The FIBA World Championship is only a few months away, so international teams are building their rosters and playing tune-up games around the world. Mendoza’s Secretaria de Deportes helped organize a two-game showdown with neighbor Chile to give the national squad a chance to scrap off some rust before heading to a larger tournament against Uruguay, Puerto Rico, and Brazil slated for early August. After that, it’s off to the world championship.

Although they hosted and won the original World Championship back in 1950, Argentina will look to build off their recent international success. Beginning with their 2004 Olympic gold medal, Argentina finished second and forth, respectively, in the past two World Championships. Unfortunately, they will be playing without their two best players, as Manu Ginobli has opted out to rest some lingering injuries, while Luis Scola is simply staying home.

Team captain Roman Gonzalez brings his massive 2.08-meter (6’ 9”) inside presence to the returning lineup, but his once explosive step seems slower now that he’s a 32-yearold veteran. No matter who ends up in the final lineup, Coach Nicolas Casalanguida should have his team ready to play its team-first style by August.

On the Chileno side, coach Juan Manuel Cordoba is not surrounded by the same amount of talent. Despite having four players who top 2 m (6’ 5”), including the 2.12 m (7”) Patricio Briones, the team lacks an aggressive inside presence required to compete at the international level. Briones has the potential to play tough, but uses his soft hands for perimeter shooting. Chile hasn’t won anything at the World Championship since taking home a pair of bronze medals in the 1950’s. The size and play of the current team leaves little reason to believe that outcome will change this year.

• As a photographer, I normally focus on travel photography but I’ve always had a passion for sports. While my two staple sports, hockey and NFL football are not available in Argentina; I’ve grown into a football (soccer) and basketball fan. When I heard about the international matches in Mendoza, I immediately remembered how much I enjoyed shooting the Peninsula Panthers hockey team. I decided inquire about a press pass. A few phone calls lead me to Mendoza’s Secretaria de Deportes press contact, Ricardo Fernandez. He understood my desire to shoot the game and bent over backwards to make sure I had everything I needed at the games despite my late inquiry. Gracias Ricardo!

Related posts:

1. World Cup Madness in Mendoza
2. Project 365: Only in Argentina Weeks
3. Landscapes of Ruta Internacional 7
4. Where to Submit, Sell and Market Travel Photography
5. Project 365: Mi Barrio de Mendoza Week

Tags | Argentina, basketball, basketball games, basketballs, chile, edition, fiba, geography, international game, international team, liberal democracies, liberalism, normally, political geography, press passes, puerto rico, republics, south american basketball championship, spanish-speaking countries, Sports, Travel, Travel Photography, vs, world championship