TOKYO (Japan) - Sport has its ways of throwing curveballs at you when you least expect it. It usually serves as a means of connecting the best of enemies, but sometimes it tests the closest of friendships.

Back in 2008, the Beijing Games saw one of the most impressive Argentina squads of all time, with a 28-year-old Luis Scola, with NBA Sixth Man of the Year Manu Ginobili, with stars like Fabricio Oberto, Pablo Prigioni, Carlos Delfino and Andres Nocioni. A young Sergio Hernandez headed up the bench, with a helping hand from his assistant Julio Lamas.

Coach Hernandez in the middle, coach Lamas standing third from right

Argentina lost their opener against Lithuania but then connected for four straight wins over Australia, Croatia, Iran and Russia by scoring 87.5 points per game, and allowing only 70.5 over that poker set of games. Ginobili had a 32-point game against Iran. Scola poured in 37 against Russia.  Argentina looked amazing.

They won their Quarter-Final game against Greece 80-78, and then saw their dream of back-to-back Olympic golds ruined by the USA in the Semis, 101-81. They picked up bronze, which was just another crowning moment for that generation.

The story was somewhat similar in 2012. Albiceleste scored in bunches, Luis Scola climbed over 30. Ginobili, Nocioni and the others were joined by a 21-year-old youngster in Facundo Campazzo as the team outgunned Brazil in the Quarter-Finals to book their third straight trip to the Olympic final four. But they finished fourth then, losing a dramatic Bronze Medal Game to Russia.

Coach Hernandez standing second from left, coach Lamas standing fourth from left

Coach Julio Lamas did everything in his power nine years ago. Not even the help of his assistant Sergio Hernandez was enough to climb the podium. You can only imagine what the two coaches have been through over all those years and all those close, stressful games all over the world.

Now, they have another close, stressful game in the Saitama Super Arena.

"It's definitely crazy," Argentina head coach Sergio Hernandez said before facing Julio Lamas and Japan. "But I like it."

The Tokyo Games so far haven't been the usual pleasureful experience for the Argentine coaches. Both of them experienced it; they ran for cover and ducked as the Slovenian bombs were falling.

"Over the last 30 years, I have never seen a player dominate a competition like Luka Doncic is dominating this one," Lamas said.

They retreated as their armies hit the Spanish defensive fortress.

"When they are ready, they are the best defensive team in these Olympic Games," Hernandez admitted.

The two floor generals were left to count their losses. Two of them, for each of them, and zero time to call for reinforcements and backup, as they have one last battle to determine which team will be the last one standing from Group C: Argentina or Japan. Only one can go through.

"Of course I want to beat him. I want to win. But also, I know that he wants to win, too," Sergio Hernandez said with a smile.

A win alone is not enough. Spain and Slovenia will finish as number one and two of this group, and Argentina and Japan have a double mission here, to (1) win a game, and (2) to win it by a large number of points so as to put themselves in a good position when we have to sort out the cross-group classification of the third-placed teams. Two third-placed teams will advance, the one with the worst record or the worst points difference will drop out.

Sounds like a game full of tension. Maybe even strong enough to break a friendship for a week or two?

"If we win, or if Japan win, I know that we will still be friends, like always," coach Hernandez said. "This is life. Basketball is our job, it is not our life. Julio Lamas for me is more than a coach. He is a friend. Almost like a brother."

We'll check the regulations. Maybe we even set up an emergency board meeting to alter the eligibility rules and allow the losing coach to join his winning colleague as an assistant once more. Lamas to Hernandez, or Hernandez to Lamas. It's all the same for the "almost brothers."

FIBA