This article is also posted at hoops4life.com, an NBA fan site.

The Spanish National Team did their best, and forced USA Basketball to bring all their weapons to the table in order to avoid a tremendous upset. The world champions, lead by an outstanding Pau Gasol, put all their hearts on the court. Two days after "the great gold medal game ever" the whole country is proud of this group of players, who nearly touched the Beijing’s heaven.

 

I would like to introduce my article quoting Coach Gary Gaines in the film ‘’Friday Night Lights’’. His emotional speech expresses perfectly what I felt before, during and after the game.

‘’Being perfect is not about that scoreboard out there. It's not about winning. It's about you and your relationship with yourself, your family and your friends. Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye and know that you didn’t let them down because you told them the truth.

And that truth is you did everything you could. There wasn’t one more thing you could've done. Can you live in that moment as best you can, with clear eyes, and love in your heart, with joy in your heart?

If you can do that gentleman - you're perfect!’’

Spain was perfect in Sunday’s game.

They overcame every situation during the game. Each time that USA basketball got to an eight or ten points difference, Spain was back. They answered every hit and they played with pride, aggressiveness and heart.

Spain never downed their arms. Teenager Ricky Rubio was able to face the challenge and play with guarantees against point guards such as Kidd, Williams and Paul. Rudy Fernandez, the new Blazers player, brought Spain back to the game many times, with his three pointers and with his layups and dunks. His dunk over Dwight Howard was the greatest moment of the game.

Former Grizzlie Juan Carlos Navarro didn’t miss the date. After a disgusting tournament, Navarro rebirth as a star, getting many points and directing the game many times. Gasol was the full package. He was the emotional leader; he scored; and he fought on the trenches to grab many rebounds.

I want to name the rest of the players because they all did their jobs. Raul Lopez, Jose Manuel Calderon, Alex Mumbru, Jorge Garbajosa, Felipe Reyes, Berni Rodríguez, Marc Gasol and Carlos Jimenez were part of an historic team.

They were part of a team that one day, battling for the Olympic Gold Medal, faced one of top two USA Basketball teams ever; the team that one day decided to play without complexes; the team who nearly upset Kobe Bryant’s team; the team that put tears in Spanish eyes; tears of pride.

I will never forget the feelings this game of basketball produced on me.

Again, I’m going to quote Gary Gaines to finish the article.

‘’I want you to take a moment, and I want you to look each other in the eyes. I want you to put each other in your hearts forever because forever is about to happen here in just a few minutes.

I want you to close your eyes, and I want you to think about Boobie Miles, who is your brother. And he would die to be out there in that field with you tonight. And I want you to put that in your hearts. Boys my heart is full. My heart is full. ’’

My heart is full too.

Thanks, Spanish National Team. Thanks for the effort, for emotions and for the memories.