The most tortuous road to gold

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Something will have that land if Spain has lived there three of the great peaks of its history: world champion in Saitama 2006, silver in Beijing 2008 after an anthological final and this unexpected gold in that same Wukesong Arena. It was recognized by Scariolo himself, with the gold still hot. "We knew our limitations of talent," but the group supplied them with sweat and commitment. "A deserved prize, not given away," said the Italian, this gold that began to forge two years ago in the first concentration of Benahavís.

The 'Spain B'

And it would be unfair to start tracing this path without selecting the Windows . The FIBA ​​devised qualification phases for the big tournaments in which, by dates, except in July, the NBA, Euroleague or Eurocup players cannot participate. For Spain it meant doing it without any of those who won the bronze at the 2016 Olympic Games and the 2017 Eurobasket. The mess is big. Slovenia, current European champion, was left out. But the selection was achieved thanks to the 29 players (22 debutants) who raised their shoulders.

Many knew that they had very few options to travel to China, that others would enjoy the prize, but they gave a lesson in commitment. The muddle of the windows served at least to give visibility to that middle class who has not always found room in the selection. That of Spain B was not a way of doing anything but of showing off the wardrobe. The first steps of this long road were taken by them. And in thanks, Scariolo entered Colom , Beirán and Rabaseda in the final minutes.

Low important

Spain did not enter the pools of the World Cup. If we are sincere, almost not in those that were made at home. It was not lack of faith, but painful casualties. Starting with Pau Gasol , who had to undergo a stress fracture in the navicular bone of the left foot. Of course, the same day he announced his operation marked the goal of Tokyo 2020, his more than possible farewell.

Nor would Sergio Rodríguez , who confessed the "need to stop" because of the great physical and mental wear of the season. Nor Nikola Mirotic , focused on his return to Europe, or Serge Ibaka , who has not been since the 2014 World Cup - tried Marc Gasol and Scariolo, teammates in Toronto. And neither Alex Abrines , who had not played since February because of a depression that fortunately seems overcome.

The 'new' leaders

For the first time in 20 years Spain faced a tournament without gold juniors . The absence of Pau and the farewell of Juan Carlos Navarro left a huge void at the head of the selection they have filled among many. The oldest of the Gasol defined it very well in the open letter that he published in 'Marca' before the final: "No, you are not Pau and Navarro. You are Marc and Ricky ." Marc, who, despite his NBA season going to 103 games, kept the word Scariolo had given him. And Ricky, who lives a bright maturity.

But also Rudy Fernández , who has been 14 tournaments with the national team (since 2004, Eurobasket only missed 2017). The body no longer gives it to be a reference in attack, but has managed to recycle in luxury secondary. Sergio Llull , back after the serious injury he suffered two summers ago, or Victor Claver , basic in the dark labors. The two, like Ricky, still young but with nine tournaments behind them.

A start with doubts

As in the Eurobasket of 2009, that of 2015 (both ended in gold) or the Rio 2016 Games (bronze), Spain started again a large medium gas tournament. It is tradition, but it is still disturbing and doubts were inevitable. Spain started from one of the most affordable groups, but again it took color. The score of the premiere against Tunisia (+39) masked many sweats (Africans came to send for 10 in the second act). The image left by the modest victories against Puerto Rico (63-73) and Iran (73-65) was that of a somewhat fair and not very fluent team in attack.

"Let's play, host!" Scariolo thundered in the second game, although without much effect: against Iran, Spain flirted with the disaster, although he saved the victory and 3-0 in the first phase. There seemed to be more concern outside than within the selection. "Worried about why? Busy a lot," Marc Gasol cleared. "Learning to suffer is fine. The team's resilience, knowing how to suffer, defending, looking for another position and communicating ...". As Scariolo said after the suffered triumph against Iran, "this has always happened in the national team."

15,000 kilometers

Since leaving Madrid three weeks ago, Spain has traveled more than 15,000 kilometers. Between the transfer to China (more than 10,000 km) and the distances of a continental-sized country like China, it was assumed that the selection would accumulate many flight hours, but the road in the tournament has made it even harder. The trip from Guangzhou to Wuhan to play the second phase was almost 1,000 kilometers. "It is not a comfortable trip, but it is what it touches," Gasol anticipated. But the crosses made it more complicated.

When passing like first of group, Spain would have to return to the south of the country to dispute the crossing of rooms in Dongguan. If it had been second it would have been Shanghai, about 200 km closer to Wuhan, but especially 1,000 km closer to Beijing, the last season of a tiring World Cup.

The great awakening

Scariolo said it before starting the game against Italy. "It's the moment of leadership." In the same way that the Spanish team is lazy to start the tournaments, it is also punctual to wake up on D-Day at time H. The triumph over Italy was not 'nice', but it did announce the awakening of that competitive nature with which He knocked down Serbia, one of the favorites for gold, eliminated Poland and survived against Australia.

Because Australia was, above all, a masterful survival exercise. A duel in which he came down 11 in the final stretch, and in which he had to rely on the defense in the last possession to force the two extensions. There it was clear that, although this was the first tournament without 'gold juniors', the competitive gene passes from generation to generation. And in the final, another day of saving, they put the task with an impeccable task against Argentina.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

• sports
• basketball
• Basketball World Cup 2019
• Spanish Basketball Team
• Pau Gasol
• Marc Gasol
• Sergio Llull
• Álex Abrines
• Nikola Mirotic

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