It takes a special type of player to turn in the kind of performance José Costa did this summer with Portugal - one year after the huge disappointment of missing out on a EuroBasket that he had dreamed of playing in one day.
After a bit-part role in qualifying games under former boss Valentyn Melnychuk, Costa didn't make the team that competed in the Final Round in Spain last year.
Costa was included in Moncho Lopez's squad for this year's qualifiers, though.
After playing and failing to score in two of Portugal's first three Division A games - all defeats - Costa did his best imitation of a super hero and helped rescue his national team.
Instead of being on a team that suffered relegation, Costa sparked the side in the last two games and helped them reach next year's EuroBasket Additional Qualifying Round.
He smiled in vindication as he walked off the court following the 93-92 win over Latvia that leveled Portugal's Group B record to 3-3.
Several days after the achievement, Costa, who had 19 points in a win over FYR of Macedonia and 29 in the triumph over Latvia, admitted to Basketball World News: "After the EuroBasket 2007, I really considered retiring from international competition.
"This summer, due to the absence because of family reasons of (Portugal's Euro2007 playmaker) Filipe da Silva, coach Moncho explained to me that he needed a player with my qualities.
"I found that attitude very humble, and I accepted it.
"He explained what he wanted from me, and that was enough to show the coach‘s ability to communicate and changed my mind."
Melnychuk left Portugal to coach his native Ukraine, and they won just once in six games.
The Portuguese looked as if they might be even worse after opening the qualifying campaign with three losses in a row.
"We took some time to assimilate the coach's philosophy. When we did it, we responded well with three victories," Costa said.
"We never considered relegation."
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