Eurobasket 2007 - Spain

Spanish Bulls against the rest of Europe

The team of Pepe Hernandez is ready and strong to win again. They have team spirit and play together, so one person can not decide. Especially the opponents should pay attention to youngsters Sergy Rodriguez and Rudy Fernandez. It smells this will be their time


By MILOS JEREMIC
from Belgrade, SERBIA


The planet will stop for a moment to greet the best basketball players of the Old continent by dancing Spanish Flamenco. Will the hosts of 35th Eurobasket tournament, the national team of Spain, do the same after final match in Madrid or putting together titles of World and European Champions will have to wait? Will Hellenics, at the moment when their country is suffering the hardest moments of its contemporary history, succeed to defend Belgrade's title won two years ago? Are Serbs ready for so long time announced come-back or the "Soviet school" by Lithuanians and Russians will be better than favourites before the tournament?

Spain - Time to pay off the years of waiting

Exactly ten years ago Spain was presented as a very good partner for friendly matches. At the beginning of July 1997 in Barcelona and Badalona the unstoppable was the national team of Yugoslavia, before Italians, never stronger in last 20 years and Russians leaded by Karachov, Kudellin and Bazarevich announcing the world final one year later.

Another trial of Spain was in Turkey 2001 but once more Yugoslavians were better. That loss in Istanbul's semifinal was hurt but also announced coming of one new world wave. Maybe the win against United Stated in the battle for 5th place in Indianapolis were just like that. Maybe the same was with Swedish final next year, too. But they were waiting and everything arrived on the World Championship in Japan last autumn. The rising sun came to Gassol and friends sending message that we will watch Spanish flag next year many times.

The team of Pepe Hernandez is ready and strong to win again. They have team spirit and play together, so one person can not decide. Especially the opponents should pay attention to youngsters Sergy Rodriguez and Rudy Fernandez. It smells this will be their time.

Greece - Yannakis, the Man born to be the King

Greeks won't have so strong players like Nikos Gallis, Panayotis Fassulas and today's coach Panayotis Yannakis were in 1980s, for a long time probably. They were contemporary Greek Gods brought to their country first gold in European Championships by beating the unstoppable soviet machinery then. From that time, there is still alive chemistry in the personality of team coach Yannakis. They won European title two years ago and the last year they won against U.S. "stars" in Japanese semifinal of World Championship but they fallen down on the last step and showed what could be a problem for them. They are too old. It is time for them to finish the career in national team: Papalukas, Dikudis, Hadzivretas, Kakiousis, Tzartzaris. It is a question if the youngsters can replace them adequatly: Vassilopulos, Zisis and Burusis, so they will be in big trouble if centre Lazaros Papadopoulos will have to bring all decisions.

They know how to play for the result. If they survive the start against Russia and Serbia, everything is possible. Maybe even one more golden medal?

Croatia, "Soviets" and French - waiting this time, too

Tony Parker, Marko Popovic, Sarunas Jasikevicius, Andrey Kirilenko and Dirk Nowitzky. If some national team has five players like this, it would be very close to the gold, for sure! Unfortunately, every of these guys will have to be a leader of his own national team

French expect much from San Antonio Spurs player, together with Boris Diao and Floran Pietrus. Croatians are waiting and they can make a surprise maybe even in the first phase, against the hosts, Spain. Mission impossible?

And Russians, they just can't wait for the game to start. They have Kirilenko, have Holden, too. Is that enough or they will have to watch old movies again and learn from USSR stars? The same thing about Lithuanians. They took golden medal in Sweden and put third championship title in their pocket but seems they will have to wait for new celebrations. They have hard task in first phase with Turkey and Germany. They would be favourites with Sabonis, Kurtinaitis and Marcullionis. They can make surprise but just like Germans and Turkey...