By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
After a thrilling group phase came the semifinals. Excitement rose and now is set to reach its peak.
FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments are entering the final stage, with those who remained fighting for the last four spots at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Hosts of OQT Piraeus, Greece, led by NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo, proved their strength by defeating the Dominican Republic and Egypt in the group stage, and then powering through Luka Doncic-led Slovenia in the semifinals.
They will face Croatia in the final, who beat Slovenia in the groups but lost to New Zealand, and finally edged out the Dominican Republic in the semis.
The winner will join Group A of the Olympic Games alongside Australia, Canada, and the Valencia OQT winner, which will be Spain or Bahamas.
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Both sides reached the final with a perfect 3-0 score. Team Bahamas defeated Finland and Poland in the group stage and Lebanon in the semifinals. On the other hand, Spain beat Lebanon and Angola before recording a narrow semifinal win over Finland, at La Fonteta.
At the FIBA OQT in Riga, the host Latvia will play against Brazil for a place alongside France, Germany, and Japan in Group B of the Olympic Games.
Latvia started with a win against the Georgia, then lost to Philippines, but redeemed themselves by winning the semifinals against Cameroon in front of their home crowd. Brazil edged out Montenegro at the beginning but closed the group stage with a loss to Cameroon, only to take down the Philippines in the first step of the knockout stages.
Last but not least, in San Juan, hosts Puerto Rico will face Domantas Sabonis’ Lithuania after both teams got easy wins in the semifinals.
FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments
Piraeus
- Final: Greece – Croatia (7/7, 20:00 CET)
The winner goes to Group A of the Olympic Games alongside Australia, Canada, and the Valencia OQT winner
Valencia
- Final: Bahamas – Spain (7/7, 20:30 CET)
The winner goes to Group A of the Olympic Games alongside Australia, Canada, and the Piraeus OQT winner
Riga
- Final: Brazil – Latvia (7/7, 18:00 CET)
The winner goes to Group B of the Olympic Games alongside France, Germany, and Japan
San Juan
- Lithuania – Puerto Rico (8/7, 00:00 CET)
The winner goes to Group C of the Olympic Games alongside Serbia, South Sudan, and the United States