Eurobasket 2015

PREVIEW GUIDE

EUROBASKET 2015

BERLIN - ZAGREB - RIGA - MONTPELLIER - LILLE

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By Aleksandar Miletić / Photo: Milan Rašić / FIBA

EUROBASKET 2015

Who Can Ruin

THE FRENCH SCENARIO? Since 1993, the host of the championship has not won the title, and the bookies now see Spain and Serbia as the biggest threat to France on the road to gold

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n 16th September 2007, at Madrid’s Palace of sports, 16,000 T-shirts were distributed that read “Somos Campeones” (We are the champions). Volunteers handed them out to everyone in the hall, half an hour before the start of the final between Spain and Russia, and the T-shirts included the invitation: Come to the Plaza de Cibeles to celebrate the title! It was a perfect Spanish scenario in which the final act would see Pau Gasol and his teammates celebrated as heroes in front of millions of fans, on the site where Real Madrid players celebrates its titles.

However, the Russians had their own scenario, which came to fruition in the end: an American with a Russian passport, JR Holden, scored a basket just before the final buzzer to cause a shocking end to Eurobasket 2007: Spain 59:60 Russia! We don’t know what happened to whoever gave the order to print a million T-shirts with the wrong slogan, but it is certain that this match did not bring the Spaniards to their senses, who again fell foul of their excessive over confidence at the 2014 World Cup. That’s why today the French, the hosts of Eurobasket 2015, insist that they have learned a lot from Spain’s mistakes and that they know very well how tough it is for the organisers of the championship to win the title.

“The fact that in the last 22 years the host of the European Championship has failed to win the title is a sufficient warning in itself. On top of that, we also have the example of Spain, whose arrogance has cost it dearly. In France we will do our best to ensure such a thing does not happen to us. And the first prerequisite for us to reach our goal, which is the gold medal, is for each of us, and especially the players, to realise how difficult it is to justify the role of favourite on home soil,” says director for International Relations of the Basketball Association France (FFBB) Goran Radonjić, speaking to

Our wish is certainly to qualify for the Olympic Games, especially given that our team has not taken part in them since Athens in 2004. However, the goal at Eurobasket is the gold medal.

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eurobasket 2015

CorD magazine. Radonjić has refereed at several European championships and the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

France is defending its historic title at home (its first gold after two silvers and five bronze medals), which it won two years ago in Slovenia. The world’s biggest betting agents rate the hosts as favourite (William Hill has odds of 3-1), followed by Spain (3-5) and Serbia (7-5), which has been taken seriously by all since its sensational entry into the World Cup final in Spain in 2014. The narrow circle of medal contenders also includes the Greeks and Lithuanians. Most experts believe that the three who will stand on the podium in Lille on 20th September are among these five.

“To date we’ve never been labelled as favourites, but now we won’t shy away from the fact that we are,” said the best French basketball player, Eurobasket 2013 MVP and four-time NBA champion with San Antonio, Tony Parker, speaking for the FIBA Europe website.“I think this team of ours is the best France has ever had. Our goal is a gold medal. For me, Serbia, Spain and Lithuania remain as the teams that have the quality to take the title.”

France expects to receive strong support from its fans, with the knockout stage of the championships to be played at the Pierre Moreau Stadium in Lille (capacity 27,000). Among the 12 players he has at his disposal, coach Vincent Collet has as many as seven coming from the NBA (Tony Parker, Boris Diaw, Alexis Ajinca, Nicolas Batum, Rudy Gobert, Joffrey Lauvergne and Evan Fournier). All of them have been in the same system for a long time, some even since their cadet days, like the two best and most experienced players, Tony Parker and Boris Diaw. It is no secret that they wish to end their international careers in fine style on home soil, although some suggest that if this is the case then the coach could easily persuade them to appear for the championships to be played on the eve of the 2016 Rio Olympics.

