Gasol grabs another title with Spain on top of world

BEIJING Spain beat Argentina 9575 Sunday to win the FIBA Basketball World Cup for the first time since 2006, completing a stunning campaign for a squad considered by many to be among the outsiders when the 32-team tournament began.

The Spaniards scored first and never relinquished the lead, relying on swarming interior defence and superior rebounding to snuff out the offensive threat of 2004 Olympic champion Argentina.

Point guard Ricky Rubio racked up 20 points and three assists and Marc Gasol and Willy Hernangomez swatted three shots each as Spain pulled down 47 rebounds, 20 more than Argentina, en route to a comprehensive victory.

For Gasol, it was the crowning achievement of an incredible year that saw him win an NBA title with the Toronto Raptors before leading his national team to glory.

His 33 points in the semifinal victory over Australia put them in a position to fight for the gold medal, but it was his defence that put them on the top of the podium.

From the opening tip, the 34-year-old dominated the lanes to the basket that Argentina had used to such great effect against France, forcing them into outside shots that would not fall.

He and Rubio were rewarded for their performances in Spain’s unbeaten run to the gold medal with a place in the tournament’s five-man all-star team, which was announced after the final, with Rubio named the tournament’s most valuable player.

Spain’s win marked the second time they have won the tournament on Asian soil, having claimed the 2006 title by beating Greece in Saitama, Japan. Earlier in the day, France shot 43 per cent from behind the arc to take its second consecutive World Cup bronze medal with a 67-59 win over Australia. Reuters