."

Nene added ahead of the Argentina game: "The key will be to play hard, step onto the court with the right attitude and be aggressive to impose our pace.

"Besides, we have to close the lanes and shadow Scola properly."

Gabriel Batalla
FIBA