Spain's thrashing against Portugal warns of a dangerous fate in the Eurobasket

At the end of the 15th century, specifically in 1494, Portugal and Spain agreed to divide the world between them in what was known as the Treaty of Tordesillas. They established a meridian west of the Cape Verde Islands, which divided the issue perfectly . Half for you, the other for me. They didn't adequately resolve the issue on the other side of the globe; the spherical Earth was not very clear, perhaps because they weren't aware of the news from Eratosthenes, or even Aristotle before that. It had already been discussed a thousand years earlier .

The fact is that in 1529 they redefined the world once again, granting the Moluccas to Portugal (and their spices of cloves and nutmeg) in exchange for a generous sum and establishing an antimeridian that finally divided the earth's melon between the two powers. Things then took other tortuous paths. Today, Spain and Portugal can only divide the Iberian Peninsula , which has already been divided, although that territory of Olivenza (Olivença) remains quietly disputed.

And there's a little more, but with a good vibe, let's say. Countries get along well, until one puts on the national jersey . Because the rest is settled on the sports field, with a rather eloquent rivalry. And the duels in football, rugby, hockey are legendary... In basketball, there has always been a Spanish superiority . Today, the Portuguese are the 56th team in the FIBA rankings , ours are 5th.

A worrying defeat

But it was enough to earn the first defeat of the national team's preparation tour , in Malaga, to be more precise, with a score of 74-76, perhaps the least important, on the final scoreboard. The setback could be positive, allowing Sergio Scariolo to correct some aspects of his game, not necessarily all of them technical. The Spanish team lacks some basic elements, not all of which are easy to work on in the run-up to the start of the competition on August 27.

Assuming that talent isn't as abundant as it has been in other occasions, it's essential to progress through intensity and confidence. It's also crucial to have strong leadership within the squad , given the departures of the most recent locker room leaders and no consistent replacement for such an important role is in sight .

As if that weren't enough, this time, just like at the 2023 World Cup , Spain is playing without naturalized players , and there's currently a gap in the generation of established players. This shouldn't be misunderstood. Scariolo pulled out of his hat a quick naturalization of Lorenzo Brown , crucial for winning the previous Eurobasket 2021, which was held in 2022 due to the pandemic.

From there, a 9th place at the 2023 World Championships and a 10th place at the Paris Olympics in 2024. It's not wise to get too excited about this; the current situation doesn't invite excessive optimism. It must be said that since 1997, in Madrid, where Spain finished 5th, they haven't missed a single semifinal. In these 11 tournaments, they've won 4 golds, 3 silvers, 3 bronzes, and a fourth place in 2005, the year before winning the Japanese World Championships in Saitama. This time, there's a fear we won't make it.

And it wouldn't have been a bad idea to have gotten some extra reinforcements. Of our compatriots, only Santiago Aldama plays in the NBA, and at a high level. A great player, with little leadership chops, unless we truly believe that he's Spain's great hope these days and that it's not just about what he contributes, but what drives the team to believe and create.

Let's not get too worked up about this issue of naturalized players. One of them was the aforementioned Lorenzo Brown, who isn't playing this year, supposedly to rest, now that he's leaving Athens and PAO to join Milan. Before him came Serge Ibaka , who was in fact competing with Nico Mirotic , and before that there were others, well-known, admired, and beloved. Many of you will remember Clifford Luyk, naturalized in 1965 to strengthen Real Madrid and the national team, as well as Wayne Brabender in 1968.

Dominican Chicho Sibilio followed in their footsteps in 1980, and Juan Domingo de la Cruz, "El Lagarto," in 1981. This pair made waves in Barcelona. And they triumphed on the legendary Spanish team that won silver at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. There were others: Mike Hansen, who was born in Spain but was American, obtained American citizenship and participated in the 1993 Eurobasket. And of course , Johnny Rogers, also naturalized by naturalization (i.e., athletic performance), who participated in the 1995 Eurobasket.

It would take a book to write about this subject. If Jaycee Carroll, a Utah Mormon born in Wyoming, played for Azerbaijan, you could believe anything. Anthony Randolph, known as Toñete to his friends, was teammates with Luka Doncic and the Dragic brothers to achieve a minor miracle back then: the 2017 Eurobasket . Incidentally, that 18-year-old Luka averaged over 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists in the tournament. And he couldn't stop laughing. So, qualms aside, it doesn't hurt to revisit this issue now that we're facing a lean period.

With these oxen you have to plow

This phrase is used in Castile with the best of intentions, so as not to be perceived as malicious irony. But anyone who runs on the court knows what's there and what's not. And the Brescia coach has a tough job this year, once he's up against Jokic, Doncic, and Antetokounmpo. Spain's group, which includes Greece, Italy, Georgia, Bosnia, and Cyprus , should be overcome without any particular difficulties.

But the round of 16 will be the problem if they don't pass the triangular test against Greece and Italy. And the team is good, no doubt about it. But given this changing trend in the team's physical and emotional state, this isn't the best time, and we have to accept that. If Santi Aldama decides to take center stage, the Spaniard will likely be in the starting five for the tournament, and Spain will do well.

Then , a strong performance from the team's veterans will be needed: Díaz, Abalde, Brizuela, and the Hernangómez brothers will all need to reach levels similar to their peaks of last year to make the numbers add up. And they'll need to support the youngsters, whose presence is already perceived as marginal in the tournament. Yankuba Sima should try to take a step forward. A surprise in the Girona native's offensive performance could put Spain in a higher echelon. This Thursday, the second test against the Czech Republic. For now, it'll be more of the same.