ZAGREB (2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments) - The Croatian Basketball Federation (HKS) announced on Wednesday that Aleksandar (Aco) Petrovic will return for a third stint as national team head coach, charged with the task of steering Croatia to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

The 57-year-old Petrovic, who is also the vice-president at FIBA Europe Cup participants Cibona Zagreb and a member of the HKS Board, will coach Croatia at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Turin from 4 to 9 July as well as the Olympics, should they qualify.

Croatia were drawn in Group B of the Turin OQT, together with Tunisia and hosts Italy. If they secure one of the top-two spots in that group they could also end up facing Group A sides Greece, Mexico or Iran.

"This is a particular situation but I am happy, grateful to come back for a third time and I hope to do a good job," said Petrovic at a press conference in Zagreb on Wednesday. 

While Petrovic has never served as head coach in an Olympic Basketball Tournament, as a player he won the bronze medal with Yugoslavia at Los Angeles 1984.

In 1992, he was on the staff of coach Petar Skansi during the nation's proudest moment at the Barcelona Games, when the Croatia side led by his late brother Drazen reached the gold medal game and fell to the US 'Dream Team'. 

Petrovic succeeds Velimir Perasovic in the role of Croatia head coach. Perasovic was in charge at FIBA EuroBasket 2015 last September but stepped down after the end of the tournament.

In February, he stated that he had considered resuming the role but was unable to do so as that would create complications with his current club, Spanish side Laboral Kutxa Baskonia.

"After our conversation with Perasovic we interviewed all candidates and the short-list included Aco [Petrovic], [Danijel] Jusup and [Veljko] Mrsic," former Croatia legend and current HKS council president Dino Radja said.

"Veljko felt that he was too young to assume this delicate task and between Jusup and Aco the factor that prevailed was that Aco has far more experience and will be able to deliver the desired result."

Petrovic began his coaching career at the helm of Cibona in 1991, following his highly decorated playing career as a star of both the Yugoslavia national team and the Zagreb club.

He assumed the reins of Croatia three years later and led a team which included the likes of Toni Kukoc, Radja and Perasovic to a bronze medal success at FIBA EuroBasket 1995.

Petrovic's second spell in charge of the national team commenced in 1999 and terminated after FIBA EuroBasket 2001 in Turkey, where Croatia finished in seventh place.

At club level, his finest hour as coach came during his first spell at Cedevita when he was voted Eurocup Coach of the Year in 2011 after taking the Zagreb club to the Final Four of the competition on a shoestring budget.

He resigned his post however after Cedevita lost in the Croatian league play-off finals and was handed the reins of the Bosnia and Herzegovina in February 2012.

Under the Sibenik-born coach, Bosnia and Herzegovina not only earned a place at FIBA EuroBasket 2013 but also came within a whiff of advancing to the Second Round of the big tournament in Slovenia, albeit they eventually exited the event on a 3-2 record.

FIBA