[McDunkin]

Spain won the Las Palmas Tournament with an 85-70 victory over Cote D’Ivoire in their latest warm-up for the FIBA World Championship.

Sergio Scariolo sent a full-strength team into battle with Ricky Rubio, Juan Carlos Navarro, Rudy Fernandez, Felipe Reyes and Marc Gasol the starting five.

Cote D’Ivoire, having lost to the Canada Development Team, looked much better in this one and gave Spain a run for their money through the first half.

Spain had built a 22-17 lead by the end of the first quarter but could still not get any real separation from the visitors and the score was 38-34 at half-time.

Cote D’Ivoire cut the gap to two, 42-40, in the third quarter, before Spain began to pull clear. Alex Mumbru hit a pair of free throws and Jose Calderon then nailed a three-pointer to make it 63-56, part of 17-5 run that finally broke the game in Spain’s favour.

Francisco Jose Vazquez led Spain with 11 points while Gasol and Navarro collected 10 each.

Mohamed Kone and Charles Abouo each had 12 and Brice Assie added 11 for Cote D’Ivoire.

Scariolo was delighted with the work-out his team were given.

“It was a useful match,” he said. “The level of physical and athletic demands imposed on us by Cote D’Ivoire have been high.

“I think we’re still good enough on a physical level to be able to cancel out the athletic ability of our opponents.

“We have more talent and, little by little, our skills and techniques have come through.”

http://turkey2010.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/10/fwcm/news/p/eid/4728/nid/42303/sid/4728/article.html

[lthozoosaoParticipant]

i was just with UMKC forward Daniel Brady and he is from Lake Oswego, OR and is best buddies with Kevin Love and Kevin says he’s almost 100% sure hes going to make the team

[Author]

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