MADRID (FIBA EuroBasket 2017) - Sergio Scariolo is to remain at the helm of Spain's national team for another four years, the country's basketball federation announced on Friday at a press conference in Madrid.

The Italian, who has steered the side to EuroBasket titles in 2009, 2011 and 2015, and Olympic silver in 2012 and bronze this summer in Rio de Janeiro, will hold the reins through the 2020 Tokyo Games, a tournament Spain will have to qualify for.

"I can only transmit my happiness to continue to be a part of this family and with the same enthusiasm to continue to enjoy myself," Scariolo said.

"Many say that we have gone through an unrepeatable era but I think we can maintain a good one. We also have the enthusiasm to continue to improve in many aspects like the technical coordination level of the different national teams (within the FEB)." 

Spanish basketball has had some terrific coaches over the years and Scariolo is among them. Some would say that he's been the best of the best, and that would be hard to argue against with his long string of success.

"Today is a happy day for me, for the federation (FEB) and for basketball, to be able to announce this contract extension," said Spanish Basketball Federation president Jorge Garbajosa, a player in the triumphant EuroBasket 2009 side.

"This is a long-term contract so we'll be able to work with calmness. The four years gives us a lot of enthusiasm because of the many aims that Scariolo will guide us through."

Scariolo's Spain overcame two early defeats to win bronze in Rio

Scariolo's teams have been notoriously slow starters at events. In his first summer at the helm at EuroBasket 2009, Spain lost to Serbia in their first game and then flirted with a colossal upset at the hands of Great Britain but prevailed.

They suffered another defeat to Turkey to jeopardize their chances of reaching the Quarter-Finals, yet Spain overcame hosts Poland and then Lithuania to reach the last eight and they blew away previously unbeaten France, Greece and Serbia to capture the country's first European crown.

Even this summer Spain fell to Croatia and then Brazil in their first two games at the Olympics but rebounded to finish third.

Scariolo's biggest achievement with Spain was arguably last year at EuroBasket when, without several important players, he still still managed to guide the national team past Greece in the Quarter-Finals, hosts France in the Semi-Finals and then Lithuania in the Final.

Scariolo is in his second stint with the national side. After the London Games, he stepped down from the position that he had occupied for four years but Spain's third-place finish at EuroBasket 2013 and their Quarter-Final upset by France at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Madrid prompted the FEB to bring him back.

Alongside Scariolo and Garbajosa at the FEB media briefing was the country's Sports Minister, Miguel Cardenal.

"The relationship between Scariolo and the national team is one of the alliances that has rewarded us with the biggest success," Cardenal said.

The first big aim for Scariolo in tournament play after locking up his new deal will be to win FIBA EuroBasket 2017. The event is to be staged in the countries of Finland, Israel, Romania and Turkey, and will run from 31 August to 17 September. 

FIBA