MADRID (ACB) – He did not make many headlines, but for a while in Argentina's Olympic semi-final against the United States, Juan Gutierrez was arguably the best player on the floor.
After the South Americans fell behind by 21 by the end of the first quarter, and with Manu Ginobili having been lost for the rest of the Olympics with an ankle injury, Argentina coach Sergio Hernandez looked at his reserves and 2.05m forward Gutierrez delivered big style.
He scored six points and pulled down three rebounds in eight second-quarter minutes as Argentina cut the deficit to just six late in the first half.
The Americans would go on to win the game and the gold medal, while Argentina bounced back to defeat Lithuania in the bronze-medal game.
Gutierrez is playing as if the Olympic experience has given him a huge shot of confidence.
He had 11 points and five rebounds in Granada’s season-opening triumph over Bruesa and against Real Madrid on Thursday, Gutierrez had 22 points and six boards but his team fell just short in their upset bid, losing 81-80.
Spain’s Real Madrid captain Felipe Reyes had 22 points as well for the winners.
In other ACB games on Thursday, Unicaja Malaga following up their 17-point trouncing of Real Madrid with a 91-60 thrashing of Cajasol in Seville, and defending ACB champions Tau Ceramica improved to 2-0 with an 80-67 win over Ricoh Manresa.
BUENOS AIRES (Olympics) – BC Khimki’s Argentina guard Carlos Delfino will be sidelined for at least two more weeks as he continues his recovery from a broken finger.
The 6ft 6in shooting guard had a magnificent Olympics with the South Americans, averaging 14.1 points and 5.1 rebounds to help them capture a bronze medal, but while preparing for the new season with the Russian club he got hurt.
"The doctors have told me I will be able to return to play in a couple of weeks after fracturing a finger in my left hand,” he said on Argentina’s Basketball Federation website.
Delfino played in Italy with Fortitudo Bologna and joined the Detroit Pistons after the 2004 Olympics, going on to spend four years in the NBA.
He had his best season in North America last year with Toronto, averaging 23.5 minutes per game, but Delfino turned down a chance to remain with the Raptors after receiving a lucrative offer from Khimki.
"To have returned to European basketball was no surprise because I have played in the past there,” he said.
“I know the style of the game and what the European fans want.
"The expectations at Khimki are very high with the club executives having acquired several international stars like (Russia’s Vitaly) Fridzon and (Spain’s Jorge) Garbajosa.
"I am already in Moscow and it´s an enigmatic city. The language is a very important barrier but fortunately, I speak English and almost all my teammates and team managers also speak the language.
"I have a private chauffer named Alex, and he speaks good English. He is my great guide to the city and I´m in his hands!"
SAN ANTONIO (Olympics/NBA) – As unusual as it may sound for San Antonio Spurs fans, the ankle injury that knocked Manu Ginobili out in the first quarter of Argentina’s Olympic semi-final against the United States was probably a blessing in disguise for the NBA team.
While the injury kept Argentina’s most dangerous player off the floor at the worst possible time in Beijing, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich freely admitted this week: “Had he not hurt it in the Olympics, he probably would have done it 15, 25, 35 games into the season.”
Popovich, who was speaking to the San Antonio Express Newspaper, added: “It could be a blessing that he's gotten operated on. They've gone in there and cleaned things out. His ankle will be in better shape than it's been in years, I would imagine.”
Popovich said that Ginobili, who originally hurt his ankle in last season’s NBA play-offs, would be out of action until mid-December at the latest.
The Argentina superstar has been told to walk with crutches. As for physical activity, Ginobili is allowed to lift weights and swim.
San Antonio’s promising French center Ian Mahinmi, meanwhile, is out of the first several days of training camp due to a sprained ankle.
Mahinmi spent the majority of last season in the NBDL. In 45 games with San Antonio’s development team, the Austin Toros, he averaged 17.1 points and 9.2 rebounds.
BUENOS AIRES (CABB) - Argentina are hoping that Sergio Hernandez will remain in charge of the national side after leading the Albiceleste to an Olympic bronze medal.
The South Americans won the gold at the Athens Games four years ago under Ruben Magnano and this summer they overcame the loss of star guard Manu Ginobili to injury in their semi-final against Team USA and a troublesome knee that hobbled Andres Nocioni to beat Lithuania and clinch third place.
"We knew it wasn´t an easy process and Sergio did a very good job,” Argentina Basketball Federation vice president German Vaccaro said.
“In a world were results count, there is nothing to discuss. That is why we have offered him the chance to continue in charge of the national team."
Hernandez led Argentina to silver at the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship while in 2006, he guided the team to the semi-finals of the FIBA World Championship in Japan.
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