Brothers propel Spain at World Cup but not the Gasols

TWO brothers played a major part in propelling Spain to the Basketball World Cup semifinals in China – but it wasn’t NBA All-Stars Marc and Pau Gasol.

Cha rlot te Hor net s cent re Wil ly Her nangomez dr i l led 18 points a nd brot her Jua ncho, the Denver Nuggets forwa rd, scored 14 i n a 90-78 quarter-final win over Poland on Tuesday.

They have a long way to go to emulate t he Gasols, who have been at t he hea r t of a s uc c e s s f u l Spa i n te a m for nearly 15 years, but t hey could be poised to inherit the mant le of Spa i n’s sta ndout 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, t hey need to have concent rat ion a nd ma ke t he r ig ht decision s,” t he 58-yea r-old Ita l ia n told Fiba.com.

The Gasols are in t he t wil i g h t o f t h e i r b r i l l i a n t careers.

T he 34-yea r-old Ma rc, a t hree-time NBA All-Star, has been a v ita l cog for Spain at the World Cup, much like he was in t he Toronto Raptors’ h i s t or ic r u n t o t he NBA crown.

But the 39-year-old Pau failed to recover from a foot operation in time to make the plane to China.

Barring more injur y, the sixt i me A l l-Sta r a nd t wo-t i me NBA champion hopes to be in the Spain squad for one last Olympic hurrah in Tokyo next summer.

T hat r a i s e s t he u nusua l prospect of t wo sets of sibl i ngs on Spa i n’s roster i n Tok yo.

Sc a r iolo, who ha s t a ken Spain to t heir f irst World Cup semi-f i na l si nce 2006 – t he yea r t hey won it w it h t he Gasols – sounded a note of caution.

“They need to overcome obstacles when they have bad nights,” he said, referring to the Hernangomez duo.

“The World Cup is a great chance for them to prove themselves in bigger roles.”

‘See it, live it’

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 ga me i n a toug h se c ondround win over Ita ly with 16 points, pick ing up t he slack for his idol Gasol, who was u ncha r ac t er i s t ic a l l y qu iet with only t wo points and one assist.

The Hernangomez brothers h a v e ba s k e t ba l l i n t hei r blood.

Their “litt le” sister Andrea, who sta nds 6f t 1in (185cm), is i n US col lege basketba l l a nd i s a Spa n i s h y out h internationa l.

T he i r p a r e nt s , not a bl y mot her Marga r ita Geuer, a for mer i nter nat iona l, were a lso players.

Juancho, the youngest player on t he Spa i n roster, has sa id he wants to soa k up as much know-how from Gasol a s he c a n whi le t hey a re toget her in China.

“Time passes for ever yone, i nclud i ng Pau a nd I,” sa id t he elder statesma n of t he Spa i n tea m, who w i l l play Australia or the Czech Republ ic i n Fr iday ’s World Cup semi-f inals.

“Eventually we have got to pass the ethics we have as a team, the DNA we have, hopef ul ly g uys li ke Jua ncho a nd Willy see it and live it,” he told Fiba.com.

Gasol’s adv ice to them? “Everyone has different talent but it’s about the way you should carry yourself.

“And understanding the DNA of the team and what you are playing for.”