ALEKSANDAR DJORDJEVIĆ, Serbian head coach

The greatest appeal of every Eurobasket championships played on the eve of the Olympic Games is that the teams have a chance to earn a place in the world’s largest sporting event.

Only finalists from Lille go directly to Brazil. Serbian coach Aleksandar Đorđević, who showed, after his glittering playing career, that he is also capable of leading the national team to the highest heights in a coaching capacity, has stressed repeatedly in recent months that the goal in France is to book a place in Rio. In a statement for CorD Magazine, he showed that in one aspect he differs greatly from most of his famous predecessors, because, unlike them, he does not offer diplomatic statements when asked about his expectations.

“Our wish is certainly to qualify for the Olympic Games, especially given that our team has not taken part in them since Athens in 2004. However, the goal at Eurobasket is the gold medal. We cannot promise that we will achieve that, but there is no doubt that everyone in our team believes we have the quality required to achieve that.”

All opponents are again afraid of the Serbian team, which is probably the greatest success of coach Đorđević. A solid victory in the preparatory match against France at Belgrade’s Kombank Arena instilled further confidence among the players, who received with a heavy heart the news that Boban Marjanović (222cm) will not play in Eurobasket 2015. Plenty of dust was raised about the best centre of the first round of last season’s Euroleague, but in the end all that remained was the final decision of

For the first time in the history of Eurobasket, which has been organised since 1935, four countries will be hosts: France, Germany, Croatia and Latvia. The best four teams from each group will advance to the last-16 phase, to be played in Lille

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Marjanović’s new club, San Antonio, that he cannot play basketball for to lead it to medals on his own. Much will depend on a good position in a few weeks – even though American doctors confirmed the diagnosis the group, since any coming together with France or Spain in the last-16 of their Serbian colleagues that there is no fracture of the foot or anyround or the quarter-finals will mean a certain end to the medal hopes of thing similar. Nevertheless, Serbia will be deprived of the help of the the majority of these teams. player who dominated last season in the paint in the Euroleague and Greece deserves special attention, because it has several players was among the most worthy for ensuring one of the most successful who can destroy any opponent on their day. First among those is Vassilis seasons in Red Star’s history.

Spanoulis, who has shown repeatedly with Olympiakos that he does not The meeting between Serbia and Spain in the first round of Group B respect favourites. The Greeks have four players from the NBA: Nick Calathes (Memphis), Kostas Papanikolaou (Houston), Kosta Koufos (Memin Berlin (5th September) could determine the fate of these two teams phis) and Giannis Antetokounmpo in the championship. That’s because (Milwaukee). In addition to Zizis and only the team that takes top spot in Spanoulis, the team includes another the group can be guaranteed that it player who won gold in Belgrade will not meet France before the final. The Spaniards will arrive highly ten years ago – Real Madrid Centre motivated and possibly in vengeIoannis Bourousis. The team, led by ful mood after their collapse in the head coach Fotsis Kacikaris, includes World Cup last year (having been almost all players who have long defeated by France in the quarter-fiplayed for the best European clubs nals in the middle of Madrid). Coach (except those in the NBA) and have Sergio Scariolo cannot count on the Euroleague experience. four aces - Marc Gasol, Juan Carlos For the first time in the history of Navarro, José Calderón, and Ricky the Eurobasket competition, which Rubio – but he still has enough has been played since 1935, four good players to fight for gold. After countries will be joint organisers: all, it is enough to say - Pau Gasol!

France, Germany, Croatia and Latvia.

Scariolo decided to grant the Each will host a group - Montpellier place for a naturalised player in (A), Berlin (B), Zagreb (C) and Riga the national team to Chicago Bulls (D) – while the French will also organise the finals in Lille, from the player Nikola Mirotić, a former Real last-16 stage to the final duel (11thMadrid player who is actually a Montenegrin. He will thus succeed Serge 20th September).

Ibaka (born in Congo), who played for It was originally decided that the Spanish at three of the last four Ukraine would host Eurobasket major tournaments.

