Marquinhos, Laprovittola ready as Flamengo launch title defense
CANCUN (DIRECTV Liga de las Americas FIBA) - Brazil national team sharpshooter Marquinhos has been able to relegate his FIBA Basketball World Cup disappointment to the dustbin of history and put together, so far at least, another fine season with Flamengo.
The 30-year-old forward, who will lead the Rio de Janeiro side onto the floor on Friday night when it starts its DIRECTV Liga de las Americas FIBA title defense, played a leading role for Brazil at Spain 2014 but couldn't prevent his team from sliding out of the competition after a Quarter-Final defeat to Serbia.
Up to that game, the veteran had been one of the national team's best players.
Brazil had beaten Serbia in Group A and were confident they could defeat them in the Quarter-Finals, especially after laying waste to rivals Argentina in the Round of 16.
No one was more upbeat than Marquinhos before the rematch.
#SRBvBRA at 18:00 GMT+2 (#Spain2014 1/4 Finals)!
RT to support @Markim11_ pic.twitter.com/1WnhIVl9Yb
— FIBA (@FIBA) September 10, 2014But in the game against Serbia, Brazil imploded in the third quarter when Anderson Varejao picked up a foul and then both Tiago Splitter and Marquinhos picked up technicals while protesting.
The Serbians, who had been threatening to pull away before the Anderson foul, made five of six free-throws and then added a basket for a seven-point trip down the floor and took a stranglehold on the contest.
Ruben Magnano removed Marquinhos from the game and let him sit and reflect on the unravelling of his emotions, and the national team.
Putting together a treble-winning season with Flamengo is all that Marquinhos is worried about now.
They won the Intercontinental Cup by defeating last season's Euroleague champions Maccabi Tel Aviv, and now the hope is to defend their titles in both the FIBA Americas League and the Brazilian League.
Certeiro como sempre, @markim11_ lembra que falta só #1dia pra começar o #NBB7! #tachegando #contacomagente #vemnbb - pic.twitter.com/sPxZ32sAV6
— NBB (@NBB_Oficial) October 30, 2014While Flamengo are joint-third in the Brazilian LNB standings, their attention this weekend is only on the FIBA Americas League, with the Group B games to be staged in Cancun, Mexico.
Another player who featured at the World Cup, Argentina guard Nicolas Laprovittola, is excited about getting back into the battles on the continent.
"We want to achieve equal everything we achieved in 2014," he said.
Flamengo defeated Paulistano to capture the Brazilian league crown last year.
"We have come here with a lot of expecations," Laprovittola said. "This is a tournament that we enjoyed a lot last year and we want the same for this edition.
"We know that we came to defend the title and we believe that we can again be champions."
Flamengo started their season with a bang, with the victor over Maccabi Tel Aviv to lift the Intercontinental Cup.
Laprovittola was the MVP.
Que lindo compartir equipo con este monstruo!!!! MVP del torneo!!! Genio @nicolapro7 @Pontifex_es pic.twitter.com/NnhqtO4yjD
— Walter Herrmann (@CondeHerrmann) September 28, 2014If Marquinhos wants to show he can be a main man for Flamengo before returning to his national team for this summer's FIBA Americas Championship, so does Laprovittola.
Only he will be aiming for a return to the Argentina side that will play once again under Sergio Hernandez.
Argentina are in a delicate moment, with the majority of their golden generation gone and Hernandez set to rely on younger players.
Laprovittola wants to be one of those to wear the national team shirt at the FIBA Americas Championship. He can boost his chances by helping Flamengo win.
Flamengo are one of four sides in Group B.
The others are hosts Pioneros de Quintana Roo of Mexico, Malvin of Uruguay and Leones de Quilpe of Chile.
Each team plays the other, with games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
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