ATHENS, July 20 - The International Basketball Federation on Sunday finalised the two groups for the Beijing Games men's tournament minutes after Germany won the final qualifying spot with a win over Puerto Rico.
Germany's Dirk Nowitzki (C) struggles for the ball against Puerto Rico's Jose Juan Barea (R) as Pascal Roller watches during their FIBA Olympic qualifying basketball game in Athens July 20, 2008. [Agencies] |
Germany and Greece, who had qualified on Saturday, will play in Group B which already includes Angola, hosts China, world champions Spain and a US team eager to regain the top Olympic spot after winning bronze four years ago.
Croatia, the third qualifier, was drawn in Group A alongside 2004 Olympic champions Argentina, Australia, Iran, Lithuania and European champions Russia.
"I had no preference as to what group we would be drawn in," Greece coach Panagiotis Giannakis told reporters after the draw in Athens.
"There are seven to eight teams that could all win a medal and we want to play the best and leave our own mark in the Olympic tournament."
Greece, tipped by many as a potential medal-winning team, qualified with ease, winning all their group and knock-out matches by a margin of at least 20 points.
"When you come up against such strong teams you have also the opportu`1nity to understand your own team better and that is good and we want that at Olympics," he said.
Germany coach Dirk Bauermann said his team was not aiming high despite possessing two NBA players in Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Kaman.
"We have no expectations. We are just happy to be part of the elite, of the world's best teams," he told reporters.
The top four teams from each group go through to the quarter-finals.
The men's competition starts on August 10, two days after the Games open and ends on August 24, the final day of the Games.
