TUR – Hard games everywhere after draw for 2010 FIBA World Championship

ISTANBUL (2010 FIBA World Championship) - Defending champions Spain face all-European clashes with France and Lithuania in Group D while tournament hosts Turkey will go up against rivals Greece and Russia in Group C after Tuesday’s draw for the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

Argentina, the number one team in the FIBA World Rankings, will meet Serbia, African powerhouse Angola, Australia, Germany and Jordan in Group A while Team USA have intriguing Group B clashes with Slovenia, Brazil, Croatia, Iran and Tunisia.

"We respect all of our rivals that have quality,” said Spain’s Sergio Scariolo, the coach who guided the team to a EuroBasket gold medal this year in Poland.

“It's difficult to evaluate them without knowing which players they will take. Lithuania is the most complicated rival.”

Lithuania underachieved this year and needed a wild card just to play at the FIBA World Championship. They will have new coach Kestutis Kemzura walking the sidelines.

"Our group is not a bad one," Kemzura said.

"Spain is a clear favorite, but our friendly game in Vilnius and the beginning of EuroBasket 2009 showed that sometimes, they also face problems.

"France has lots of talent. They have NBA players and are very athletic, but they have some weaknesses. I don't know much about the others.

"Much will depend on a team that we will be able to bring to Turkey, but I do not expect easy games. We will have to fight in every game."

Canada, Oceania champions New Zealand and wild-card team Lebanon are also in Group D.

The world is wondering if the FIBA World Championship will throw up another clash between Spain and the United States in a potential rematch of the Beijing Olympics gold-medal game.

Team USA faced their biggest test against the Spanish but survived.

They will go into the FIBA World Championship as favorites.

“It's too early to talk about trying to avoid meeting USA in the next rounds,” Scariolo said.

“Of course, those who face them will probably have a harder task. Although in a given game, we have proved we can compete against them.

"We need to start from zero with the aim of winning game by game.

"There are four or five national teams, including Spain, that can have options to battle for the medals. Although I reiterate that it will depend on how many NBA players take part in each national team."

All eyes will be on Ankara because that's where hosts Turkey are set to go up against rivals Greece.

EuroBasket 2007 gold medalists Russia, who received a wild card, are also in Group C along with Puerto Rico, Ivory Coast and China.

Greece edged Turkey 76-75 in overtime in the EuroBasket 2009 Quarter-Finals and went on to capture the bronze medal.

They could be stronger next year with the possible return of Theo Papaloukas, Panagiotis Vasilopoulos and Konstantinos Tsartsaris.

Papaloukas and Tsartsaris rested this summer while Vasilopoulos recovered from injury.

"Of course I always intend to have the strongest possible team," Greece coach Jonas Kazlauskas said at the draw, though he admitted it was too early to say if the trio would be in his squad.

Germany and Serbia wound up in Group A with Argentina, Australia, Angola and Jordan.

The games are to be played in Kayseri.

Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Kaman may return and bolster Dirk Bauermann's team, which impressed with a young group of players at the EuroBasket but needed a wild card to play next year.

Bauermann said: "We could not have asked for a more complicated group.

“We are in a difficult group, but certainly have a chance to be among the best four teams.”

Serbia are going into the FIBA World Championship after their incredible run at the EuroBasket that saw them take a surprise silver medal.

"You can't have influence on the results of draw,” said Ivkovic, who received a lot of plaudits for guiding Serbia to a silver medal at the EuroBasket.

“But I can say that our group is probably the strongest one.

“I say that because we've got the toughest teams from the third and fifth pots, Australia and Angola.

“Together with them, there are very serious opponents like Argentina, and Germany since there're quite big possibilities that Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Kaman will play in Turkey.”

Slovenia and Croatia are in Group C with Team USA, FIBA Americas gold medalists Brazil, Asia Championship winners Iran and Afrobasket bronze-medalists Tunisia.

Slovenia team captain Matjaz Smodis: "We have the most attractive opponents in Istanbul, which is good for the fans.

“I think other teams are within our range and we should not fear them, even though no side can be underestimated.

“We have to play at our maximum in every game and see where that takes us."

Bostjan Nachbar attended the draw and he said: "I can only say it was very exciting because the expectations are high. We have an attractive team in the USA, we have a good team in Brazil, old acquaintances in the Croats which will again go to the wire, and less familiar but still good Iran and Tunisia."

The new head coach of Croatia, Josip Vrankovic, said: "During my career as a player, I faced the Americans and I know very well that for every single player that clash is something special."

FIBA