TURKEY BOUND - Navarro shoots to thrill

BARCELONA (2010 FIBA World Championship) - If there is one certainty heading into the FIBA World Championship in Turkey, it's that Spain will have one of the best backcourts in the tournament.

One of their superstar guards, Regal Barcelona's Juan Carlos Navarro, is warming up for the big event with an outstanding display in the ACB play-offs.

On Thursday night, Navarro accounted for nine straight points in the third quarter for Barca - all on shots from long range - as the Catalan club seized control of the opening game of their ACB play-off semi-final with Unicaja Malaga.

Navarro ended up with a game-high 24 points as Barca won 96-82.

'La Bomba' wasn't the only national team star in action.

Russia

• Viktor Khryapa - The Russia captain had 17 points and nine rebounds for CSKA in their 88-80 triumph over Dynamo Moscow that clinched a spot in the Russian Superleague finals.
• JR Holden - The EuroBasket 2007 hero of Russia finished with nine points but had five turnovers and just three assists against Dynamo.
• Sergey Bykov - Russia's starting point guard at EuroBasket 2009, Bykov poured in 18 points and had 12 assists but turned the ball over nine times.
• Sergey Monya - The Dynamo sharpshooter was four of seven from long range and finished with 16 points against CSKA.
• Sasha Kaun - The emerging national team center, Kaun finished with 16 points and seven boards for CSKA.

Greece

• Georgios Printezis - The Unicaja Malaga forward made just one of seven shots from the floor and finished with five points and six rebounds against Barcelona.

Spain

• Ricky Rubio - The Barcelona playmaker scored eight points, handed out eight assists and grabbed five boards in the victory over Malaga.
• Fran Vazquez - The Copa del Rey MVP of Barcelona played just 15 minutes and scored two points while pulling down three rebounds.
• Pau Gasol - The Los Angeles Lakers center scored 21 points and corralled nine boards in his team's 103-101 victory over Phoenix in Game 5 of the NBA's Western Conference finals.

Team USA

• Kobe Bryant - The Team USA star finished with 30 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists for the Lakers in their thriller against Phoenix.
• Lamar Odom - Named earlier this year in the USA Basketball squad for 2010-12, Odom had 17 points and 13 boards for LA.
• Amare Stoudemire - Also included in the USA squad, Stoudemire has played well in the post-season. He finished with 19 points and three blocks for Phoenix but had just four rebounds in 35 minutes.

Brazil

• Leandro Barbosa scored just two points off the bench for Phoenix.

Lithuania

• Ramunas Sikauskas - The CSKA superstar finished with 28 points. Having retired from his national team after the 2008 Olympics, Lithuania coach Kestutis Kemzura recently named the small forward in his preliminary squad for the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

Croatia

• Zoran Planinic - The veteran point guard scored nine points and handed out three assists for CSKA in their victory over Dynamo.
• Roko-Leni Ukic - The Fenerbahce Ulker playmaker scored eight points in an 85-79 win over Efes Pilsen that has given the winners a 3-1 lead in the Turkish finals.
• Mario Kasun - The Croatia center scored 13 points in defeat for Efes.

Turkey

• Omer Onan - The Fener guard scored 11 points in the victory over Efes at the Abdi Ipekci.
• Sinan Guler - Turkey's back-up point guard finished with 10 points for Efes Pilsen.
• Kerem Tunceri - The Turkey guard of Efes had eight points in the loss to Fener.

Slovenia

• Jaka Lakovic - The point guard scored two points in almost nine minutes for Barcelona in their win over Unicaja.
• Goran Dragic - The Phoenix Suns' reserve playmaker had three points in the loss to LA.
• Bostjan Nachbar - The Efes Pilsen forward scored 11 points in his team's defeat to Fenerbahce Ulker.

FIBA