Spain Men’s National Basketball Team World Championship Preparation Game Schedule

• August 1st: SPAIN vs CANADA (19:00) Las Palmas de G.C.
• August 2nd: SPAIN vs COSTA DE MARFIL (19:30) Las Palmas de G.C.
• August 7th: SPAIN vs LITHUANIA (20:00) Vitoria
• August 8th: SPAIN vs SLOVENIA (20:00) Vitoria
• August 10th: SLOVENIA vs SPAIN (20:30) Lbjuliana
• August 15th: SPAIN vs ARGENTINA (18:45) Logroño
  
• August 17th: SPAIN vs BRAZIL (20:30) Logroño
  
• August 20th SPAIN vs LITHUANIA (20:30) Madrid
• August 22nd: SPAIN vs USA (20:30) Madrid

In preparation for the 2010 World Championships in Turkey, Spain will be facing the USA National Basketball Team and Lithuania National Team during a two day exhibition in Madrid. The tickets for the exhibition are on sale for  August 22 with the following tentative schedule.

Spain vs Lithuania - August 20th

Spain vs USA- August 22nd

Ticket Purchase Information for “The Challenge” or El Desafio (in Spanish)

Internet: www.entradas.com
Telephone: +34 902.22.14.24
Box Office: Red de Caja Madrid

“I have no doubts that Pau will not be there, regardless of the play-offs,” Marc said.
“It has been 12 or 13 consecutive years with the national team and without any stop, with the exception of the EuroBasket in Belgrade.”

Playing in the NBA during the regular season (80+ games) and playoffs (30+) is a lot for a player and during Gasol’s 10-12 years on the Spain’s Mens Basketball National team he has never rested. It is his time to take a rest if they want him available for the 2012 Basketball Olympics in London.

Barcelona has been confirmed and selected as the official site of the 2014 World Basketball Championships. The games will be played in Palau Sant Jordi with capacity of 20,000 spectators. The decision was made by the FIBA Central Board in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Barcelona will host half of games competition beginning at the Eighth-Finals, Quarterfinals and Semifinals. Madrid will host the medal games.

The games of the first round will be played in Bilbao, Granada, Las Palmas, Gran Canaries and Seville.

The FIBA World Championship Schedule in Turkey has been announced. Below are the groups for the first round of the competition of the 2010 World Basketball Championships.

• Group A (Kayseri): Serbia, Argentina, Australia, Jordan, Germany, Angola
• Group B (Istanbul): Croatia, Brazil, Tunisia, Slovenia, Iran, USA
• Group C (Ankara): China, Turkey, Russia, Puerto Rico, Ivory Coast, Greece
• Group D (Izmir): Lithuania, Lebanon, France, Spain, Canada, New Zealand

Schedule is below

First Round

The First Round will see a total of 60 games, in which each team faces the other five teams in its respective group.

First Round FIBA World Championships Turkey

28th August 2010

Group A (Kayseri)

• Game A 1:     16:30     Australia     vs     Jordan
• Game A 2:     19:00     Angola     vs     Serbia
• Game A 3:     21:30     Germany     vs     Argentina

Group B (Istanbul, Abdi Ipekci Arena)

• Game B 1:     16:30     Tunisia     vs     Slovenia
• Game B 2:     19:00     USA     vs     Croatia
• Game B 3:     21:30     Iran     vs     Brazil

Group C (Ankara)

• Game C 1:     16:00     Greece     vs     China
• Game C 2:     18:30     Russia     vs     Puerto Rico
• Game C 3:     21:00     Ivory Coast     vs     Turkey

Group D (Izmir)

• Game C 1:     16:00     New Zealand     vs     Lithuania
• Game C 2:     18:30     Canada     vs     Lebanon
• Game C 3:     21:00     France     vs     Spain

29th August 2010

Group A (Kayseri)

• Game A 4:     16:30    Jordan     vs     Angola
• Game A 5:     19:00     Serbia     vs     Germany
• Game A 6:     21:30     Argentina    vs     Australia

Group B (Istanbul, Abdi Ipekci Arena)

• Game B 4:     16:30     Slovenia     vs     USA
• Game B 5:     19:00     Croatia     vs     Iran
• Game B 6:     21:30     Brazil     vs     Tunisia

Group C (Ankara)

• Game C 4:     16:00     China     vs     Ivory Coast
• Game C 5:     18:30     Puerto Rico     vs     Greece
• Game C 6:     21:00     Turkey   vs     Russia

Group D (Izmir)

• Game C 1:     16:00     Lithuania     vs     Canada
• Game C 2:     18:30     Lebanon  vs     France
• Game C 3:     21:00     Spain    vs     New Zealand

30th August 2010
Group A (Kayseri)

• Game A 7: 16:30 Jordan vs Serbia
• Game A 8: 19:00 Australia vs Germany
• Game A 9: 21:30 Angola vs Argentina

Group B (Istanbul, Abdi Ipekci Arena)

• Game B 7: 16:30 Slovenia vs Croatia
• Game B 8: 19:00 Tunisia vs Iran
• Game B 9: 21:30 USA vs Brazil

31st August 2010

Group C (Ankara)

• Game C 7: 16:00 Russia vs Ivory Coast
• Game C 8: 18:30 Puerto Rico vs China
• Game C 9: 21:00 Greece vs Turkey

Group D (Izmir)

• Game D 7: 16:00 New Zealand vs Lebanon
• Game D 8: 18:30 France vs Canada
• Game D 9: 21:00 Spain vs Lithuania

1st September 2010

Group A (Kayseri)

• Game A 10: 16:30 Serbia vs Australia
• Game A 11: 19:00 Germany vs Angola
• Game A 12: 21:30 Argentina vs Jordan

Group B (Istanbul, Abdi Ipekci Arena)

• Game B 10: 16:30 Croatia vs Tunisia
• Game B 11: 19:00 Iran vs USA
• Game B 12: 21:30 Brazil vs Slovenia

Group C (Ankara)

• Game C 10: 16:00 China vs Russia
• Game C 11: 18:30 Ivory Coast vs Greece
• Game C 12: 21:00 Turkey vs Puerto Rico

Group D (Izmir)

• Game D 10: 16:00 Canada vs New Zealand
• Game D 11: 18:30 Lebanon vs Spain
• Game D 12: 21:00 Lithuania vs France

2nd September 2010

Group A (Kayseri)

• Game A 13: 16:30 Angola vs Australia
• Game A 14: 19:00 Argentina vs Serbia
• Game A 15: 21:30 Jordan vs Germany

Group B (Istanbul, Abdi Ipekci Arena)

• Game B 13: 16:30 USA vs Tunisia
• Game B 14: 19:00 Slovenia vs Iran
• Game B 15: 21:30 Brazil vs Croatia

Group C (Ankara)

• Game C 13: 16:00 Puerto Rico vs Ivory Coast
• Game C 14: 18:30 Greece vs Russia
• Game C 15: 21:00 Turkey vs China

Group D (Izmir)

• Game D 13: 16:00 Spain vs Canada
• Game D 14: 18:30 Lebanon vs Lithuania
• Game D 15: 21:00 New Zealand vs France

The teams placed 1st – 4th in each group will qualify for the Eighth-Finals.
The teams placed 5th – 6th in each group will return home.

3rd September 2010 Travel and Rest Day

Eighth-Finals

The 16 teams qualified from the First Round will play direct elimination games (standard knockout format). From the Eighth-Finals onwards, all games will be played in Istanbul’s Olympic Dome.

For the Eighth-Final round, the game times will, in principle, be 18:00 and 21:00. Please note that the game order is subject to change, and will be finalised and confirmed after the previous round.
4th September 2010

• Game 61: A1 vs B4
• Game 62: D2 vs C3

5th September 2010

• Game 63: C1 vs D4
• Game 64: B2 vs A3

6th September 2010

• Game 65: B1 vs A4
• Game 66: C2 vs D3

7th September 2010

• Game 67: D1 vs C4
• Game 68: A2 vs B3

The winners of the Eighth-Finals will qualify for the Quarter-Finals. The losers of the Eighth-Finals will return home.

Quarter-Finals

For the Quarter-Final round, the game times will, in principle, be 18:00 and 21:00. Please note that the game order is subject to change, and will be finalised and confirmed after the previous round.

8th September 2010

• Game 69: Winner 61 vs Winner 62 (1 – 8 )
• Game 70: Winner 63 vs Winner 64 (1 – 8 )

9th September 2010

• Game 71: Winner 65 vs Winner 66 (1 – 8 )
• Game 72: Winner 67 vs Winner 68 (1 – 8 )

Semi-Finals

For the Semi-Final round, the game times will, in principle, be (15:00), 19:00 and 21:30. Please note that the game order is subject to change, and will be finalised and confirmed after the previous round.

