WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ATHENS 1998
For their part, Yugoslavia relied on their defence to hold Argentina to 62 points and win through to the semi-finals. Yugoslavia found it difficult to break down a team who at one stage was in front by 52-51 at a very heated point of the match. Espil( 18 points) was the only player who Obradovic ' s team never managed to contain, whereas the team from the Balkans was able to count on two finely-tuned couples: inside, Rebraca and Tomasevic, and outside, Bodiroga and Djordjevic, in what was probably the best match from the genius whom injury had almost ruled out of the competition.
The Argentines proved to be very inconsistent and finished in eighth place. They key men( Nicola, Sconochini, Oberto and Espil) never coincided in having a good day and two youngsters left the championship without making any sort of impression whatsoever: Pepe Sanchez, who didn ' t score a single point and would later go on to play in the NBA, while Manu Ginobili would win an NBA championship ring with the San Antonio Spurs.
YUGOSLAVIA REGAIN THE THRONE ON THE BACK OF A STRONG DEFENCE
Yugoslavia suffered tremendously in the semi-final against Greece and were unable to win until overtime after a“ non-game” which finished after the regulation forty minutes in a very poor 57-57 draw. Fortunately, in overtime with the match now taking place for real, they put in everything which they had withheld before to win 78-73 in a masterly demonstration by Bodiroga which left the host team pipped at the post, full of frustration for being unable to relive the scenes of 11 years beforehand. The only survivors from that occasion were, on the court, Fassoulas, and on the bench, Yannakis. The centre was more help as experienced support but even so, his long arms were still capable of making shots. The team was built in the image of the coach and former guard; hard fighters with little tactical disposition. The main difference came from the front with Alvertis and the centre with Economou, whereas Rentzias was overshadowed for long periods by Fassoulas and the guard, Koronios played more for himself than making the play for his team mates. He was light years from emulating his predecessor Yannakis.
The semi-final between Russia and the USA was also very close and was won by a single basket in favour of Sergei Belov, the legendary forward who had faced the Americans so often with differing results, and his team. Russia found themselves a new Sergei, in this case Babkov, to open a way through the American defence. In each match Tomjanovich ' s men had a new cross to bear. In this case it was definitive as the power-guard who would later triumph for Unicaja in the ACB scored no less than 30 of the 66 points scored by the Russian. The Americans were held to 64.
The USA had to be satisfied with third place on the podium, which they achieved after beating a lacklustre Greek team which had neither the brilliance nor the resolve to face the final challenge. It was a success for a group of players who had never imagined themselves in such a situation, not even in their wildest dreams.
Journeymen, some of them very good, plying their trade in European basketball gave a good account of themselves in Athens with all the enthusiasm in the world. No match was easy for them but they never pulled back from the fray. The best that can be said of them is that from the very start they were aware of their role and gave their all for every minute they were on the court. Alexis, Oliver and Sasser, all three with ACB experience were the best in a side that should have been a dream but ended up a mere team, but a team that finished the tournament with bronze medals round their necks.
242 FUNDACIÓN PEDRO FERRÁNDIZ