18/08/2006
FRA - Parker ruled out of FIBA World Championship with injury
SENDAI CITY (FIBA World Championship) - France point guard Tony Parker was on Friday ruled out of the FIBA World Championship with a broken finger.
Parker sustained the injury after getting his finger caught in the jersey of an opponent during France's last warm-up game against Brazil on Tuesday.
He was initially ruled out of Les Bleus' opening game against Argentina, but on Friday - one day before the French team's clash with Argentina - coach Claude Bergeaud announced Parker would not play at all.
"Tony wanted to try and play with the injury but I didn't feel it was worth taking the risk." a distraught Bergeaud said. "He will not be playing in the tournament and will return to San Antonio to recover from the injury."
France captain Boris Diaw supported the coach's decision and encouraged Parker to get the injury attended to back home.
"With this kind of injury you never know what might happen," Diaw said. "He could play with his finger plastered but what if he gets hit on it again?
"If that happens, he will only make it worse and it will be tougher to recover from that injury."
Parker's absence changes the dynamic of the French team with back-up point guard Aymeric Jeanneau now thrust into the starting role, with Joseph Gomis promoted as a second string playmaker.
Prompting Parker's inability to play, France beat the 24-hour deadline for submitting rosters to tournament organizers FIBA and replaced the San Antonio Spurs guard with Mamoutou Diarra.
From Simon Wilkinson, Sendai
Exclusively for FIBA
Argentina v France
SENDAI CITY (FIBA World Championship) - The highly anticipated battle between San Antonio Spurs teammates Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker will not materialize as Parker was forced to pull out of the tournament after suffering a broken finger.
France have to figure out very quickly how to play without their star playmaker and will face a tough test against the Olympic champions.
X-rays taken on Thursday night revealed that Parker had a broken bone in the index finger of his shooting hand, an injury he sustained when he got his hand caught in an opponent's jersey during France's friendly against Brazil earlier this week.
Les Bleus may also be without veteran Laurent Foirest, who sprained his left ankle against Brazil and did not take part in full training yesterday.
Parker had not ruled out playing hurt, but France head coach Claude Bergeaud refused the idea of risking him further aggravating the injury.
"Tony has a broken finger and he won't be able to play for us in the tournament," Bergeaud said. "It's in his best interest to get it treated now and avoid making it worse. He wanted to try and play through it but I wasn't comfortable with that thought."
Meanwhile, the mood in Argentina's camp is not one of high confidence and invincibility as they appeared very sluggish and inconsistent in their warm-up games losing three of their final four games, including losses to Spain and Serbia & Montenegro.
But head coach Sergio Hernandez believes his men can turn things around.
"I hope this team can keep up with the high hopes and expectations. If we can come out with the same mental toughness and will that we played with in the World Championships in Indianapolis and the Olympic Games, we will be fine," he said.
There is a lot of uncertainty for both sides ahead of this game but this may play a part in making it all the more unpredictable and thrilling.
Karma really is a bitch, isn't she? I guess Ginobili will get off scot free now.Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
The World Championships don't end for another 16 days, but they already have taken their toll on the Spurs.
One day after Bruce Bowen was left off the United States' roster, the Spurs learned Tony Parker has a fracture near the tip of his right index finger.
X-rays taken in Japan on Thursday revealed the break. Because of the 15-hour time difference, the Spurs' training and medical staffs have had trouble contacting Parker to assess the injury's severity.
Conflicting reports from France have added to the confusion. One said Parker almost certainly won't play in France's opening game against Manu Ginobili and Argentina on Saturday. Another said Parker might try to practice today with his index finger padded and taped to his middle finger.
Parker was injured when his finger was caught in the jersey of Brazil's Leandro Barbosa in France's tuneup game Tuesday.
Bowen, meanwhile, returned to Miami on Thursday afternoon. Jerry Colangelo, managing director for the U.S. team, said he invited Bowen to stay with the team even though he wasn't going to be on the roster. Bowen opted to return home and see his family.
"It was most difficult (to cut Bowen) because he's such a classy guy and because he was very committed to making this team," Colangelo said. "He took it in a very classy way. He thanked me and the coaching staff for the opportunity, and he wished us well."
U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said Bowen was left off the roster, in part, because of concerns over the team's frontline depth. Houston's Shane Battier and Washington's Antawn Jamison were needed, Krzyzewski said, because they possibly could help at power forward.