USA – Coach K will be supremely focused on every game in Turkey
DURHAM (2010 FIBA World Championship) – Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski has stressed the importance of winning each Preliminary Round game at the 2010 FIBA World Championship following Tuesday’s draw in Istanbul. The Americans were draw in Group B with Slovenia, Brazil, Croatia, Iran and Tunisia and the games will be played at the Abdi Ipekci ...
DURHAM (2010 FIBA World Championship) – Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski has stressed the importance of winning each Preliminary Round game at the 2010 FIBA World Championship following Tuesday’s draw in Istanbul.
The Americans were draw in Group B with Slovenia, Brazil, Croatia, Iran and Tunisia and the games will be played at the Abdi Ipekci Arena in Istanbul.
“This will be the third time I've been head coach of a USA World Championship team so I know what an intense and extremely competitive tournament this is,” Krzyzewski said.
“Looking at today’s draw results, you see just how balanced the 24-team field is for the 2010 FIBA World Championship. I don’t see a team in any of the groups that isn’t capable of advancing into the next round.
“Winning each game in the Preliminary Round is important, not just to make sure you are one of the four teams from your group that advances, but also for securing the highest possible seeding for the next round, the Eight-Finals.
“Once you reach the Eight-Finals, it’s like the NCAA Tournament, it’s a one-game format and a loss in any of the last four games eliminates you from capturing the World Championship gold medal.”
All of the USA’s opponents had impressive summers.
Brazil won the FIBA Americas Championship and both Croatia and Slovenia advanced to the 24-team World Championship field with their performances at the EuroBasket.
Iran won their second straight FIBA Asia title while Tunisia snatched an Afrobasket bronze medal.
“Our preliminary round group has an interesting mix of talented and tested veteran national teams like Brazil, Croatia and Slovenia, as well as two less experienced, but nonetheless talented teams in Iran and Tunisia who are making their first appearances in a World Championship,” Krzyzewski said.
Krzyzewski guided the United States at the 2006 FIBA World Championship and they had an outstanding tournament with just one defeat.
That loss came, however, in the Semi-Finals against Greece and they had to settle for a bronze-medal game win over Argentina.
They followed that with gold-medal performances at the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship in Las Vegas and the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
FIBA