Monday, September 06, 2010

While the Angola national team saw its run at the 2010 FIBA World Championships come to an end Monday afternoon at the hands of the squad from the United States in the round of 16, former Valparaiso star Joaquim Gomes had a standout performance, leading all players with 21 points.

Gomes shot 9-for-12 from the field in 28 minutes of play, including a pair of 3-pointers, for his game-high scoring performance while also grabbing four rebounds.  The 21 points came despite going up against a USA front line including NBA stars such as Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala, Danny Granger, Kevin Love, Lamar Odom and Tyson Chandler.  Even with Gomes’ best effort, Angola was unable to defeat the USA, falling 121-66 to the American side.

Gomes has been a lynchpin in the success of the Angolan squad for the better part of a decade now, as the 2010 FIBA World Championships marked his fifth time representing Angola in senior international competition (three FIBA World Championships, two Olympic Games).  Gomes closed the 2010 tournament with averages of 13.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while helping lead Angola to the knockout stage for the second straight World Championship.