2015, but the championships were “It’s not a question of who is the subsequently taken away from the better of the two, because they are country because of the state of war. both great players, but with different That’s why FIBA Europe decided to For the first time in the history of the characteristics. I think that Mirotić finally try its concept, which has Eurobasket competition, which has deserved a chance after his games been played since 1935, four countries been previously suggested by some, for Spain in the youth categories,” in the belief that it will prove more will be joint organisers: France, said Scariolo, speaking for the FIBA cost-effective.

Germany, Croatia and Latvia. The Europe website.

Another innovation is that every Organisers expect to sell a total of half a host country was able to choose one Mirotić agrees with teammates million tickets, far surpassing the record opponent prior to the draw, and each Pau Gasol and Rudy Fernandez that set in 2011 and 2013 (around 320,000) opted for a country that could bring Spain’s goal should be a gold medal. And he does not mind what this them the most money. Thus, the team finds itself in the “group of death” (among the bookmakers’ 11 faFrench chose the Finns, the Germans chose the Turks, the Croats picked vourites, five come from group B: Spain, Serbia, Turkey, Italy and Germany). the Slovenes and the Latvians opted for Estonia. As such, it is expected “I think it’s better for us that we are in a tough group, because that’s a that, unlike the previous championships, where there were plenty of empty sign that we have to go strong from the start. We are focused on the first seats during some first round games, this time all games will be sold match against Serbia, who will come on the back of a great result from last out. When one looks at the capacity of the halls multiplied by the five year’s World Cup in Spain. It is good for us to immediately raise the bar high competition days, each host will be financially better off (also considering and then go step by step.” other income): Mercedes-Benz Arena (Berlin, 13,650), Park Suites Arena Other medal candidates include Greece, Lithuania, Croatia, Italy, Slove(Montpellier, 10,700) Riga Arena (Riga, 12,500) and Arena Zagreb (Zagreb, nia, Russia, Turkey and Germany, which is in that group thanks only to Dirk 15,200). This is especially true for the French, who will also stage the final Nowitzki – though it is difficult to believe that he will once again be able stage at Pierre Moreau Stadium (Lille, 27000). ■ 6 |

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eurobasket 2015

By Aleksandar Miletić / Photo: Milan Rašić

Turning Point

FOR SERBIA

Eurobasket 2015 is extremely important for the Serbian national team, for several reasons. First of all, due to the possibility of qualification for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, and then to show that the team’s success at the 2014 World Cup in Spain (silver medal) was not a fluke

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lthough Serbia does not have the strength of the former Yugoslavia (five gold medals from 1973 to 1991), it is definitely the main heir to that tradition, not only in a legal sense, but also in terms of basketball strength (the three gold medals of FR Yugoslavia from 1995 to 2001 were won, so to speak, by only Serbian players).

Coach Aleksandar Đorđević is on the brink of preparing to extend his contract with the Basketball Association of Serbia (KSS) until the 2019 World Cup in China, which was a good move by KSS President Dragan Đilas. Đorđević will continue his job even though he has signed for Panathinaikos, which sees in him a new saviour after the departure of Željko Obradović.

In his courageous style, he has announced the onslaught on gold at Eurobasket 2015. However, there is no doubt he would be satisfied, along with every objective basketball fan in Serbia, of earning a place in Rio. Experts rightly suggest that it is more difficult to qualify for the Olympic Games than to win a medal at them, which is best evidenced by the fact that only the Eurobasket finalists receive a “pass”.

Just a month ahead of the Eurobasket tournament, FIBA decided to increase the number of teams that will go to the World Olympic Qualifications in 2016. This will most likely mean that the match for seventh place in Lille (previously the limit was six positions) will have great significance. Đorđević did not comment at all on this decision of FIBA, probably because he does not think that his team can fall to such a low branch.

