ARGENTINA
1990
If the Spanish World Championship was a turning point in terms of participants,
modernisation and television coverage Argentina could be considered the end of
an era. From this point on the World Championship would be completely different.
NBA players became eligible for FIBA competitions and the political changes in Eastern Europe would
reshape the map of the region with profound effects for some of the most important basketball
countries: the break-up of the USSR and Yugoslavia along with the reunification of Germany. When
the medals were awarded in the legendary Luna Park in Buenos Aires, scene of the first edition in
1950 a stage in basketball's premier competition was closed. This was the last appearance of the
USSR and Yugoslavia in a world championship. The USSR, reigning Olympic champions, fielded a
weakened side because the Lithuanian players, Sabonis, Marchulonis, Homicius and Kurtinaitis,
refused to play and their absence was strongly felt by the team. Yugoslavia was able to field a full
squad but the problems that would lead to a bloody civil war were just around the corner.
FAILURE OF SPAIN AND ITALY
Due to the lack of success of the 24 team format in Spain, mainly because of the poor quality of the
weaker teams, the entry in Argentina was restricted to 16, who played in four groups of four. The top
two in each group would go through to the second round which was also in groups of four and then
the definitive matches for the places would be on the cross system as used in Spain. The losing
teams from the initial groups would play a consolation phase in Salta.
Group A was held in Santa Fe on the banks of the River Parana. In the first match Yugoslavia beat
Venezuela, with their star player Carl Herrera, with more difficulty than expected (92-84). Puerto Rico
returned to the world championship with a new, improved team, determined to improve on the poor
image given by their early elimination in Spain. They excelled in interior play thanks to Jose “Piculin”
Ortiz and Ramon Rivas while Jerome Mincy contributed with his exterior shooting. In their first match
they won a very close match against Angola (78-75), they followed up with an improved victory over
Venezuela (88-74) and finished with a further victory over an embarrassingly bad Yugoslavia, who
made absolutely no attempt to win the match (they only scored 19 points in the second half) in the
hope of getting an easier semi-final at the expense of a more difficult second round group.
Brazil played in Rosario, very close to Santa Fe, and maintained the same group from previous years:
Oscar, Marcel, Gerson, Israel and the rest. The group was completed by Australia, who had taken
fourth place in the Seoul Olympics with Andrew Gaze and Luke Longley as their stars, China and Italy.
The Italian team was in a phase of reconstruction and had a lot of problems in the position of centre
with the inopportune injuries of Magnifico, Corta, Binelli and Rusconi. The presence of their best
players Riva and Brunamonti gave them some hope but their poor performance in the earlier
Goodwill Games, played in Seattle was a great cause for concern, they had been completely over-run
by Australia (106-78). Brazil, Italy and Australia all beat China easily. Brazil took an early advantage
by beating Italy (125-109) a day before Italy surprised Australia by winning 94-89. All seemed in
favour of Brazil and Italy but the reaction of Gaze and his team mates was not long in coming, their
last-minute victory over Brazil (68-69) in the final match put them through to the next round on
basket difference.
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FUNDACIÓN PEDRO FERRÁNDIZ
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP