By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Since 2001 and until this moment, the Spanish national team remains the most dominant team in Europe and as coach Sergio Scariolo said, this fact changed the whole outlook of Spanish sport.
According to the Spanish news agency EFE, the Italian coach who is the most succesful coach in the history of the Spanish national team stressed the fact that “in a complicated tournament from the beggining” the team found its way: “This team and the players to come and the Spanish sport in general owes a lot to the veteran players on our team and those who have left in previous years. They have changed the way we see elite sport in our country. I found a great sport but low in competitiveness when I came to Spain. They have managed to cultivate ambition and self confidence”.
Speaking about the tournament, he added: “We are happy and proud of this achievement. This medal is the ultimate conquest of any professional engaged in sports. I thank my players for the attitude and composure in a difficult time. It was a difficult year, a difficult tournament with two defeats at the start, which is unusual. We recovered, we stood up and we could reach our goal, achieving a medal”.
Scariolo talked also about the veterans who had a limited role: “Jose Calderon I have to tell you thank you very much. I knew that was his role from the beginning. He was the only player with whom I talked before he came to the training camp. He is a serious and mature professional and had an attitude that exceeded their expectations. it deserves this recognition. Navarro is our captain. He has been many minutes on the court in the past and now this has chance. We owe hom much as a silent leader. And Felipe Reyes, who is the only player in this roster who has nothing to do with the NBA but if he had gone there, the NBA would had fallen in love with him”.