1 - xAC
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GW Alums at World Cup (Pato v Yuta)
Argentina and Japan are finalizing their rosters and preparing for the upcoming World Cup at the end of August. Argentina is playing in the Pan Am Game starting next Wednesday against Uruguay.
Yuta is in Japan vying for a spot on Japan's roster, where Rui Hachimura has become the “new” face of basketball in Japan (how soon they forget). 
Because Japan and Argentina compete in different groups, it's unlikely they'll meet each other at the World Cup, but for practice, they are competing against each other in an exhibition on August 22 in the facility where Japan will host basketball during the 2020 summer Olympics. At the World Cup, Japan is in Group E, so they definitely have a game with the USA coming up. It appears that both will make the final squads (and both have Olympic aspirations), so it will be great to see our guys representing their countries in this prestigious event.
- BM
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Re: GW Alums at World Cup (Pato v Yuta)
Pato's also been posting practice pix in Argentina unis. I'd assume he's a lock if no injury.
- xAC
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Re: GW Alums at World Cup (Pato v Yuta)
Yuta in Tokyo yesterday, taking some time with his fans... This picture was sports headline picture in Japan Times.
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Thread Starter- xAC
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Re: GW Alums at World Cup (Pato v Yuta)
An article yesterday in the Argentine newspaper, La Nueva, lists the final 12 who will be moving on to the Pan Am games next week and then the World Cup. Pato is on that list, even though he did not play in Argentina's exhibition win over Puerto Rico.
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Thread Starter- xAC
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Re: GW Alums at World Cup (Pato v Yuta)
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Thread Starter- GW Alum Abroad
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Re: GW Alums at World Cup (Pato v Yuta)
Looks like Yuta will be wearing number 12...
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Re: GW Alums at World Cup (Pato v Yuta)
With Patricio starting, Argentina is off to a 2-0 start at the PanAm´s, beating DR in overtime today and blowing out Uruguay yesterday. Yesterday, Pato played less than 19 mins but still scored 14 with 3 boards and an assist (no turnovers). Today, he played over 26 mins with 8 points, 2 boards and two steals (Scola only played 19 mins and fouled out!). Expect another blow out tomorrow against winless Mexico at 1330hrs Eastern and then a game against either the USA or Puerto Rico in the semis.
(Worth noting the USA is being represented by a Big Least All Star team)
Last edited by GW Alum Abroad (8/01/2019 8:37 pm)
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Re: GW Alums at World Cup (Pato v Yuta)
Already in the semis, Argentina rested its regulars and those that played did so sparingly and with little gusto. Pato came off the bench for 17+ mins, went 0-7 shooting and Argentina folded the tent in the 4th losing (yes, losing) to Mexico. No matter, they play either USA or Puerto Rico in tomorrow´s late semifinal (9pm Eastern).
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Re: GW Alums at World Cup (Pato v Yuta)
Argentina play the Big Least All Stars (in USA jerseys) tonight a 9pm Eastern in the semis. Team Big Least lost by 3 to Puerto Rico last night...
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Re: GW Alums at World Cup (Pato v Yuta)
The Argentina-USA game will be on ESPNU. The U.S. team is coached by Providence coach Ed Cooley, which is why it's comprised of several Providence/Big East players. I believe E.Cooley put 3 or 4 of his own Providence players(along with Colin Gillespie from Villanova) on the team. What was the selection process for the U.S. team? I know they don't want NBA players for every international, but they could have selected some better college and high school players for the U.S team.
- PKGW
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Re: GW Alums at World Cup (Pato v Yuta)
The US team is almost unwatchable. No flow on offense at all. I agree that they could easily grab much better players who would gel just as easily.
I think USA basketball does it this way just because it is easy. Pick a coach and let him pull from his conference and that is that.
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Re: GW Alums at World Cup (Pato v Yuta)
Argentina 114 Big Least 75 FINAL. Pato had 14 points and was pulled before the 3rd ended (it was a blowout of PanAm proportions). Argentina play Puerto Rico tomorrow at 9pm Eastern for gold.
