Argentina joins Australia with 2-0 Diamond record

Manu Ginobili leads his team to another victory. (Photo credit: CFP)Photo Gallery>>(BEIJING, July 31) -- Argentina took a 75-60 win over Serbia to top group B in the 2008 FIBA Diamond Ball for Men on July 31 in Nanjing, China's Jiangsu province.

2004 Olympic champion Argentina came out with all their big-name starters, including NBA stars Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola and Fabricio Oberto. Yet their best man in the first quarter was center Roman Gonzalez, who plays for Mar del Plata's Penarol club. He scored nine points in the quarter, including a three-point play. Vujanic Milos led Serbia's counter attack, scoring five points while dishing out two assists. Argentina led at the quarter's close, 21-18.

Serbia bounced back in the second quarter with a 16-7 run, extending their lead to 34-28 after a three pointer from Novica Velickovic. However, they couldn't stop Argentina's forward Andres Nocioni from reviving his team. Thanks to five points from him and a field goal from guard Carlos Delfino, Argentina reclaimed their lead with 35-34 going to the half.

Nocioni continued his strong performance in the third quarter. He and point guard Pablo Prigioni led another Argentinean offensive, with Nocioni netting seven points and Prigioni contributing five. Their team scored 20 points in this quarter, while only giving up nine to Serbia, to put the game safely in Argentina's control at 54-42 at the end of the third quarter.

Serbia reduced the deficit to seven points in the middle of the fourth, but their efforts were overwhelmed by a 14-4 run from Argentina's NBA force. Center Oberto and guard Ginobili, both from the San Antonio Spurs, contributed six points and eight points respectively, ending up with a final score 75-60 in Argentina's favor.

Ginobili was the top scorer that night, netting 18 points. Nocioni scored 15 points while grabbing eight rebounds. Branko Cvetkovic was Serbia's top scorer, getting 13 points in 20 minutes. Argentina beat Serbia in a big way on free throw shooting, sinking 19 out of 25 while Serbia only managed to hit 10 of their 23 attempts at the line.

Argentina will face Australia, the group A leader, in the Diamond Ball final on August 1. On the same day China will play Iran, while Serbia will compete against Angola.