Around Sergio Scariolo (Brescia, 1961) and his work in the national team, the belief has grown in recent years that where the talent and physique of the group do not reach, their brilliance will do with the board. It is normal. He already has the best record in history: with eight medals in 10 championships, five golds (World Cup 2019, European Championships 2009, 2011, 2015 and 2022), one silver (2012 Games) and two bronzes (JJOO 2016 and European 2017). When the national team seemed to be approaching its decline, with the withdrawal of the generation of 80, that of Gasol and company, two of the most unexpected triumphs in memory have arrived: the 2019 World Cup and the Eurobasket last year. This is how Spain will arrive in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. As world and European champion. Without losing ambition, the Italian coach warns that there are no magic formulas. “We are going with a team that gives us the chance to compete, but from competing to winning there is an important stretch,” he assured in the interview with this newspaper after finishing the preparation and facing the start of the championship this coming Saturday in Jakarta, against the Ivory Coast.
Three wins and two losses in the preparation phase against potential teams from the USA and Canada leave lights and some doubts. Is the team ready for the debut?
Things are faced step by step and we are still in the construction phase. We still have to become the team with our traditional weapons, the ones that everyone knows, essential to compete with teams with superior talent. There is still room for improvement.
Is there time to grow in the first phase of the tournament?
Well, the first group already presents a very tough rival like Brazil and two more affordable rivals. But the big difference with respect to other editions is that before the goal began to be glimpsed at the crossroads. And, this year the objective is to reach the crossroads. That will mean not only having beaten Brazil but two other teams like France and Canada, as long as Latvia is not surprising, who are considered by the whole world above us. So the prospect is a little more urgent. We must think that, theoretically, we are out of the crossroads and from there, earn it by beating teams stronger than ours in the collective consideration.
We go against logic again but we also know what weapons we have to compete.”
Does the unanimous recognition you have achieved over the years give you more personal peace of mind or does it add more demands to the championship?
I don’t feel like anything has changed in my way of acting. And, of course, the concept that the coach’s magic wand will come along and fix it, we all know that is not the case. The issue may be that the players may have a higher level of confidence in what they do and that it is enhanced because of the successes we have experienced in recent years. But there are no magic formulas.
They arrive at the World Cup as European champions, world champions and number one in the ranking. It’s hard not to set a high bar for them.
The past does not count. Only the present counts and we are very clear about the position that we are awarded (between sixth and eighth in the ranking of candidates). This places us before the most difficult challenge we have ever had: not to be, in theory, among the teams that are in the fight for the medals. This is our challenge. We have to be very clear that if we are not capable of producing an extraordinary performance, we will not be at the crossroads. It is a consideration that we have to take very seriously.
There is no magic wand, perhaps the players play with more confidence due to the successes of recent years& rdquor;
Does it bother you that they are underestimated in those previous analyzes or is it already going well to release pressure?
They are forecasts based on the names of the templates. But they do not take so much into account the added value of our ability to compete collectively over the sum of the individual ones. And that is a very difficult factor to measure. But what we did in the last World Cup or the Eurobasket is beyond any possible logical forecast and, normally, logic tends to affirm itself sooner or later. Now we go against logic again but we also know what weapons we have to compete.
The team arrived at the concentration without Lorenzo Brown, a key player in the last title, and has lost Ricky. What do these casualties mean?
Ricky’s has been a trauma. It has meant colliding with an impalpable reality that is the mental condition of the players. His loss has led us to a second readjustment in a position such as the point guard that we presumed was strong and consolidated with Lorenzo Brown and Ricky and that has become unprecedented, with the commitment to a 19-year-old game director, with no experience in a major tournament, and with the complement of a player who has already participated in a very positive way as Alberto Díaz. We are confident that they can go to the best of their ability and that Llull will lend a hand. But we will have to see how we will adjust the situation.
Ricky’s loss has been a trauma. It was a consolidated position with him and with Brown and now it is unprecedented, with a 19-year-old point guard& rdquor;
What is clear is that he shows absolute confidence in Juan Núñez.
Honestly I have not had any doubts. Because I should? It is an ambitious challenge and requires calm, confidence, support from the team, courage. I don’t trust it’s Ricky or Lorenzo. Yes that he can be himself with everyone’s help.
Apparently in the preparation, the arrival of Aldama will allow them to add due to the speed with which he has joined the team.
He is an intelligent boy, with a high knowledge of the game and who has shown a lot of humility, a lot of interest and a desire to join the team with a very important role right from the start. Offensively he is smart, he can do a lot of things. We expect a progression, a defensive growth that is essential for him to be able to be on the field in difficult moments. We don’t want to overload him with responsibilities, but of course we know that he is going to help us from the first year.
Aldama is intelligent, he has put humility and desire into him and we hope he will be important from day one& rdquor;
The presence of Claver, reinforcing the old guard with Rudy and Llull, is one of the novelties regarding the European.
Claver has positively surprised me. He has not had the best season. And their physical conditions are not the same as five years ago. But it is the demonstration that maintains the spirit of this team. The selection has nothing to do with the clubs. There are situations where players get better here because they feel more important or more comfortable. Víctor has entered with the humility of a veteran who has won everything and without the guarantee of being among the 12 and has indisputably earned it.
After facing the US in Malaga, is your status as the US favourite?
Yes, without a doubt, he is the great candidate for the title. Canada and France are not far away. But they are one step below. Then there are a number of teams like Slovenia, Australia, Serbia that will be there. Germany is a great team and appears there too and, for me, Italy has all the wickers to get closer to the medals.
Does Spain get into that group of candidates for the podium?
Theoretically I don’t think anyone puts us there. But a championship is made of moments and overcoming phases. Right now, we have to be realistic and think that our title is to get to the crossroads and then fight for a chance. What would be a great success is to qualify for the Games. That would really be the ultimate in this complicated year.