CZE – Glitzy showdowns on the cards after draw for FIBA World Championship for Women

KARLOVY VARY (2010 FIBA World Championship for Women) - The Czech Republic were on Tuesday drawn to face European rivals Russia in Group D and tournament favorites Team USA discovered they will go up against European gold winners France in Group B at the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women.

The draw was held in Karlovy Vary, the Czech Republic, the country that is hosting next year's 16-team event.

Czech basketball fans were given a mouthwatering clash in Brno when the Czechs joined the Russians in Group D.

The two sides played in two hugely important games in recent years, with Russia edging the Czechs in the final of the 2003 EuroBasket Women in Greece and the Czechs avenging that setback with a narrow triumph over the Russians in the gold-medal game two years later in Turkey.

Argentina, who battled their way through a tough field to capture a silver medal at the FIBA Americas Championship in Brazil this year, and FIBA Asia bronze medalists Japan are also in Group D.

The team to beat is the United States, seven-time winners of the FIBA World Championship for Women and a group now coached by Geno Auriemma, a legend in the American college game with the University of Connecticut.

Team USA was upset by Russia in the Semi-Final of the FIBA World Championship for Women three years ago in Brazil but made partial amends by rolling to a gold medal triumph at the Beijing Games in 2008, which included a 92-65 demolition of world champions Australia in the title game.

In addition to France, who thrashed Russia in this year’s EuroBasket Women title game with outstanding play by Sandrine Gruda and Celine Dumerc, Team USA will also go up against Greece, a side that has EuroBasket Women MVP Evina Maltsi, along with African champions Senegal in Group B.

Defending champions Australia will face FIBA Asia Championship gold medalists China, EuroBasket Semi-Finalists Belarus and FIBA Americas bronze-medal winners Canada in Group A.

If, as expected, Australia and the Americans survive the Preliminary Round, they will meet in the Czech Republic in the Eight-Final Round.

The 1994 champions, Brazil, will go up against Spain, Korea and Mali in Group C.

Korea impressed by reaching the Quarter-Finals at the Olympics and they followed that up with a silver-medal run at the FIBA Asia Championship.

Mali bounced back from failing to win a game at the Olympics by snatching silver at the Afrobasket Women this year.

Groups A and B will be held in Ostrava while games in Groups C and D will be staged in Brno.

The rest of the tournament will take place in Karlovy Vary.

The FIBA World Championship for Women is being staged in the Czech Republic for the first time since 1967 when the former Czechoslovakia hosted the fifth edition of the event and captured a bronze medal.

Opening day is September 23, while the last day of action will be October 3.

FIBA