4 Luís SCOLA (Argentina); 9 Nicolás LAPROVITTOLA (Argentina); 7 Facundo CAMPAZZO (Argentina)
03/03/2015
League
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Laprovittola upbeat about Argentina's future

MAR DEL PLATA (FIBA Basketball World Cup/2015 FIBA Americas Championship) - Argentina's fans must be feeling much better about their national team following some important performances by players in recent times.

Perhaps no one has fueled hopes of a bright future more than Flamengo playmaker Nicolas Laprovittola.

The MVP of Flamengo's Intercontinental Cup triumph over Maccabi Tel Aviv and the floor general in their team that won last year's DIRECTV Liga de las Americas, Laprovittola was at it again on Sunday night in Mar del Plata.

With Flamengo taking on Penarol in a battle for first place in Group F of the FIBA Americas League and the hosts having staged a dramatic comeback from 18 points down to tie the contest, Laprovittola saved Flamengo with a game-winning jump shot at the end.

Laprovittola had 18 points in the triumph.

He was also outstanding in Flamengo's first two victories against Halcones Rojos and Trotamundos, pouring in 16 and 13 points, respectively. 

Laprovittola, 25, played for Argentina at last year's FIBA Basketball World Cup but not as much as he would have liked with Pablo Prigioni and Facundo Campazzo logging most of the minutes.

Argentina coach Sergio Hernandez, who watched Laprovittola play well in all three games for Flamengo in Mar del Plata, may be thinking that he is now ready for a prominent role in the team.

Laprovittola isn't concerned about his playing time. He just wants the Argentina team to be successful.

"It's going to be a different pre-Olympic, the likelihood is that we will have less historic players than at the World Cup, with Campazzo at Real Madrid but playing little, without knowing whether Prigioni will play. 

"We all want for Manu [Ginobili] and for Pablo to play for the rest of their lives. That [Fabricio] Oberto continues to play, that the golden generation continues forever.

"They have given so much, all of them, that we want them to continue but the time comes when things change and the younger ones have to be prepared.

"Fortunately, we still have Luis [Scola] as captain and as the leader and we have to take advantage of his presence so that he continues to give us in the journey of effort, work, team play, making the extra pass.

"In other words, showing us the Argentinian school that we have enjoyed throughout our lives."

Laprovittola marvels at the success of Argentina the past 13 years.

They reached the Final of the 2002 FIBA Basketball World Cup and then captured an Olympic gold two years later at the Athens Games.

Argentina snatched a bronze at the 2008 Olympics.

I believe we can play at the international level. We can qualify for the Olympics in Rio, which is our aim this year. - Laprovittola

"We have to try to copy that path and try to give our best to the national team," he said. "Give everything.

"We have to prepare a lot of that and take advantage of the opportunity to prove that we can continue in the national team, playing at international level important tournaments. We have to take that leap."

Argentina had high hopes of success last year at the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

They did make it to the Round of 16.

Laprovittola has some great examples to follow. 

Argentina were solid at every position when they reached the top of the podium in Greece.

"We have always had good guards in Argentina," he said.

"With the golden generation, we had good centers, good forwards, we had it all.

"We had great players as guards. Perhaps we don't have the individual talent that the golden generation had, but if we work, we play in a good way, many things can be overcome and we can all play an important role.

"We will need to work with the players that are here and be patient.

Our coach will see the options we have. He's a coach you can trust because he's won many things. - Laprovittola

Laprovittola is upbeat about the national team's chances.

"We all have to take a step forward," he said.

"We want to qualify and we have to go out and get it, we need to have a winning mentality.

"I trust in our possibilities. We have a great team, a way of playing that other teams don't have and a great leader like Luis.

"He was in Caracas [at the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship] and helped the young players a lot and now we have to help him more."

FIBA