10th September 2010

• Game 73: Loser 69 vs Loser 70 (5 – 8 )
• Game 74: Loser 71 vs Loser 72 (5 – 8 )

11th September 2010

• Game 75: Loser 73 vs Loser 74 (7 – 8 )
• Game 76: Winner 69 vs Winner 70 (1 – 4)
• Game 77: Winner 71 vs Winner 72 (1 – 4)

Finals

For the Final round, the game times will, in principle, be 15:00, 19:00 and 21:30. Please note that the game order is subject to change, and will be finalised and confirmed after the previous round.

12th September 2010

• Game 78: Winner 73 vs Winner 74 (5 – 6)
• Game 79: Loser 76 vs Loser 77 (3 – 4)
• Game 80: Winner 76 vs Winner 77 (1 – 2)

USA Basketball and the Spanish Basketball Federation announced that men’s world basketball powers United States and Spain will meet in an August exhibition game in Spain in preparation for the 2010 FIBA World Championship that is being held August 28-Sept. 12 in Turkey.

The USA-Spain exhibition will be the first matchup between the two powers since the 2008 Olympic gold medal game that has been described as one of the greatest international games ever played. The USA fought off a determined Spain squad 118-107 to earn gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Two years earlier, while the U.S. finished third at the 2006 FIBA World Championship after being stopped by Greece (101-95) in the semifinals, the Spaniards rolled over Greece 70-47 to claim World Championship title.

The date and time will be announced at a later date!

Serbia started the game with all guns ready on offense and especially defense. Spain started slow and was never in a good rhythm in the game to overcome Serbias good defense or good field goal shooting percentage. Leading scorer for Spain was Navarro and second was Felipe Reyes. Pau Gasol in his first game back after a finger injury didn’t seem to get the ball much and when he did was not aggressive enough. However, Gasol was noted as saying that team cannot rely on shooting from the outside only. Also that the Spains Mens National Team “cannot play any worse”. Spain will look to rebound back today when they are up against Great Britain.

Box Score

SERBIA, 66 (15+23+18+10) Teodosic (4), Tepic (10), Tripkovic (3), Velickovic (12) y Krstic (17) -Starters-, Markovic (2), Paunic (4), Bjelica (2), Macvan (8), Raduljica (2) y Perovic (2).

SPAIN, 57 (12+11+14+20) Rubio (6), Navarro (14), Mumbrú (-), Garbajosa (-), Marc Gasol (4) -Starters, López (3), Cabezas (-), Claver (-), Reyes (12) y Pau Gasol (9).

Video Highlights Below

The TV and Broadcast for the Eurobasket competition has be set for over 100 countries. Check below of your local provider. Of course, if you don’t have access to any of those channels, you will be able to watch the games on FibaTv.com from September 7th – 20th.

Europe (41 countries)

Middle East (13 countries)

Asia (17 countries)

Africa (35 countries)

Official Roster List Spain 2009 Eurobasket

• Carlos Cabezas (Unicaja): 61 times international
• Víctor Claver (Pamesa Valencia): 1st time internacional
• Rudy Fernández (Portland Trail Blazers): 76 times international
• Jorge Garbajosa (Khimki): 132 times international
• Marc Gasol (Memphis Grizzlies): 48 times international
• Pau Gasol (Los Angeles Lakers): 102 times international
• Raúl López (Real Madrid): 46 times international
• Alex Mumbrú (Real Madrid): 57 times international
• Juan Carlos Navarro (Regal FC Barcelona): 136 times international
• Felipe Reyes (Real Madrid): 121 times international
• Berni Rodríguez (Unicaja): 57 times international
• Ricky Rubio (DKV Joventut): 15 times international

Back up Roster (Traveling with team)

• Saúl Blanco (Alta Gestión Fuenlabrada): Rookie
• Sergio Llull (Real Madrid): Rookie
• Guillem Rubio (Ricoh Manresa): Rookie

Coach

• Sergio Scariolo

Ricky Rubio was selected as the 5th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves also drafted another point guard along side Rubio. It is a suggestion that perhaps this season Rubio will not play in the NBA but to refine his skills and get ready for next year or years to come. There has been gossip about his current contract with Joventut and possible being traded to Real Madrid.

Whatever the case, he is securing a good spot in the NBA just as Rudy Fernandez did before entering the NBA this season. There are rumors that Rudy is open to coming back to Europe for a more lucrative contract! The Portland Trailblazers adore him, so it will be interesting this month.