Luca Vildoza (L) of Argentina goes for the basket during the group B match between South Korea and Argentina at the 2019 FIBA World Cup in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Aug. 31, 2019. (Xinhua/Cheng Min)
WUHAN, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Five Argentine players harvested scores in the double digits, helping its team win over South Korea 95-69 in the second clash of Group B at the FIBA Basketball World Cup tipped off on Saturday.
Luis Scola pocketed 15 points and nine rebounds. Although Ra Guna led everyone with 31 points, his team had less chance to enter the last 16.
The World Cup also doubles as a qualifying event for the 2020 Olympics. Only the top team of Asia, other than the host Japan, will secure a place in the Olympics. Aside from South Korea, China, Iran and the Philippines will be fighting for the Asian spot at the competition. After the defeat, South Koreans have few opportunities to appear in the Tokyo Olympics.
Luis Scola's three-pointer threw his Chinese fans into a frenzy at the start of the game. The former NBA player enjoyed almost home-court advantage in China, leading his teammates to score a 9-4 run. But the Asian team responded a 7-0 run and outscored when 3:40 left before the first break.
"Scola is our leader. He is a time-stolen man. He got up at six o'clock in the morning and made himself better and better and better in these days," said Argentine coach Sergio Hernandez.
"I love him, and all China love him, I think," Hernandez added.
Argentina adjusted its defence tactic, the one-on-one press forced its rival to suffer three blocks, plus five turnovers in the first period. At the same time, the South Americans built up a two-digit advantage.
Ra Guna kept playing in the second period, trimming South Korea's deficits to six points twice. But Real Madrid's key player Facundo Campazzo who was back from a right ankle injury enlarged Argentina's advantages to 10 plus points again and let the Argentine team lead 43-28 before the half break.
"I am 95% (recovered), and I think I am very very good," Campazzo told Xinhua in the post-game conference.
Argentina started the second half on a 9-5 run. South Korea's Ra Guna is the only player of the Asian team who didn't give up resistance. Hold a 27-point advantage before the final period, the Pan-American Games gold medalists let all its bench players finish the rest of the game, winning 95-69.
"Argentina is a strong team. In the second half, we got tired, we lost many chances in the outside, " said South Korean head coach Kim Sang Shik.
Argentina will play against Nigeria in the second round game on September 2. While Russia will be South Korea's second rival at the World Cup.
