TURKEY BOUND – Marc Gasol solid on both ends of the floor for Memphis

MEMPHIS (2010 FIBA World Championship) - The season is young, but second-year NBA man Marc Gasol is showing signs of achieving superstardom like his older brother Pau.

Marc Gasol enjoyed another big game on Monday evening for the Memphis Grizzlies (5-9) in a 116-105 triumph over the visiting Sacramento Kings (5-8).

The 24-year-old, whose career took off when he was in Spain's gold-medal winning squad at the FIBA World Championship three years ago, poured in 18 points and corralled six rebounds.

Defensively he dominated as well, swatting a game-high four shots and coming up with two steals.

The 7ft 1in Gasol is in his second campaign with the Grizzlies, his brother's old team, and is averaging 15.4 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per contest.

Sacramento point guard Sergio Rodriguez, who also represented Spain at the 2006 FIBA World Championship, had 16 points and seven assists off the bench.

Gasol will be at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey while Rodriguez is hoping to earn a recall to the national team for the first time since playing at EuroBasket 2007.

Other players that could be headed for Turkey next year were in action on Monday. Here is a look at how some performed.

Argentina

• Andres Nocioni – The Argentina forward had 10 points but just one assist and four turnovers for Sacramento in their defeat to Memphis.
• Carlos Delfino - The shooting guard made three of four shots from long range and finished with 11 points, five assists and two steals as a starter for Milwaukee in their 112-98 defeat at San Antonio.

Canada

• Matt Bonner - The San Antonio Spurs big man played 25 minutes off the bench and had a season-high 23 points, burying six of eight shots from long range. Bonner was born in the United States but is married to a Canadian and owns a home in Toronto. He is expected to receive his Canadian passport next year before the FIBA World Championship.

France

• Tony Parker - The San Antonio playmaker played 27 minutes, scoring six points and dishing out six assists. However, he turned the ball over six times. It was Parker’s second game back following a two-game absence due to a sprained ankle.

Croatia

• Roko Ukic - Croatia's starting point guard played for Milwaukee, but for only three minutes and had two points.

Turkey

• Ersan Ilyasova - The Turkey national team forward scored 20 points for Milwaukee in defeat.

FIBA