A little over a year has passed since the retirement of louis scola of the Argentina National, after the participation of the national team in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games -played in 2021-. But despite the short time passed, the surname of one of the greatest referents of the Golden generation plays again in the world of the orange ball.
This time it’s a matter of inheritance. How Tommaso Scola, son of Luifa and his wife Pamela, he was called up in the last hours by Martín Villagrán, coach of the team that will play the South American U-15 from 16 to 20 November in the City of Buenos Aires.
Thus, to the story that began more than 25 years ago, Luis, Olympic champion, world runner-up and legend of the Albiceleste team, now has the opportunity to add his own chapter to the second of his four children who He is already on the list of 17 players selected to represent the country.
Together with the rest of his teammates, he trains intensely from November 1st at CENARD until this Thursday 3rd, when they will move to Rosario for the commitment of the local association, and then return to Buenos Aires to continue training until the team. the tournament is defined and played.
Carrying the surname Scola can be a burden, for what his father meant and for the success of a company that will soon require him to follow in the footsteps of the legend, but it is very clear: “I could be criticized if I don’t play well, but I don’t change my surname for nothing”the 2.01-meter power forward commented in an interview earlier this year.
In June, facing the Under 17 World Cup which is held the following month in Spain, he participates, at the age of 14, in the preselection for that World Cup.
However, the coach Leo Gutierrez, Another member of the Golden Generation did not include him on the final list. Like this, If his presence in the South American Under 15 is confirmed, it will be his first official tournament representing the national team.. Of course, we still have to wait for the cut.
Who is Tommaso Scola?
He was born on April 17, 2007 in Vitoria, Spain, when his father Luis defended the colors of Baskonia in the ACB championship.
He plays pivot, is left-handed and is good at stepping on paint. He does not escape physical friction, he likes to impose himself with his two meters in height, although he also possesses a refined technique.
In the middle of the year his name was on everyone’s lips when he was called up by Leo Gutiérrez, in his first approach to the jersey with which his father knew how to shine. On that occasion he had to make a difficult decision: Italy and Argentina were looking for him.
“I shouldn’t have thought about it, I’m Argentine. I always prefer to represent my country”, Said the young people in an interview with Infobae.
The 15-year-old pivot plays for Varese in Italy, a club where his father Luis also played and of which he is currently executive director.
The son of one of the top executives of the Argentine basketball team confessed that when he arrived in the Italian peninsula he understood that he wanted to devote himself to basketball.
“When my father signed with Olimpia (from Milan), I joined the club and I realized that I had to get back on my feet because it wasn’t enough for me, I was far from the rest. They were all taller, faster and stronger. Also, I have a place as a foreigner and there are only two places … Then the pandemic caught me and I started training a lot with dad. And luckily I got better quickly. I felt like I was always doing the same things, but when I got back to the team I was surprised. I realized I had made a lot of progress and that’s when I decided I wanted to do it for a living, “said Tomás on that occasion.
When the tournament starts
The South American Sub 15 basketball will be played From 16 to 20 November in Buenos Aires. It will be the first official competition for the 2007 litter, which first focused on September and now has to adjust the details and define the squad to face the official competition.
This tournament will award three seats to next year’s FIBA Americas U16, which in turn qualifies four teams for the 2024 U17 World Cup.
Argentina will share the Group B. next to Bolivia, Ecuador Y Uruguay. Group A will consist of Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Colombia.
After a group stage in all against all formats, the best two from each zone will advance to the semi-finals. The Argentine national team will debut against Bolivia, then they will face Ecuador and close against Uruguay.
Source: Clarin
