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Spain gets another sibling set
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Two brothers played a major part in propelling Spain to the Basketball World Cup semi-finals — but it wasn’t NBA All-Stars Marc and Pau Gasol.
Charlotte Hornets center Willy Hernangomez drilled 18 points and brother Juancho, the Denver Nuggets forward, scored 14 in a 90-78 quarterfinal win over Poland on Tuesday.
They have a long way to go to emulate the Gasols, who have been at the heart of a successful Spain team for nearly 15 years, but they could be poised to inherit the mantle of Spain’s standout siblings.
“I would be so happy about that because Juancho and Willy are extremely talented players,” Spain coach Sergio Scariolo said. “They have needed experience on the court because they are in and out when they play in the NBA.”
“To be great like Marc and Pau have been, they need to have concentration and make the right decisions,” the 58-year-old Italian told FIBA.com.
The Gasols are in the twilight of their brilliant careers.
The 34-year-old Marc, a three-time NBA All-Star, has been a vital cog for Spain at the World Cup, much like he was in the Toronto Raptors’ historic run to the NBA crown.
But Pau, 39, failed to recover from a foot operation in time to make the plane to China.
Barring more injury, the six-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion hopes to be in the Spain squad for one last Olympic hurrah in Tokyo next summer.
That raises the unusual prospect of two sets of siblings on Spain’s roster in Tokyo.
Scariolo, who has taken Spain to its first World Cup semifinal since 2006 — the year it won it with the Gasols — sounded a note of caution. “They need to overcome obstacles when they have bad nights,” he said, referring to the Hernangomez duo.
Juancho, at 23 the younger brother by two years, has particularly answered that call, playing 137 minutes and averaging 10.8 points in China.
He was named player of the game in a tough second-round win over Italy with 16 points, picking up the slack for his idol Gasol, who was quiet with only 2 points and 1 assist.
The Hernangomez brothers have basketball in their blood.
Their sister Andrea is a Spanish youth international.
Their parents, notably mother Margarita Geuer, a former international, were also players.
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