- xAC
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Re: GW Alums at World Cup (Pato v Yuta)
Argentina is highly ranked in the world and has a lot of established and experienced players. In watching the first four games, you can see that although Pato is usually the last scoring option, he plays a lot of minutes because he plays under control and doesn't go one-on-one (like many did often in the Mexico loss). He has at least 10 blocked shots, many leading to fast breaks. The USA team in the World Cup will be much better then this college collection, and still the favorite.
Japan, on the other hand, is an up and coming team that has not played much with the elite teams. There are, however, high expectations not only because Rui, Yuta, and Nick Fazekas, but because of other younger talent. Two players besides Yuta and Rui played in the NBA Summer league this year. Here's a summary of the expectations:
On a more somber note, as stated in the article, Yuta hurt himself in practice (ankle again). Let's hope it's not too bad.
Last edited by xAC (8/04/2019 7:14 am)
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Thread Starter- Thomas
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Re: GW Alums at World Cup (Pato v Yuta)
GW Alum Abroad is right about how badly the U.S. team got destroyed last night. The announcers even said that the U.S. team was never in it. I mentioned how Providence coach Ed Cooley had several of his players on the U.S. team, he may actually have his entire starting 5 on the team, he has at least 4 starters in David Duke, Reeves, Diallo and Nate Watson. They are joined by 2 Villanova players(Gillespie and Samuels Jr.), St.John's guard Mustapha Heron, Seton Hall star Myles Powell, and I believe a player from Butler(Wideman?), so it really is the Big East(or Least as GW Alum Abroad put it) All-Stars.
I know Ed Cooley is a highly respected coach in the Big East, so all the Big East coaches would have allowed their star players to play in the Pan Am Games, he should have put the high scoring Marquette guard(Howard)on the team, and maybe some guys from Georgetown.
Rui Hachimura played very well in the Summer League, if he becomes an elite/all-star player in the NBA, will he keep playing for Japan's national team? The players from overseas seem to have more pride in playing for their country than the American players, but if Rui may not want to compete in international competition if he is able to earn a max or super max contract in the next 4 or 5 years.
- xAC
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Re: GW Alums at World Cup (Pato v Yuta)
Rui may become an elite player, but I'm not sure that will determine his future play on the national team. As you said, some players are honor and duty bound. On Argentina for example, Ginobli, who was elite, always played, and so did Scola, who played 10 years in the NBA and averaged 12 ppg over that span. Spain has Rubio and the Gasol brothers, and some of the Eastern European countries can depend on their NBAers as well. Rui strikes me as one of those guys who will feel like it's his duty and will play whenever he can (as will Yuta).
Last edited by xAC (8/04/2019 11:27 am)
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Thread Starter- bobo
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Re: GW Alums at World Cup (Pato v Yuta)
Tony Taylor playing right now for 4 time TBT champion Overseas Elite vs Ohio State Alum in the TBT on ESPN.
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Re: GW Alums at World Cup (Pato v Yuta)
If I am not mistaken, Patricio Garino is the first Colonial the 100+ year history of GW men´s basketball to win a PanAmerican Games gold medal. Argentina 84 Puerto Rico 66. Garino had 11 points and 3 boards in the gold medal game.
- xAC
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Re: GW Alums at World Cup (Pato v Yuta)
News about other alumni:
KevLar, who will play this year with PJ in Spain on the Trapa Palencia Choclates, has really improved as seen in this video from his former team. He has gradually worked his way up to a top tier competition, although not the best (the league with Baskonia, Pato's team). KevLar is also a key member of the Danish National Team, but they didn't qualify for the World Cup.
Tyler has chosen Europe as his path back to the NBA, got engaged, and is starting training camp in Germany next week:
Last edited by xAC (8/08/2019 12:57 pm)
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