07/26/2021 2:40 AM
Clarín.com
sports
Updated 07/26/2021 3:47 AM
The Argentine basketball team debuted with a tough defeat at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games against the Slovenia of Luka Doncic, the European basketball phenomenon that amazes in the NBA.
By the first date of group C, in a Saitama Arena without spectators, the Europeans were much superior and prevailed by 112 to 100.
An unstoppable Doncic was the top scorer of the match, with 48 points, the second highest personal mark for a player in a match in Olympic history.
On the side of the blue and white team, the scorer was captain Luis Scola, with 23.
It was known from the previous one that the great challenge for the Argentines would be to stop Doncic.
But the Dallas Mavericks guard played very comfortable and brought speed and aim to the European team's game.
He scored 17 points (2-3 doubles, 3-5 triples and 4-4 free) in the first quarter, which Slovenia took by a good advantage, 32-24.
In that first chapter, Argentina had little efficiency from the line of three (1-8) and only avoided a greater disadvantage thanks to the points of Facundo Campazzo (seven, 2-2 doubles and 1-2 triples) and Luis Scola (six , 3-5 doubles and 0-2 triples).
Luis Scola is playing his fifth Olympic Game.
Photo AP Photo / Charlie Neibergall
The game continued in the second quarter to the rhythm of Slovenia, with Doncic on fire, who increased his personal harvest to 31 points (7-8 doubles, 4-9 triples and 5-5 free), and an outstanding performance behind the center
Mike Tobey
, who dropped nine defensive rebounds.
Argentina began to run more, was able to play a little more with the ball and, with more self-love and desire than effectiveness at the rim, came closer to five points, 34-39.
However, Slovenia quickly slipped away on the scoreboard again.
With a 12-0 run, he got 51-34 up, got to take a 22 lead (40-62) half a minute from the end and ended up closing the room 62-42.
The story didn't change much in the third quarter.
Argentina continued without finding its game, abusing the outside shot, but without aiming from afar (3-23 triples).
Scola was strong in the paint, with some penetrations and shots from close range (he reached 18 points).
But his contribution did not help much, because the team continued to be unable to stop Doncic.
The Slovenian guard continued to score points (he reached 35) but he also began to assist more and make his teammates play.
Thus, the Europeans had no problems moving further and further away on the scoreboard.
They held a maximum advantage of 30 points (82-52) with just under three and a half minutes left on the clock.
Campazzo was the second highest Argentine scorer of the match, with 21 points.
Photo AP Photo / Eric Gay
At the end of the chapter, the Argentines showed a bit of good play, as if to feed the illusion.
A double by
Leandro Bolmaro
, another by Gabriel Deck and a steal by
Luca Vildoza
to assist Deck within seconds of the buzzer left the partial result 88-66 for Slovenia.
The European team continued to manage the game in the last quarter, with an unstoppable Doncic, who finished with 48 points in his personal harvest, accompanied very well by all his teammates.
Klemen Prepelic added 22 and Vlatko Cancar, 12.
Argentina did not give up, despite the clear superiority of its rival.
In that room there were good passages from Campazzo (21 units), Deck (17), Vildoza (11) and Nicolás Laprovíttola (8).
But they were not enough to stop the Slovenian power, which closed the game without much trouble, with an average of 29.5 points per quarter.
Separate paragraph for the performance of Scola, who with 41 years and in his fifth Olympic participation, played 27 minutes and was the great figure of the selected team
Deck had a good contribution, with 17 points.
Photo Aris MESSINIS / AFP
"They played a great game, better than us. He has a superlative player, one of those who appear every 20, 30 or 40 years. We suffered it and they deserved this victory," the Argentine captain analyzed after the match.
"Obviously we did a lot of things well, because we scored 100 points. We have to enhance that, but also improve other things to be more competitive."
Argentina's second game will be on Thursday at 9 in the morning of our country against
Spain
, which will open against
Japan
(this Monday at 9).
The top two of each group and the best two third-parties will advance to the quarterfinals, where teams will not be able to meet rivals that they already faced in the first phase.
In group A they lead
France
, which surprised the
United States
in the debut
, gold in Rio 2016, and the
Czech Republic
, which beat
Iran
. And in the B,
Australia
, which started with victory against
Nigeria
, and
Italy
, which defeated
Germany
.