Fiba Basketball World Cup: Spain beat Argentina comfortably to win first world crown since 2006
- Spain last won world title in 2006 in Japan
- Champions were considered outsiders for the crown at the start of the tournament
The Spaniards scored first and never relinquished the lead, relying on swarming interior defence and superior rebounding to snuff out the offensive threat of 2004 Olympic champions Argentina.
Point guard Ricky Rubio racked up 20 points and three assists and Marc Gasol and Willy Hernangomez swatted three shots each as Spain pulled down 47 rebounds, 20 more than Argentina, en route to a comprehensive victory.
For Gasol it was the crowning achievement of an incredible year that saw him win an NBA Championship with the Toronto Raptors before leading his national team to glory.
His 33 points in the semi-final victory over Australia put them in a position to fight for the gold medal, but it was his defence that put them on the top step of the podium.
From the opening tip, the 34-year-old dominated the driving lanes to the basket that Argentina had used to such great effect against France, forcing them into outside shots that would not fall.