Take it to the hole!

My friend Cikku sat among a pile of books, empty coffee cups and stacks of biscuit wrappers.

His eyes were red and supported by extensive bags underneath his eyes. He looked almost fifty. He shifted slightly, turned a page, took a bite out of a chocolate chip cookie and stared at the pages of the book. He was oblivious to the world outside.

I had never seen Cikku like this, it was unnatural for him to sit down in one place for more than a minute, it was unheard of, for him to pour over a book for more than half an hour, it just wasn't him.

Apparently Cikku had failed in mathematics, a subject he was meant to be very good at, and was preparing for his resit. Cikku was very, very determined not to fail again.

Redemption

There are a group of players who feel very much like Cikku. They are Tim Duncan, Allen Iversen, Tracy McGrady, Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Nick Collison, Mike Bibby, Kenyon Martin, Ray Allen, Elton Brand and Richard Jeffesron, and are collectively known as team USA.

Last year the impossible happened. A group of NBA players, representing the USA managed to lose in the World Championships.

Actually they managed worse than that because they failed to finish in the top three, ending up sixth overall. Together with the humiliation of failure to win a medal, comes the fact that they also lost automatic qualification to the Olympic tournament.

The USA are currently playing in the FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament and they cannot fail to qualify.

It would be a great blow to US pride and an even bigger blow to the game as a whole.

All-Stars

Recognising the importance of this tournament USA Basketball has collected a much stronger selection of players in order to ensure that the minimum target of qualification is reached.

While Los Angeles stars Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant are not in the team, which is also missing Kevin Garnett, the list of players in Puerto Rico has several basketball greats.

Tim Duncan should be the most dominant player of the tournament in the paint while it will be hard for any team to match a backcourt that consists of Jason Kidd, Allen Iverson and Tracy McGrady.

Duncan will be assisted under the boards by no less than Jermaine O'Neal who is coming from a great season.

And more!

With players like Carter, Allen, Bibby, Martin and Brand coming off the bench the team will be unequalled in talent. Indeed the bench would make a great starting five!

This conglomeration of stars still has to prove it can be a team and that is why the no-nonsense Larry Brown has been selected to coach the team.

San Antonio Spurs' Greg Popovich has just won the NBA Championships and should make a pretty good assistant coach. He is another character who will not allow players' egos to upset a very expensive apple cart

So far so good

The USA started slowly against Brazil (Wednesday) and were only two points up at the break.

However, their defence slowly broke down the Brazilians who capitulated in the third quarter. The game ended 110-76. More importantly for the Americans the team showed a willingness to defend and rebound, to do the things that count rather than the things that show.

If they continue to do that, destination Athens should not be a problem.

Stephen Buttigieg may be contacted at coachsteveishere@hotmail.com