FIBA World Cup: Argentina, Spain move on to semifinals

Spain’s experience makes them tough in the stretch

For the third time in six FIBA World Cup games, Spain found itself locked in a tight battle as time wound down in the fourth quarter.

Against Iran in the first round, Spain closed the game by outscoring Iran 16-3 over the final 6:14, turning a 62-57 deficit into a 73-65 win.

Facing Italy to open the second round, it was a 15-7 sprint to the finish over the final 4:21 of the game that allowed the Spaniards to flip the script from a 56-52 deficit to a 67-60 victory.

They didn’t need the comeback dramatics against Poland on Tuesday, but Spain’s 14-6 finish over the final 5:42 of the game allowed them to put the game away after the stubborn Poles had gotten back to within four points at 76-72.

Spain’s experience came to bear down the stretch and Ricky Rubio of the Phoenix Suns had another solid performance, leading the Spaniards with 19 points and nine assists.

Willy Hernangomez of the Charlotte Hornets tossed in 18 points, veteran Rudy Fernandez added 16 — hitting 5-of-5 from 3-point range — and Marc Gasol of the Toronto Raptors went for 10 points and seven assists.

Spain shot 50 percent on the night (32-for-64) overall and was 11-of-28 (39 percent) from deep. Poland hung around with 48 percent shooting (29-for-60), but was 10-for-29 (34 percent) from 3-point range, was outrebounded 34-31 and committed 15 turnovers to just 13 for Spain.

A.J. Slaughter paced Poland with 19 points and six assists, while Mateusz Ponitka had 11 rebounds.

1) Spain using Gasol as facilitator, Rubio as a finisher. It’s an odd twist Spanish coach Sergio Scariolo, but his team is running its offense through center Marc Gasol on most of its trips down the floor, looking to collapse the defense and create looks and lanes for Ricky Rubio.

It worked to perfection against Poland, as Rubio was 7-for-11, including 3-for-4 from 3-point land, and scored 19 points, while also getting his drive-and-dish game on to the tune of nine assists.

It works because Gasol is a skilled passer and playmaker and is surrounded by good shooters. Rudy Fernandez turned back the clock with 16 points. Juan Hernangomez of the Nuggets knocked down 3-of-6 from deep and Sergio Llull also got good looks, but couldn’t convert.

2) The thought of Rubio with a jumper has to have Phoenix jumping. The knock on Rubio for most of his career is that he couldn’t shoot. Not a lick. Not even a little bit.

In eight NBA seasons, Rubio is a career 38.8 percent shooter and has made 32.2 percent of his 2.6 3-point tries per game.

All the passing and defense in the world isn’t going to open up an offense that has a guy who doesn’t have to be accounted for more than 10 feet from the rim.

Rubio is shooting 45.3 percent in six games in China (small sample size alarm goes off …. NOW) and has made 10-of-21 3-point attempts (47.6 percent) from the shorter FIBA arc.

Throw in averages of 15.3 points and 5.5 assists per game and the Suns might like what they got in free agency this summer.

3) Poland battles and has some youth to build with. Poland wasn’t supposed to be here at the quarterfinal stage, but here they were, making life frustrating for heavily favored Spain by not going away until late.

This was just the second time Poland qualified for the FIBA World Cup and its first appearance since they were fifth in 1967, when the tournament consisted of 12 teams.

The Poles won’t medal this time around, either, and while the average age of their roster at this World Cup is 29 years old, there is one youngster who looks very much like the future of Polish basketball.

Aleksander Balcerowski got his first taste of premier international competition at just 18 years old and the 7-foot-1 teenager got 90 minutes, scoring 18 points with 11 rebounds while hitting 6-of-15 from the floor.

That mark was dragged down by a 1-for-10 showing from 3-point range, but he’s got a solid looking stroke. His inconsistency appeared to be more a product of being on a big stage for the first time, as he was only 5-for-13 at the foul line.

Balcerowski will return for a third season with Herbalife Gran Canaria in the Spanish ACB after playing in just 10 games last season. He’s a project, but one worth watching. He entered the draft this year before withdrawing and might be back next year.