By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
The scheduling plans for both the men’s and the women’s Olympic Tournaments were officially confirmed and relayed by FIBA on Monday. Both tournaments will feature 12 national teams split into three groups in the preliminary stage.
Per FIBA: “The game schedule and tip-off times have been confirmed for the Men’s and Women’s Olympic Basketball Tournaments in Tokyo, Japan.
The men’s event will take place from July 25 to August 7, and the women’s from July 26 to August 8.
With a new format that has 12 teams drawn into three groups in each tournament, the top two national teams from each pool, and the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the Quarter-Finals.
The men’s tournament already has USA, Spain, Argentina, France, Australia, Iran, Nigeria and Japan. Four teams that win FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (June 29 to July 4) in Victoria (Canada), Split (Croatia), Kaunas (Lithuania) and Belgrade (Serbia), will complete the field.
Opening day has two mouthwatering games on the slate, with Australia squaring off against Nigeria in Group B at 17:20 local time (08:20 GMT) and France facing the USA in Group A at 21:00 (12:00 GMT). Australia, seeking their first medal in Olympic competition, will up against one of Africa’s most powerful teams in the Nigerians. France eliminated the USA, the three-time defending Olympic champions, in the Quarter-Finals of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China.
Another Group Phase game to circle on the calendar is between Spain and the team they beat two years ago in the World Cup Final in Beijing, Argentina. The Group C rivals will play on July 29 at 21:00 (12:00 GMT).
The four Quarter-Finals will be played on Tuesday, August 3, the Semi-Finals on Thursday, August 5, and both the Bronze and Gold Medal Games on Saturday, August 7.
The complete Olympic Men’s Basketball Tournament schedule is found here.
The Olympic Women’s Basketball Tournament field looks as competitive as it’s ever been with all 12 teams already known.
On July 27, the second day of the women’s event, hosts Japan go up against European juggernauts France in Group B at 10:00 (01:00 GMT) and Nigeria, who barely fell to the USA in the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade last year, will square off against the Americans again at 13:40 (04:40 GMT). Both of those are Group B games.
On the same day are Group C contests between Oceania heavyweights Australia and Belgium at 17:20 (08:20 GMT), and Puerto Rico against China at 21:00 (12:00 GMT). Puerto Rico are playing at the Olympics for the first time.
All eyes in the Far East will be on Japan’s Group B game against the USA on July 30 at 13:40 (04:40 GMT). The USA are taking aim at a seventh consecutive gold medal.
On Saturday, August 1, Spain, No. 3 in the FIBA World Ranking, Presented by Nike, face No. 4 Canada in a heavyweight contest.
The women’s tournament Quarter-Finals will be played on Wednesday, August 4, the Semi-Finals on Friday, August 6, the Bronze Medal Game on Saturday, August 7 and the Final on Sunday, August 8.
The Olympic Women’s Basketball Tournament schedule is found here.”
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL