By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Spain will meet the USA on Tuesday. They were drawn together on Sunday following the conclusion of the Olympic Games tournament preliminary round. The prevailing side will move on to the semifinals, while the losing side will return home.
Pau Gasol, in potentially his final run before retiring, has been on the wrong side of every encounter between Spain and the USA since the 2004 Olympic Games. His side is 0-5 in that stretch, including a couple of defeats in gold medal games.
“We have to compete for each possession and believe in ourselves, play smart, limit mistakes. It’s a unique opportunity to beat them, to do something very special we have never achieved in the Olympic Games,” noted Gasol underlining the importance of playing as a cohesive unit, as relayed by Mundo Deportivo.
Head coach Sergio Scariolo labeled his side as the underdogs in the buildup to Tuesday’s fixture. “The respect we have earned over the years will not necessarily work in our favor. They will be looking forward to facing us and be extremely focused,” he added.
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