SAN JUAN (William Rosario's Somewhere in the Americas) - The semifinals of the 2014 South American League are over. Final Four teams are set. Argentina’s Boca Juniors, Brazil’s Bauru and Mogi, and Uruguay’s Malvin will battle it out for the championship and the final spot to next year’s Liga de las Americas. Bauru seems to be the favorite to win it all, but in these semifinals they are not the big story.
 
The story is Uniceub’s elimination in this 2014 edition. The defending champs could not make it through to the finals after a good performance in what everybody acknowledges is a rebuilding year for them. Long gone are franchise faces like Nezinho Dos Santos and Alex Garcia. The only remaining player from one of the most important championship trios in Brazil’s national basketball history is Guilherme Giovannoni, and he deserves a special shout out.
 
With Uniceub out of the race for a Liga de las Americas spot, this will be the first time since 2009 that Giovannoni will not compete in the continental league. In five years with the Brazilian club, he has won three national league championships, two South American League championships and made it to two Liga de las Americas Final Fours.

He’s such a recognizable face in the continental basketball landscape that if there was to be a new logo for the league, he would definitely be there along with former teammate Alex Garcia (who now plays for Bauru and is looking to add to his trophy collection) and Leandro Garcia Morales as the league’s all time leading scorer.
 
Giovannoni is pure class. Never the tallest, fastest or most powerful guy in the court, but he always finds the way to contribute. He’s a natural born leader, with a huge heart and a true gifted scorer with a killer jump shot that he has used in more than one occasion to deliver in the most important moments.
 
His career average in both the South American League and Liga de las Americas is 18 points, with 8 rebounds per game. Last year, he was crowned MVP of the South American League and even against one of the greatest performances in the competition’s history by Leandro Garcia Morales, nobody really fought it. The man has earned the respect of those who love the game.
 
Sergio Hernandez, who coached him last year in Uniceub, described him as a connoisseur of the game, not only in the Americas, but also of world basketball. Everywhere I’ve seen him, he is one of the best players to interview at any time, during any circumstance. In 2013, after Brasil’s debacle in the FIBA Americas Championship when no player wanted to talk to the press, Giovannoni was there and present to answer each and every question. He gave no excuses and pointed no fingers. It was a master class on being honest and taking full responsibility as an athlete in the toughest of times.
 
That’s why it is no secret to anybody that has come in contact with Guilherme that he will be a wonderful executive after he leaves the game. I was there when he served as player representative in the Liga de las Americas summit celebrated before the 2014 season. He was direct about the things that needed to be improved from the players’ point of view. It’s amazing to watch a guy so cool, calm and collected become such an intense competitor in the court.
 
He will be missed this year in the league, but his greatness has been truly appreciated by the ones that have watched Giovannoni in this amazing five year run.
 
At the time I closed this piece, there was still one game left in this 2014 South American League for Uniceub against ComuniKT from Ecuador. Giovannoni scored 21 points, and grabbed 6 rebounds along with 5 assists in the game.
 
The man is still 34. There may be another run still in him. Perfect.
 
See you next year Guilherme!

William Rosario

FIBA

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