Pau Gasol saluted his Spanish team-mates who have proved that no matter how good he is, they can still win the big games without him.

Spain defeated Croatia 101-85 in overtime to reach the semi-finals of the EuroBasket and secure a place at FIBA World Championship 2006 in Japan.

"It's been a mad ending to the game," said Gasol to PA Sport. He is at the EuroBasket as a commentator for Spanish television.

"But the best thing is we have won," he said. "This has been the most open quarter-final of all.

Spain power forward Fran Vazquez, the 11th pick in the NBA Draft this summer by Orlando, emerged as a force in the international game.

		Juan-Carlos Navarro led Spain with 36 points

He scored 26 points, pulled down nine rebounds and blocked three shots, while also grabbing the offensive rebound and scoring with a put-back just three seconds from the end to send the game to overtime.

Juan Carlos Navarro also shone again, pouring in 35 points in a virtuoso second-half performance as Spain.

"Fran Vazquez played a great game, Navarro was outstanding," Gasol said.

"Navarro had a difficult start to the game, but he slowly recovered and scored 35 points. But I have to say, Croatia were a great team and you have to feel for them because they lost their cool at the end. It was down to frustration."

Indeed, Croatia showed they are a wonderful side, even after losing Zoran Planinic and Mario Kusan to injury in the first quarter.

Now Spain have to take on Dirk Nowitzki and Germany, who stunned Slovenia in their quarter-final.

"Germany is a difficult team who have a star player," Gasol said.

"They (Spain) cannot forget about the rest of their players because we would make a mistake if we did that as this game has proved.

"It's interesting that in the quarter-finals, the teams that have gone through have not done so with the exception of this one which was an open game."

Jorge Garbajosa was his usual solid self, as was Jose Manuel Calderon and Navarro.

But Vazquez played like a man possessed.

"I take my hat off to Vazquez," Gasol said. "He's played a great game. He's been given minutes, and he's showed he's got a lot of character, making the crucial free throws and then the basket to level (at the end of regulation).

"He's played more minutes today than in the previous three games, and it's difficult mentally to achieve that, but he's done it."

Gasol will now hope to play in Japan next summer at the FIBA World Championship. He did not play this September as he is resting a foot injury.

"I am extremely happy," he said, "not only because the team is going to play in the semi-final, but because we are going to play in the World Championship."

Spanish president Jose Luis Saez was also in a jubilant mood.

"This was a victory of pride, of character," he said to PA Sport.

"Tomorrow (Saturday), we are going to win. I can feel it. It's going to be difficult, but we are the only team to finish first in the group to qualify for the semi-finals and the only team that will compete in four consecutive EuroBaskets for a medal."

When asked how Spain had been able to achieve so much in Serbia & Montenegro without Gasol, Saez added: "Pau is the best player of all time for Spain, but this win has proved that we have a great team and these players are fantastic.

"This is only the beginning. Spain can go for the gold medal."