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CANADA DRAWS SLOVENIA AND KOREA IN FIBA OLYMPIC QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT FOR MEN (Toronto, ON) Canada’s senior men’s national basketball team has drawn Slovenia and Korea in their group for this summer’s FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Athens, Greece from July 14-20. The top three finishers from the qualifier will earn the right to compete in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China, August 9-24. The groups for the tournament are as follows:

Group A: Brazil, Greece and Lebanon
Group B: Cape Verde, Germany and New Zealand
Group C: Canada, Korea and Slovenia
Group D: Cameroon, Croatia and Puerto Rico

The teams placed 1st and 2nd in each group will advance to the Quarter-Finals; the teams placed 3rd in each group will be eliminated. Canada’s possible cross-over opponents are the countries from group C: Cameroon, Croatia and Puerto Rico. “I like our draw,” said Men’s National Team Coach Leo Rautins. “We’re playing in Greece, so anytime you can stay away from them it’s a good thing.” Still, Rautins wasn’t looking beyond Canada’s first round opponents. “Korea is a very tough team with a 7”4’ centre and they are a tremendous three-point shooting team. They can definitely spread the court out. Slovenia as well, everyone is familiar with Rasho Nesterovic of the Raptors, but they have four other players in the NBA and they’re certainly a team that we have to be concerned about,” said Rautins. “They’re a very tough team. There are no easy games, but we are very optimistic about our team’s chances,” concluded the coach.

The nucleus of the senior men’s national team that finished fifth at last summer’s FIBA Americas Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada is committed to returning for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, with Rautins adding that others, including Miami Heat forward Joel Anthony of the NBA, will vie for a spot on the team as well.

The schedule for the tournament is as follows:

Preliminary Round
14th July 2008:
Game A1: Greece vs. Lebanon
Game B1: New Zealand vs. Cape Verde
Game C1: Korea vs. Slovenia
Game D1: Croatia vs. Cameroon

15th July 2008:
Game A2: Lebanon vs. Brazil
Game B2: Cape Verde vs. Germany
Game C2: Slovenia vs. Canada
Game D2: Cameroon vs. Puerto Rico

16th July 2008:
Game A3: Brazil vs. Greece
Game B3: Germany vs. New Zealand
Game C3: Canada vs. Korea
Game D3: Puerto Rico vs. Croatia

The teams placed 1st and 2nd in each group will advance to the Quarter-Finals; the teams placed 3rd in each group will be eliminated and may return home. The games of the Preliminary Round and the Quarter-Finals will be played at 13:00 hours, 15:30 hours, 19:30 hours and 22:00 hours. The exact order of games will be fixed in March.

17th July 2008: Rest Day
3. Quarter-Finals:
18th July 2008:
Game 13: A1 vs. B2
Game 14: B1 vs. A2
Game 15: C1 vs. D2
Game 16: D1 vs. C2

The games of the Quarter-Finals will be played at 13:00 hours, 15:30 hours, 19:30 hours and 22:00 hours.

4. Semi-Finals:
19th July 2008:
Game 17: Winner 13 vs. Winner 15
Game 18: Winner 14 vs. Winner 16

The two winners of the Semi-Finals will qualify for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The two losers will play in the Finals the game for the 3rd place (Game 19 below) for one remaining Olympic spot. The Semi-Final games will be played at 19:00 hours and 21:30 hours.

5. Finals:
20th July 2008:
Game 19 (20:00 hours): Loser 17 vs. Loser 18

The winner will qualify for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Canada Basketball (www.basketball.ca) is a private, not-for-profit corporation that is committed to the growth of the sport in Canada. Just as important, Canada Basketball is focused on the development and preparation of Canada’s national teams for the Olympic; Pan American and FISU Games as well as the World Championships. The aspiration of Canada Basketball is to instill the pride, commitment, passion and respect that Canadians personify into the development of basketball across the country and internationally.

The tentative schedule for 2008 Canadian Senior Men’s National team is as follows: FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Men Greece (GRE) July 14-20: Olympic Games Men’s Tournament China (CHN) August 10-24 2008 (upon qualification).


For more information please contact: Andrew Cook, Manager, Men’s Elite Performance, Canada Basketball Tel: 416.614.8037 x 210
e-mail: acook@basketball.ca
Website: www.basketball.ca