FIBA Basketball
What's coming up? August 23: GROUP D
SAPPORO (FIBA World Championship) - China coach Jonas Kazlaukas has demanded a mighty performance from his team on Wednesday against a winless Senegal. Kazlauskas' men lost a heartbreaker against Puerto Rico in overtime to concede their third defeat in Japan
Senegal vs China
SAPPORO (FIBA World Championship) - China coach Jonas Kazlaukas has demanded a mighty performance from his team on Wednesday
against a winless Senegal.
Kazlauskas' men lost a heartbreaker against Puerto Rico in overtime to concede their third defeat in Japan and they know the clash against the African nation
is a must-win game if they wish to have any chance of progressing to the last 16.
"I told my players after the game against Puerto Rico that we need to fight harder," said Kazlauskas.
"Playing well is simply not enough. We need to give everything.
"Against Puerto Rico, we had the game in our pocket and we lost in the last seconds two rebounds, had we grabbed down those, the game would have been ours.
"Now we have two games left in the group stages and everything is possible provided the team fights hard."
Senegal coach Moustapha Gaye was also depleted after his team lost to Italy following a dismal fourth quarter having dominated the earlier part of the game.
Gaye is well aware that his team have a big battle on their hands as they must try to limit China's main weapon, giant center Yao Ming, the current top scorer of the tournament.
Yao had a game-high 29 points against Puerto Rico but fouled out five minutes into the fourth quarter.
"We must stop Yao, it's difficult but we must try," said Gaye.
"Every game is important, we play the same strategy, the same energy and make the shots.
Both teams have only met once in official competition and that was back in 1978 with China beating Senegal.
There are no injury concerns for either team.
Puerto Rico vs Slovenia
SAPPORO (FIBA World Championship) - Slovenia captain Rasho Nesterovic is confident his team can beat Puerto Rico to get their FIBA World Championship back on track.
Following a convincing performance against Senegal in their opening game, Ales Pipan's side landed in trouble with defeats against Italy and Team USA complicating their
tournament hopes.
Slovenia, who are playing in their first ever World Championship, know they must play their game of their lives if they wish to beat an inspired Puerto Rico, who defeated Senegal to record their second triumph of the tournament.
"It is a to be or not to be game," said Nesterovic.
"The game against Italy could have gone either way and our game against the United States wasn't important.
"We have to win against Puerto Rico and we have to give everything.
"We still have a chance and it is in our hands. We don't depend on other teams, if we lose we cannot blame anybody but ourselves."
Julio Toro's men expect another difficult battle against Slovenia, a team they have never played against in official competition.
"It's going to be another challenging game," said Elias Ayuso, who led his team to triumph over Senegal.
"But we must continue to play hard and improve in every game."
USA vs Italy
SAPPORO (FIBA World Championship) -Surprising Italy meet Team USA in a battle of unbeatens on Wednesday in Sapporo.
The Americans have thrashed all of their opponents but the Italians may cause some problems with the Azzurri's victory over the US before the Athens Olympics still fresh in their minds of players in both teams.
Matteo Soragna was in that winning side and says the Azzurri must control the tempo of the game if they wish to have a chance to beat the Americans.
"We cannot play at their rhythm," said Soragna, who had a team-high 15 points against Senegal.
"If you try to play on the counter, they will demolish us.
"We must wait for them to make mistakes, use our technique and above all, play well defensively."
Although the Americans have the upper hand, having won 11 of their 13 official encounters against Italy, they expect to be put to the test by the 2004 Olympic silver medalists.
"It's going to be a tougher game than against Slovenia," said USA shooting guard Dwyane Wade, who provided much of the inspiration and the points in his team's triumphs against China and Slovenia.
"Italy is a very talented team and we will have to focus because they are not going to quit.
"We are looking good but we still have to improve."
By Cindy Garcia-Bennett
FIBA
SAPPORO (FIBA World Championship) - China coach Jonas Kazlaukas has demanded a mighty performance from his team on Wednesday
against a winless Senegal.
Kazlauskas' men lost a heartbreaker against Puerto Rico in overtime to concede their third defeat in Japan and they know the clash against the African nation
is a must-win game if they wish to have any chance of progressing to the last 16.
"I told my players after the game against Puerto Rico that we need to fight harder," said Kazlauskas.
"Playing well is simply not enough. We need to give everything.
"Against Puerto Rico, we had the game in our pocket and we lost in the last seconds two rebounds, had we grabbed down those, the game would have been ours.
"Now we have two games left in the group stages and everything is possible provided the team fights hard."
Senegal coach Moustapha Gaye was also depleted after his team lost to Italy following a dismal fourth quarter having dominated the earlier part of the game.
Gaye is well aware that his team have a big battle on their hands as they must try to limit China's main weapon, giant center Yao Ming, the current top scorer of the tournament.
Yao had a game-high 29 points against Puerto Rico but fouled out five minutes into the fourth quarter.
"We must stop Yao, it's difficult but we must try," said Gaye.
"Every game is important, we play the same strategy, the same energy and make the shots.
Both teams have only met once in official competition and that was back in 1978 with China beating Senegal.
There are no injury concerns for either team.
Puerto Rico vs Slovenia
SAPPORO (FIBA World Championship) - Slovenia captain Rasho Nesterovic is confident his team can beat Puerto Rico to get their FIBA World Championship back on track.
Following a convincing performance against Senegal in their opening game, Ales Pipan's side landed in trouble with defeats against Italy and Team USA complicating their
tournament hopes.
Slovenia, who are playing in their first ever World Championship, know they must play their game of their lives if they wish to beat an inspired Puerto Rico, who defeated Senegal to record their second triumph of the tournament.
"It is a to be or not to be game," said Nesterovic.
"The game against Italy could have gone either way and our game against the United States wasn't important.
"We have to win against Puerto Rico and we have to give everything.
"We still have a chance and it is in our hands. We don't depend on other teams, if we lose we cannot blame anybody but ourselves."
Julio Toro's men expect another difficult battle against Slovenia, a team they have never played against in official competition.
"It's going to be another challenging game," said Elias Ayuso, who led his team to triumph over Senegal.
"But we must continue to play hard and improve in every game."
USA vs Italy
SAPPORO (FIBA World Championship) -Surprising Italy meet Team USA in a battle of unbeatens on Wednesday in Sapporo.
The Americans have thrashed all of their opponents but the Italians may cause some problems with the Azzurri's victory over the US before the Athens Olympics still fresh in their minds of players in both teams.
Matteo Soragna was in that winning side and says the Azzurri must control the tempo of the game if they wish to have a chance to beat the Americans.
"We cannot play at their rhythm," said Soragna, who had a team-high 15 points against Senegal.
"If you try to play on the counter, they will demolish us.
"We must wait for them to make mistakes, use our technique and above all, play well defensively."
Although the Americans have the upper hand, having won 11 of their 13 official encounters against Italy, they expect to be put to the test by the 2004 Olympic silver medalists.
"It's going to be a tougher game than against Slovenia," said USA shooting guard Dwyane Wade, who provided much of the inspiration and the points in his team's triumphs against China and Slovenia.
"Italy is a very talented team and we will have to focus because they are not going to quit.
"We are looking good but we still have to improve."
By Cindy Garcia-Bennett
FIBA