Spain is tested with Lithuania in Las Palmas to start carburizing

MADRID, 15 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Spanish men's basketball team is measured this Tuesday against Lithuania (7:30 p.m. peninsular time) at the Gran Canaria Arena, a second step in its preparation for the Eurobasket in September in which Spain has to begin to understand each other on the track.

Sergio Scariolo has 16 players in Las Palmas, making up the list of 12 that will be at the continental event. The set-up began 15 days ago in Madrid with training and with the matches against Greece in Athens (86-70) last Tuesday and in Madrid (87-80) on Thursday, two tests that showed a demanding reality.

To the Spain of the FIBA ​​'windows' was added the experience of Sergio Llull, Rudy Fernández, Willy and Juancho Hernangómez, and the nationalized Lorenzo Brown, but Scariolo misses the quality of other years. The shadow of the Gasols, Sergio Rodríguez or Ricky Rubio is long and the three-time European champion is facing a challenge that forces her to give everything and try to touch excellence.

From a non-negotiable defense, the Italian coach is tightening the screws on his players, although Giannis Antetokounmpo's Greece showed them that they are not among the first line of favourites. The two-time NBA MVP ate Spain in Athens and, in Madrid, the Spanish team returned it to the Greek.

However, the Bucks did not play that last game last Thursday, where at least Scariolo did see improvements in his team in a WiZink Center with 13,000 people in the middle of August. Las Palmas will give its warmth to a team that, despite having important casualties -the last one being Alberto Abalde and he points out that Usman Garuba will also be one-, has room for improvement and a strong legacy behind it.

As against Greece, Spain will find another physically tough rival in Lithuania, which is why Scariolo insisted in the previous round on the need to win "toughness" and appealed to "pride" and "intensity" to be able to compete one on one against anyone .

"We must not waste a second. When it is time to face rivals as demanding as Greece or Lithuania, we must go out on the field with pride, toughness, intensity and concentration to reach the point that our abilities will allow us to. We are progressing in our work renewal and growth," said the technician.

In Madrid, the Hernangómez took the step forward that is expected of them, power and NBA quality, while the entry into action of Sergio Llull, absent in Athens, was also noted. Spain needs more of the naturalized Brown, of Xabi López-Arostegui, of all Scariolo is looking for a step forward in a double trial against Lithuania that will have its second half on Thursday in Vilnius.