By Antonis Stroggylakis / astroggylakis@eurohoops.net
Jakarta, Indonesia – While Canada swingman Dillon Brooks respects how the entire Spanish national team performs as a unit, he picks two players that he and the rest of his squad should really focus on putting handcuffs on.
“Juancho [Hernangomez]. He’s a really good player. And Willy [Hernangomez]. Willy is a great player,” Brooks said when asked by Eurohoops if there are any specific Spain players who require special attention from the Canadian squad ahead of a World Cup clash (Sunday 3/8) between the two sides that will determine which team will advance to the quarterfinals and which will return home.
“Both of those guys,” Brooks added. No, he didn’t name these two just because he knows them from the NBA.
Willy Hernangomez is Spain’s leading scorer and rebounder in the 2023 World Cup so far with 16.5 points and 5.5 boards. His younger brother Juancho has the second-most points with 12.3 while also contributing 4.3 rebounds
The two Hernangomez bros are also Spain’s main source of second-chance opportunities, contributing 2.3 offensive rebounds per game apiece. That’s almost five extra possessions. And in a knockout game like the one between Canada and Spain, every ball can be crucial.
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Brooks has done his homework about that, citing specifically “their [Hernangomez brothers] offensive rebounds” as something that Canada should absolutely eliminate. But he also knows that it’s not just about numbers with this dynamic duo since they can influence the game and damage an opponent in ways beyond what the stats sheet shows.
“They [Juancho and Willy] create a lot of mismatches for their team and the other teams,” Brooks added. “We got to match up their physicality and play harder than them.”
Brooks, a bona fide defensive specialist and a member of the 2023 NBA All-Defensive Second Team, is well aware that an offense is far more tricky to stop when it’s defined by cohesion, teamwork, and players who can connect with each other on the court with their eyes shut.
Spain has been putting all these in winning action at a top-notch level for years.
“They are unselfish,” Brooks mentioned. “They share the basketball. They play with each other for a long time. And they are a pretty big team. We got to beat them on rebounds.”
From his part, Canada forward R.J. Barrett didn’t want to name a specific Spain player that his team should be locked in on. The New York Knicks star believes that his opponents’ main advantage is their vast first-hand knowledge of the international game.
“Their biggest thing is their experience,” Barrett said. “Many of them are EuroLeague champions. They guys who’ve been playing FIBA basketball basically their whole lives.”
“That’s what we’re going up against,” Barrett added.
Spain, the defending world champion, is in the exact same situation as Canada. They marched into this game after their first defeat ( to Latvia) in the World Championship following three straight wins, ready to fight tooth and nail for their survival in the competition.
If there’s anyone who knows how dangerous the Spanish team can be when they play with their backs against the wall, that’s Canada coach Jordi Fernandez.
Fernandez, who hails from Spain himself, expects “La Roja” to prepare a thoroughly analyzed plan and put it into action with the ferocity befitting of a champion.
“They’re beaten and they are also hurt,” Fernandez said. “Spain is going to be a wounded animal, trying to fight for their lives. ”
Canada had just held their first post-loss practice in this World Cup, the morning after they were handed a major upset by Brazil. They were never in this situation before since they had crushed France, Lebanon, and Latvia with an average margin of 37.0 points.
Fernandez hopes to see his players’ bruised pride turn into hydrogen fuel ahead of their biggest World Cup game so far.
“It’s good because everybody… our feelings are hurt,” Fernandez answered when asked how different is to have a practice after a defeat. “And when your feelings are hurt you’re going to do whatever it takes to fix it. Usually in this setting, when that happens, you are ready for the next challenge. I know that our guys aren’t happy. But they showed up here, we watched the film, they’re working and tomorrow we’ll be better.”
Photo: FIBA Basketball