Passing of Olympic torch to younger players
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Luis Scola expected to be in the game competing until the buzzer sounded, because that鈥檚 how he always played.
Instead, his coach took him out in the final minute, triggering a standing ovation and an emotional farewell to one of the greatest players Argentina has ever produced.
That wasn鈥檛 the only goodbye on Tuesday on a historic day at the Olympics, where the curtain closed on an era of men鈥檚 basketball.
Scola鈥檚 apparent final performance for Argentina came hours after Pau and Marc Gasol played together for the final time for Spain, leaving holes to fill for countries who became champions through their brilliance.
鈥淚t鈥檚 time for new faces to show up,鈥 Scola said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 time for us to go.鈥
He hadn鈥檛 planned on saying that for certain, even at 41. Scola still loves playing and was still doing it well, averaging 19.7 points through the preliminary round.
But when both teams, the referees and the few people who were in the Saitama Super Arena saluted Scola with a lengthy standing ovation as Australia was about to finish a 97-59 victory, the message was delivered for him.
The tough, physical forward began to cry after hugging coach Sergio Hernandez and his teammates, and then waved to the people standing.
鈥淲hen you get that respect from your peers, people that we play against, refs 鈥 there were not a lot of people, of course, because of the situation 鈥 but I feel that鈥檚 the ultimate recognition,鈥 Scola said. 鈥淚 felt it in that moment, and it was kind of hard for me to keep my composure.鈥
He walked off the court with the game ball in his hand, finally ready to concede to Father Time.
鈥淚鈥檓 41,鈥 Scola said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 see that many people playing that are my age.鈥
Pau Gasol was, until Tuesday afternoon.
Like Scola, he tied the men鈥檚 basketball record by playing in his fifth Olympics. He is the No. 3 men鈥檚 scorer in the history of the Games, one spot ahead of Scola.
But after a 95-81 loss to the United States, Gasol confirmed it was his final appearance for Spain, and his younger brother strongly indicated he was finished as well.
They leave the Tokyo Games without a medal after Spain won one in the last three Olympics, but there was no sadness from the Spanish.
鈥淣o, because we had so many great moments,鈥 Marc Gasol said. 鈥淲e had way too many medals. When we started we were never supposed to win that many medals, and it started here for me in 2006 in this same arena, so it鈥檚 been a hell of a ride.鈥
Spain won that world championship in the Saitama Super Arena and captured another in 2019. There were also EuroBasket titles in 2009, 2011 and 2015.
About the only thing the Spanish couldn鈥檛 accomplish was beating the US. They were unbeaten after pool play in 2004 in Pau Gasol鈥檚 first Olympics, before the Americans eliminated them in the quarterfinals. Argentina went on to win that gold medal, the only one won by a country other than the US since NBA players debuted in 1992.
The US beat Spain again in the 2008 and 2012 gold medal games and the 2016 semifinals. There was one last chance to beat the Americans on Tuesday, but it was clear by then that Pau Gasol鈥檚 time had passed.
He needed surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left foot, and the two-time NBA champion had to work his way back into shape by playing last season in Spain with FC Barcelona.
Even though he was far from the force he had long been and didn鈥檛 even play after halftime on Tuesday, Gasol said his Olympics was a success.
鈥淎nd now, this was my last game with the national team, and I鈥檒l have to digest, figure out and talk with my family about whether it鈥檚 worth it for me to continue to play, or should I move on to different challenges and other goals in life?鈥 Gasol said.
Marc Gasol is still under contract with the Lakers and said he intends to return to the NBA next season, but he seems done manning the middle for Spain.
He only played 10 minutes on Tuesday and was scoreless. Spain鈥檚 most effective big man was Willy Hernangomez, while 19-year-old Usman Garuba, drafted in the second round by the Houston Rockets last week, also showed promise.
Maybe they will become the inside tandem the Gasols have been.
鈥淭hey don鈥檛 have to become Pau or Marc,鈥 Marc Gasol said. 鈥淭hey have to become themselves, and the only way to do that is with playing time. For that to happen, the older guys have to get out of the way.鈥
It could also be the end for captain Rudy Fernandez, who ended his fifth Olympics by going scoreless.
Just two years ago, Spain beat Argentina to win the Basketball World Cup in China and secure their spots in these Olympics.
But neither country showed it was still the contender it had been during its golden age.
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