Judging by the preparations, particularly the match against France in Belgrade and the games of Acibadem Trophy, the Serbian team rightly expects to make the final. Đorđević no longer needs to convince his players what they’re worth, as he did last summer, when some found it strange (including team captain Nenad Krstić) when he promised to take them to the final. After many years, Serbia has a group of outstanding players who not only play for good clubs, but also play important roles for them.

Nemanja Bjelica could be one of the major figures at this year’s Eurobasket. He has just completed a great season at Fenerbahce and won the MVP title for the Euroleague, while he arrives at the championships as a new player of Minnesota. Together with him, captain Miloš Teodosić (CSKA) and Bogdan Bogdanović (Fenerbahce) make a powerful trio that can crush any rival on their day.

The absence Boban Marjanović (222 cm) is a major handicap, because coach Đorđević had a special tactic with him, which is not feasible with other players. However, in the paint that should not be a problem, because there Miroslav Raduljica, Ognjen Kuzmić (both signed for Panathinaikos with their coach) and Nikola Milutinov (Olympiakos’s latest player). ■

Note: This issue of CorD was submitted to print on 30th August. The deadline set by FIBA for national basketball federations to submit their final squad is 48 hours before the 5th September start of Eurobasket 2015.

The rosters published in this issue are derived from national basketball associations and FIBA, as well as through interviews and research. We apologise for any possible mistakes or omissions. eurobasket 2015

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Players to Watch

GROUP

RUSSIA

Vitaly Fridzon

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

FRANCE

Nihad Djedovic

Tony Parker

RUSSIA Head Coach: Evgeny Pashutin NAME Pavel Antipov Semen Antonov Andrei Desiatnikov Vitaly FridzonS Dmitry Khvostov Dmitrii Kulagin Nikita Kurbanov Sergey Monya Timofey Mozgov Ruslan Pateev Anton Ponkrashov Egor Vyaltsev Andrey Zubkov

POS. F PF C G PG GF SF SF C C SG SG PF

HEIGHT 2.04 2.02 2.20 1.95 1.90 1.97 2.02 2.02 2.15 2.13 2.00 1.93 2.05

AGE 24 26 21 30 26 23 29 32 29 25 29 29 24

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA Head Coach: Dusko Ivanovic NAME Drasko Albijanic Nedim Buza Nemanja Gordic Elmedin Kikanovic Milan Milosevic Muhamed Pasalic Dalibor Persic Gregory Renfroe Andrija Stipanovic Marko Sutalo Miroslav Todic Adin Vrabac

POS. F SG PG C SF SG SF PG C SG PF SF

HEIGHT 2.08 2.02 1.94 2.10 2.00 1.94 1.95 1.90 2.08 1.93 2.05 2.02

AGE 29 25 27 27 30 28 30 29 29 32 30 21

FRANCE Head Coach: Vincent COLLET NAME Alexis Ajinca Nicolas Batum Nando de Colo Boris Diaw Antoine Diot Evan Fournier MickaĂŤl Gelabale Rudy Gobert Charles Kahudi Joffrey Lauvergne Tony Parker Florent Pietrus

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POS. C GF G PF PG SG GF G SF FC PG PF

HEIGHT 2,16 2,03 1,96 2,03 1,92 1,99 2,02 2,15 1,97 2,09 1,86 2,02

AGE 27 27 28 33 26 23 32 23 29 24 33 34

FINLAND

Jamar Wilson

POLAND

ISRAEL

AJ Slaughter

Gal Mekel

FINLAND Head Coach: Henrik Dettmann NAME Roope Ahonen Joonas CavĂŠn Shawn Huff Ville Kaunisto Mikko Koivisto Petteri Koponen Tuukka Kotti Gerald Lee Erik Jay Murphy Matti Nuutinen Sasu Salin Jamar Wilson

