Spanish Player on Losing to Redeem Team: 'We Deserved to Win'

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All in all, Spain should be proud for taking a team of NBA All-Stars to the limit. There's no shame in losing to perhaps the most talented team to ever step foot on a basketball court ... right? That's not how Spain's starting center Felipe Reyes (pictured, getting demolished by Kobe Bryant) team sees it. From SportsYa.com (via HoopsHype)

"I think we deserved to win the gold medal because we did an incredible job. If it hadn't been for the officials, we'd have the gold instead of the silver," center Felipe Reyes said.

"If they had blown the whistle for the steps they take, the defense with the hands they use and had blown the whistle on everything, it's clear that we would have won. We got to within three points in spite of the referees, and if they'd been good, we would have won, pretty clearly," Reyes said.

"If the referees had followed FIBA rules, we would have won, but we are very satisfied with the silver," Reyes, who scored 10 points, said.

To be fair, Reyes does have a point: the referees were bad. That said, the only thing consistent about the refs was that they made questionable calls on both sides of the ball. Kobe Bryant and LeBron James were in foul trouble for much of the game, but the difference is that when Team USA had to sit someone, they had someone like Dwyane Wade or Deron Williams to take their spot. It was the Redeem Team's depth (and the short international three-point line) that won this game, not the refs.

Update: Jose Calderon isn't happy with the refs, either.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

8-26-2008 @ 8:18PM

B.R.V. said...

Reyes, quit whining!.....you sound like a big baby who can't accept the fact that you LOST! You managed to pull up every predictable excuse for losing......come to grips with it, being second best isn't all that bad because that is what you are. You didn't DESERVE to win anything.....the BEST team won. The American team was exciting, spectacular, and incredible to watch. It was obvious that they were the SUPERIOR team.

8-26-2008 @ 8:47PM

Rufusan said...

The best team overall won? YES
U.S. basketball can provide not 1 but 2 squads able to win olympics? I THINK SO
etc.
but:
Was this final game fairly played under same FIBA rules for both teams? NO WAY
Is that a way to corrupt the competition? Many basketball fans around the world think so
5 to 10 more turnovers really would have made a difference.
Here you are a good example:
http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=WLsDSB504ds

Sorry if funny english and congratulations

8-26-2008 @ 9:06PM

anthony washington said...

The spainards are a bunch of cry babies. They acted like spoil kids who didn't get their way. Throwing towels and jumping up and down ranting about everything. They should have had a dozen or more technical fouls called on them. Someone should teach them about moving screens.

8-26-2008 @ 11:52PM

Immortal Technique PSN: johnnynumber5 said...

What a bunch of cry baby losers. They need to quit crying and learn to have some grace. Our 2nd team could have beaten them easily. There were questionable calls on both ends but there is no way that the officials cost Spain the game. Absurd.

8-27-2008 @ 5:04AM

mcjesus said...

HEY REYES! Didn't you notice that the refing was equally horrible on both sides, all tournament long? I seem to remember Marc "the thug" Gasol elbowing and shoving smaller U.S. players with no calls made. Why couldn't you see that? Was your vision being obscured by you pulling your eyes back in order to look "asian"? Ya, I know you say that racially insensitive photo shoot was supposed to be a joke, but in reality, the only joke is you! Now here's something the "biased" refs should have told you, and the entire cry baby spanish team during the game: Stop throwing fits (and towels), sit down, and shut the f-up!

8-27-2008 @ 8:17AM

scott said...

Isn't this the same spanish team that took a racially insenitive picture mocking the chinese? I think spain was a bunch of jerks who played like thugs at times. The Gasol brothers look like cavemen and I think the Spanish team needs to be taught how to behave both on and off the court. What a bunch of classless losers!

8-27-2008 @ 8:55AM

frank said...

It was a close game from the get go;
Jose Calderon was missed by the Spaniards;
Coach K was sweating all the way;
Coach K knew that he was in a real game and
that is why he did not even used bench players
like Carlos Boozer and made the right moves
especially at the end;
Bosh was superb so was Kobe;
In a game like this so evenly matched the refs should
let them play more openly and freely either way a good
win for team USA with a very strong rival;

8-27-2008 @ 10:08AM

Ted said...

Let's face it. The USA is no longer dominate in sports. The world is getting better. We had to get the help of the pros to win basketball. We basically had pros in all sports but gymnastics. I can see Jim Thorp turning in his grave. He lost his medals (since returned) because he accepted $10.00 to play semi pro baseball. Sports are no longer sports. They are businesses.