SLO - Intriguing battles ahead after EuroBasket draw

POSTOJNA (EuroBasket/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Spain have a tough road before them if they are going to enter the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup as three-time defending champions of Europe.

At Sunday's draw for EuroBasket 2013, Spain ended up in Group C with hosts Slovenia, Croatia, Poland, Georgia and the Czech Republic.

There has been speculation that many of Spain's veteran players like Pau Gasol will not play next summer and instead rest and return to the set-up for the World Cup, especially since the country already has a spot in the tournament as the host nation.

But France coach Vincent Collet, whose team fell to Spain in the Quarter-Finals of EuroBasket 2009, the Final of EuroBasket 2011 and the Last Eight of this past summer's Olympics, said: "I think Spain will come with (Ricky) Rubio, I am convinced. It comes without (Pau) Gasol, I'm not at all convinced."

The 'Group of Death' at EuroBasket 2013 looks to be Group B with Montenegro, Serbia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (MKD),  Lithuania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Latvia.

The Montenegrins, led by coach Luka Pavicevic, went unbeaten in their Qualification Round campaign while Serbia and Lithuania are established powers on the old continent.

MKD, who finished fourth at EuroBasket 2011 and played at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, and both Bosnia and Herzegovina and 
Latvia will be dangerous.

"I think that there are no easy groups, and especially not for such a small basketball country like Montenegro," Pavicevic said.

"However, if we know that Macedonia were in the first hat, it is clear that we could have gotten heavier opponents, with all due respect, because we could have gotten Spain, Russia or France.

"On the other hand, out of the sixth pot came Serbia and it is a big handicap, because at that point should be significantly weaker basketball team."

Serbia struggled in their Qualification Round campaign and even lost to Montenegro twice, but Dusan Ivkovic's team is expected to be much better next summer.

"You do not need to think too much about the weight of the group and whether it could be easier or more difficult," Pavicevic said.

"Serbia and Lithuania stand out in quality and significantly from the rest of the group, and the remaining four teams will be a bloody fight for the last place to advance."

Russia, who have yet to announce a replacement for David Blatt following his decision not to continue as coach, have ended up in what appears to be a hard Group D that includes Italy, Turkey, Greece, Finland and Sweden.

France, are in Group A with Ukraine, Great Britain, Germany, Israel and Belgium.

Sergio Scariolo, who has led Spain to their two EuroBasket titles and steered them to a silver medal finish this past summer at the London Games, considered the early tests for Spain.

"Spain is drawn into a group of medium-high difficulty, no opponent will be of a low level," he said.

"It's prudent to wait and see which players will play for each national team in order to make a more realistic evaluation."

Scariolo fully expects that as the host nation, Slovenia will have a great team.

"It's clear however that Slovenia have a lot of quality and with their passionate fan base on their side, they are a formidable team.

"Croatia is being reborn with the arrival of big young talents and the consolidation of other more experienced players.

"Poland is one of the best teams in the European 'middle class' and has important players at its disposal, like Georgia or the Czech Republic, a very decent team from the last pot of seeds that counts with an excellent national league and prime-level players."

At the draw in Postojna, there were several greats on hand to take part in the ceremony.

Among them were the three official EuroBasket 2013 ambassadors, Radoslav Nesterovic, Peter Vilfan and Ivo Daneu.

Other former European stars involved on Sunday were Aljosa Zorga, Jorge Garbajosa, Ibrahim Kutluay and Alexander Volkov.

EuroBasket 2013 Draw
Group A (Ljubljana): Ukraine, Great Britain, France, Germany, Israel, Belgium
Group B (Jesenice): Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lithuania, MKD, Montenegro, Serbia, Latvia
Group C (Celje): Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Croatia, Czech Republic, Georgia
Group D (Koper): Finland, Greece, Russia, Italy, Sweden, Turkey

The EuroBasket will be staged from 4-22 September 2013.

FIBA