BEIJING, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- Argentina head coach Sergio Hernandez said Friday that Manu Ginobili would be sent to the hospital and his status for Sunday's bronze medal match would be decided after the examination.

    Ginobili stumbled to the sideline with apparent pain on his ankle when he was running backward for defense with 3:39 left in the first quarter.

    The San Antonio Spurs' guard remained on the bench after being substituted by Andres Nucioni when Argentina were down by 12-4 to the United States. He went to the locker room after the first period and never returned for the rest of the game, in which the U.S. won 101-81.

    "He told me he sustained a pain on his ankle and couldn't play during the halftime break," Hernandez said at the post-game press conference. "He will be sent to the hospital for more examinations."

    "We couldn't just let the game loose when I lost a guy. I had to carry on. Now I have to work on my lineup in case Manu cannot play in Sunday's match," Hernandez added.

    The defending champions will meet Lithuania, which lost to Spain 91-86, in the bronze medal match on Sunday noon.