FIBA 2010 World Championships Preview: Group A

ArgentinaLuis Scola
FIBA Ranking: 1
While both Manu Ginobili (birth of child) and Andres Nocioni (ankle injury) have withdrawn from the tournament, Argentina will not be short on NBA or FIBA experience in this year’s world championships. In fact in all reality for most this may be there swang song tournament of their dominance as eight on the roster are 30 or older and there does not appear to be an infusion of young talent filtering in the ranks.  Tough forwards Luis Scola will lead the way along with fellow NBA players Carlos Delfino and Fabricio Oberto. In the preliminary games Delfino has had to take more of a scoring role as he is their best playmaker with the loss of the two above mentioned stars.  They also will depend on point guard Pablo Priogini and center Juan Gutierrez, who both play professionally in Spain, to contribute more offensively and defensively then in past FIBA games.  Argentina, the #1 FIBA ranked team, is still a tournament favorite, and has had a solid preparation leading up to the world championships having won the Efes Pilsen World Cup final over Turkey in overtime earlier this week. Playing versus the host  in front of a hostile Turkish crowd and getting accustomed to the arena and local environement should be an early advantage for them. While they are a touch under strength, Argentina still has the players to be a championship contender and is the front runner in this division.

Serbia
FIBA Ranking: 5Teodosic
In recent years Nenad Krstic has been remembered for having a horrific knee injury whilst playing for the New Jersey Nets in 2006 and more recently for his chair throwing antics against the Greeks. Krstic was expected to provide an effective inside presence for the Serbs, but his antics cost him to miss the first 3 games of this tournament.  This loss along with the 2 game suspension of team leader Milo Teodosic has drastically hurt their chances of being the top seed in pool play. Teodosic is one of the best young European players (born in 1987) who should still be primed to have a big tournament.  Luckily for the Serbs, the country has enough talent that a loss of two of its starters does not have the same effect as a loss of two starters for say Angola.  Former Golden State Warriors center Kostas Perovic and 2010 second round draft pick Nemanja Bjelica will provide support while two of theirs stars are gone.  While recent draft eligible big man Miroslav Raduljica and 2011 draft eligible center Milan Macavan may need to contribute as well.  Serbia was thought to be a sleeper in this group but given the fact of the suspensions and that all non Serbians will root against them in this tournament it will be too difficult a task for them to come out on top in pool play or in this tournament.

Australia
FIBA Ranking: 11
The Australians haven’t had the ideal build with Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut unavailable due to injuries. To make things worse, veteran point guard CJ Bruton has withdrawn and big man Nathan Jawai has also opted to skip to tournament due to his impending fatherhood. On the plus side, the Aussies do have NBA players Patrick Mills and David Andersen to lead the way. Without two of the country’s best big men, the success of the squad will more than ever depend on the play of newly acquired Toronto Raptor, David Andersen. Andersen will have help from veteran Mathew Nielsen.

Guard Mills enhanced his reputation with his 2008 Olympic performance against Team USA and will again be called upon to provide the majority of offence for the ‘Boomers’. As of yet, Mills doesn’t have guaranteed NBA contract for next season, so he should have added incentive to perform well in Turkey. The injury of Bruton also will allow him to find his own shot from the outside more than looking to set up other players from the outside. Wing players Brad Newely and Joe Ingles have both had significant exposure to the international, European and NBA games and will need to shoot the ball well for the Australians to make any impact in this tournament. A top 3 finish in the group isn’t out of the question, and given their pre-tournament wins in France versus Brazil and host France the Aussies are coming in with confidence and momentum.

Germany
FIBA Ranking: 7
Coach Dirk Bauerman will unfortunately be the only Dirk on the German  National team’s bench in the 2010 Championships. The Dallas Mavericks All-Star has withdrawn from this year’s tournament along with Los Angeles Clippers center Chris Kaman. Taking the spotlight in their place will be promising big men Tibor Pleiss (31st 2010 draft pick by Ok City) and Robin Benzing. Pleiss was the first pick the second round of this years draft while Benzing (born in 1989) is a draft eligible prospect for the 2011 draft and has an opportunity to help his status in these championships.Robin Benzing

A more familiar NBA prospect to most is Elias Harris. Many of you may know Harris as one of Gonzaga’s stand out performers.  An athletic forward who will play the 3/4 at this level, he will need to be able to hit the open jumper and be able to create his own shot for the Germans to make it to the quarterfinals.  He considered entering the NBA draft this year but in the end decided against it to work on some of aspects of his games, but as a 21 year old sophomore will likely declare and be selected in somewhere in the first round in 2011. With the roster they have taken to Turkey, the Germans should be eyeing a top 3 finish in pool play.

Angola
FIBA Ranking: 12
A powerhouse in Africa, Angola is coming off their best World Championship result (2006) and will be looking to once again make it out of the group stages. With all of their players playing professional ball in Angola they are not well known by their opponents.  However, they will be led by former Valparaiso star Joaquim Gomes. With no player on the roster taller than 6”9, Gomez, like the rest of his teammates is a bit undersized but will be relied on for his veteran leadership having vast experience playing in FIBA competition and in Europe. He can expect some strong support from young undersized center Miguel Kiala (6 foot 6), who had a coming out part of sorts with some big games in the Under 19 World Championships last year. Yannick Moreira, a 1991 big man is another young player to keep an eye on. All in all Angola is a scrappy squad but advancing past the group stages might be not be an easy feat a 4th or 5th place in the group is the most likely scenario.

Jordan
FIBA Ranking: 38
Jordan will be led by Guard Rashiem Wright in this year’s Championships. He will need to be highly efficient from the floor to give his squad any chance of success. Guard Wesam Al-Sous can get hot from outside, while veteran Center Ayman Adais has the experience to be an effective post presence. Jordan have had an indifferent lead up to the tournament and will be very lucky to advance past the group stage.

Pool Play Prediction:
1. Argentina
2. Serbia
3. Australia
4. Germany
5. Angola
6. Jordan