Takes from blog brothers: Manu looks strong in Super 4 Tournament

Manu Ginobili looked in mid-season form over the weekend in his early work for his Argentina national team.

Ginobili erupted for 22 points in 20 minutes of action to help Argentina to a 106-53 victory over Venezuela to win the Super 4 Tournament as the teams prepared for the FIBA Tournament of the Americas later this month.

Jeff Garcia of Project Spurs.com has a few snippets of the .  It’s a typical Ginobili performance as he dives and hustles around the court looking to make plays. In the process he shows little lingering rust from his injury-marred end of the 2011 season.

Chilai of Pounding the Rock.com was at Orfeo Stadium to watch the Argentina team and about the effort by Ginobili, Fabricio Oberto and their teammates. Watch for his “Manu alerts.”

Garcia also has an update from the performance of first-round draft pick Cory Joseph with the Canadian national team. The rookie point guard in  Canada’s 74-67 triumph over Belgium in the Jack Donohoe International Classic.  

Here are some other Spurs-related stories from across the blogosphere.

  • Andrew McNeill of 48 Minutes of Hell.com wonders if the Spurs might have arranged for Danny Green to play for the Slovenian team Union Olimpija to .
  • ESPN.com’s Andy Katz reflects on Kawhi Leonard’s on the West  Coast for San Diego State.
  • Robby Lim of Spurs World.com provide a on Nov. 5, 2008.   
  • Howard Herman of the Berkshire (Mass.) Eagle reflects on .
  • Jerry DiPaola of the Pittsburgh Review has a profile of Pitt wide receiver Cameron Saddler, a 5-foot-7 junior .
  • The Sacramento Bee’s Ailene Voisin believes Vlade Divac belongs in the Naismith Hall of Fame because of the way he like Ginobili.
  • The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn describes into the Hall of Fame.
  • The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Tim Sullivan describes how Leonard’s early departure from San Diego State for the school’s Academic Progress Rate score.
  • Gilmore calls Hubie Brown the during his pro career, the Jacksonville Times-Union’s Gene Frenette reports.   
  • In case you missed it, here’s a story that Express-News colleague Heath Hamilton wrote about how athletes of today like Parkerthan those of previous generations.
  • Eric Johnson of the Bleacher Report.com predicts the Spurs – once next season finally begins.

Pop plans trip to Olympic qualifying tournament in Argentina

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is forbidden from contact with his players during the NBA lockout.

But it doesn’t mean he can’t watch some of them play at tournaments.

According to the L.A. Capital website, Popovich at Mar Del Plata, Argentina, from Aug. 30 to Sept. 12. (Hat tip to Spurs World.com)

Among the players who are set to play in the tournament include Spurs guard Mario Ginobili, who will be playing for the Argentina team in his first substantial action since recovering from his broken arm sustained during the playoffs.

The tournament will be full of NBA quality players.

But I would bet  Popovich’s major interest will be in checking out Ginobili and his progress – even if he isn’t supposed to talk to him if the lockout is still continuing.

Poll: Since there is a lockout, is it OK for NBA players to play for national teams?

Without insurance from the NBA during the lockout, international players and their country’s teams have been working to clear the path for play this summer.

Those issues have been cleared for Tony Parker to play for France this summer. Argentina is still working on fixing things for Manu Ginobili.

How do Spurs Nation readers feel about international play? Has the NBA lockout changed your mind?

Vote in our poll: