# Serbia vs Argentina game



## AleksandarN (Jul 9, 2002)

Serbia is the darkhorse team of the Championship.

http://www.fiba.com/pages/en/news/brea_news_arti.asp?r_act_news=15154&r_cat=473&page=1


In a dress rehearsal of the Group A clash between the two sides at the FIBA World Championship on August 24, Dragan Sakota’s young team established an early lead against the Olympic gold medalists and won convincingly with Igor Rakocevic and Darko Milicic providing much of the inspiration.

Rakocevic, who has taken over the captaincy from the retired Dejan Bodiroga, scored a game-high 18 points, burying four three-pointers along the way.

Milicic also provided evidence he could be one of biggest stars once the tournament tips off in Japan, adding 17 points with nine rebounds.

Serbia & Montenegro won the last two world titles when the country was known as Yugoslavia, but since their second triumph in Indianapolis when they overcame Argentina in the final, they have fallen on hard times.

The national team, now coached by Red Star Belgrade boss Sakota, do not have many of the veteran players who took part in last year’s EuroBasket yet they have now won eight of their nine warm-up games for the FIBA World Championship.

Argentina shot poorly, making only 20 of 66 (30.3%) shots from the floor.

Carlos Delfino poured in 16 points for Sergio Hernandez’s team while Luis Scola and Manu Ginobili weighed in with 11 apiece.

“This is a friendly game and it will be very different at the World Championship,” said Sakota.

“We have a young team and a lot of players haven’t played in a World Championship, but it’s good to see that they are finding their form.

“Nineteen points doesn’t tell the whole story.

“I saw Argentina play like this before the Olympics and they won the gold medal.”

Sakota’s team began the game ice cold in the opening four minutes as Argentina opened up an early 5-0 advantage, but the Blues gradually got into their stride, finishing off the first quarter with eight straight points to open up a 16-11 lead.

The scoring run from the European side continued early in the second quarter, with Rakocevic nailing the first three-pointer of the contest to put his side into a 10-point lead.

They threatened to run away with the game in the first half, opening up a 13-point lead at 35-22, only to have their advantage cut to six as both Daniel Farabello and Delfino made shots from the arc.

Delfino, who was hit while shooting, converted the free throw for a rare four-point play to reduce Serbia & Montenegro’s lead to 35-29 at the break.

Sakota’s team took control again at the start of the second half, again reeling off eight straight points to open the gap to 12 points.

Milicic made just one of four field goals in the first 20 minutes but found his shooting touch in the third quarter when he made all four of his shots - including a pair of threes.

The Serbo-Montenegrins then extended their lead to 18 points - their biggest of the game.

The South Americans fought back and a 9-3 run closed the gap to 67-57 early in the final period.

But Rakocevic and Co scored 11 consecutive points in the final three minutes to complete a comprehensive 19-point win.

Serbia & Montenegro will take on Spain on Saturday while the Argentinians will face Slovenia.


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## Sir Patchwork (Jan 12, 2005)

Good to see Darko continue to find his rhythm. Serbia has definitely been overlooked a little bit. 

I can't wait for the real thing to start so teams come hard and don't have the exhibition excuse.


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## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

If it was team USA who had the performance that Argentina did, there would be an uproar. This is the double standard I'm talking about. People want to say teams like Argentina are the favorites, but they don't carry the true burden of being favorites like USA does.


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## Diable (Apr 26, 2005)

I don't think that Argentina beat brazil by more than six or eight,but noone acts like that is a big shock 

At the same time the same people say that Argentina is the favorite and we aren't going to win because Brazil gave us a close game.


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## maradro (Aug 2, 2003)

expectations are obviously higher for you guys. 

I'm argentine and this loss doesnt worry me one bit. Sure, I would have preferred for them to blow out S&M not the other way around, but I prefer to lose in the prep games and qualy rounds. Plus, it seems other teams get confident when they beat us while it gives us an edge, we play much better with a chip on our shoulder. 

These games, with jet lag and everything, tend to be glorified shooting drills. We have more of a rivalry with Brazil than with S&M anyway.

Regardless, Argentina could lose every single prep game and I'd still bet on them to win it. This generation of players has earned that.


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## rainman (Jul 15, 2002)

Sir Patchwork said:


> Good to see Darko continue to find his rhythm. Serbia has definitely been overlooked a little bit.
> 
> I can't wait for the real thing to start so teams come hard and don't have the exhibition excuse.


darko and delfino doing well, both piston's benchwarmers, makes you wonder.


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## Real (Aug 3, 2005)

Too bad Nenad Krstic isn't on the team. :biggrin: 

In all seriousness, I was a bit suprised, but let's wait until the real deal starts.


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## rainman (Jul 15, 2002)

serbia seems to be going with a youth movement there, dont be surprised to see them be a powerhouse in the future.


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## kzero (Apr 30, 2006)

Haha. USA was given more crap about barely beating Brazil than Argentina was for getting rolled up and smoked by the Serbs.


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## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

By the by, Darko is going to blow up next year. He's been nothing but good since leaving Detroit. Looks like another instance where Larry Brown was wrong.


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## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

I wonder who Dumars would choose between Nazr and Darko .


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## kzero (Apr 30, 2006)

I drafted Darko #2 in fantasy league last year. Too bad he was still a benchwarmer on the Pistons last year


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## rainman (Jul 15, 2002)

Pioneer10 said:



> I wonder who Dumars would choose between Nazr and Darko .


does seem like they hosed that whole situation up doesnt it.


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## Ron Mexico (Feb 14, 2004)

took the world right out of my mouth,

everyone one has caught up to the U.S. , but the U.S. is held to a much higher standard,

imagine if the U.S. team were blown out in an exhibition game, every one would come in here to talk a whole bunch of trash


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