GRE/AUS - Crunch time for OQT players in Europe, Australia

ATHENS (Euroleague/NBL) – Several players expected to feature at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Caracas in July have vital games to play for their clubs on Thursday night.

There will be Greece national team men in the Euroleague Quarter-Final Game 5 decider between Panathinaikos and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Athens, and Tall Blacks in Game 2 of the NBL Semi-Final tie between the Townsville Crocs and New Zealand Breakers in Queensland.

David Blatt, the Maccabi coach, will also be in Caracas because he is the coach of Russia’s national team.

He loves the big games, and Israeli giants Maccabi have a huge one in Greece.

Maccabi, who have Greek national team center Sofoklis Schortsanitis in their line-up, took a 2-1 series lead after winning in Tel Aviv but then failed to capitalize when falling in Game 4 on the same court, 78-69.

"The loss in Game 4 is behind us, there's no point in crying about it,” Blatt said.

“We are completely focused on Game 5.

“It's crucial that we start the game well, because there's no doubt that they will come to the game with a lot of enthusiasm - both the team and the crowd.”

In the Panathinaikos squad are Greek national team guards Nick Calathes, Stratos Perperoglou, Ian Vougioukas and Kostas Kaimakoglou, as well as Dimitris Diamantidis.

Last year’s Final Four MVP, Diamantidis retired from the national side after the Greeks’ elimination from the 2010 FIBA World Championship but there have been calls for him to return to the side.

Sarunas Jasikevicius of Lithuania and Australia’s Aleks Maric also play for the Greens.

Jasikevicius has been in excellent form of late while Maric has been used sparingly by coach Zeljko Obradovic in the Euroleague this season.

Breakers on the edge

One look at the New Zealand Breakers’ line-up tells you all you need to know about why the country has a lot of interest in that squad.

The team has Tall Blacks Thomas Abercrombie, Mika Vukona and Alex Pledger – three players that will be at the OQT in Caracas.

Their presence couldn’t prevent the Breakers from crashing to a 99-82 home defeat to Townsville in the opening game of their NBL Semi-Final.

If the Breakers fall in Townsville, their title defense will be over.

FIBA