POS. PG PF SG PF GF PG PF PF PF SG SG G

HEIGHT 1.87 2.11 1.98 2.04 1.94 1.94 2.05 2.08 2.08 2.00 1.91 1.85

AGE 25 23 31 33 28 27 34 28 25 25 24 29

HEIGHT 1.93 2.00 2.01 2.11 1.93 2.15 1.87 2.05 1.96 1.91 1.99 1.93

AGE 27 28 25 31 29 22 31 28 22 28 26 29

HEIGHT 1.99 2.04 2.17 1.93 2.03 2.11 2.02 1.91 1.90 1.86 1.91 2.17 1.93

AGE 22 27 29 21 30 33 27 31 27 34 28 29 29

POLAND Head Coach: Mike Taylor NAME Dardan Berisha Aaron Cel Aleksander Czyz Marcin Gortat Karol Gruszecki Przemyslaw Karnowski Lukasz Koszarek Damian Kulig Mateusz Ponitka AJ Slaughter Adam Waczynski Przemyslaw Zamojski

POS. SG SF PF C F C PG PF SF SG SG SF

ISRAEL Head Coach: Erez Edelstein NAME Oz Blayzer Omri Casspi Alexey Chubrevich Shawn Dawson Lior Eliyahu Dor Fischer Elishay Kadir Raviv Limonad Gal Mekel Afik Nissim Yogev Ohayon Boris Rothbart Dagan Yivzori

POS. PF SF C SF SF C PF SG PG PG PG C SG

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Players to Watch

GROUP

ICELAND

Pavel Ermolinskij

SPAIN

TURKEY

Sinan Güler

Pau Gasol

ICELAND Head Coach: Craig Pedersen NAME Hlynur Baeringsson Pavel Ermolinskij Logi Gunnarsson Martin Hermannsson Axel Kárason Helgi Magnússon Ragnar Nathanaelsson Haukur Pálsson Jakob Sigurdarson Jon Stefansson Aegir Steinarsson Hördur Vilhjálmsson

POS. PF PG SG PG SF SF C SF PG G PG PG

HEIGHT 2.00 2.02 1.92 1.90 1.92 1.92 2.18 1.97 1.92 1.96 1.82 1.90

AGE 33 28 34 20 32 33 24 23 33 33 24 27

HEIGHT 2.07 2.12 1.85 2.11 1.92 2.07 2.08 2.00 1.91 2.01 2.11 1.97

AGE 24 29 26 29 31 27 28 18 25 20 28 20

HEIGHT 1.91 1.92 1.92 1.96 1.96 1.99 2.06 2.08 2.05 2.13 2.06 2.08

AGE 29 28 22 28 30 31 30 24 26 35 35 21

TURKEY Head Coach: Ergin Ataman NAME Furkan Aldemir Ömer Asik Dogus Balbay Semih Erden Sinan Güler Baris Hersek Ersan Ilyasova Furkan Korkmaz Melih Mahmutoglu Cedi Osman Oguz Savas Kenan Sipahi

POS. PF C PG C SG PF PF SG SG SG C PG

SPAIN Head Coach: Sergio SCARIOLO NAME Sergio Rodriguez Sergio Llull Guillem Vives Pau Ribas Rudy Fernandez Fernando San Emeterio Victor Claver Nikola Mirotic Pablo Aguilar Pau Gasol Felipe Reyes Guillermo Hernangómez

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POS. PG PG PG SG SF SF PF PF PF C C C

SERBIA

Nemanja Bjelica

ITALY

GERMANY

Marco Belinelli

Dirk Nowitzki

SERBIA Head Coach: Aleksandar Djordjevic NAME Nemanja Bjelica Bogdan Bogdanovic Nikola Milutinov Zoran Erceg Nikola Kalinic Ognjen Kuzmic Stefan Markovic Nemanja Nedovic Miroslav Raduljica Marko Simonovic Vladimir Stimac Milos Teodosic

POS. F SG C PF SF PF PG G C SF C PG

HEIGHT 2.09 1.98 2.12 2.10 2.02 2.06 1.95 1.92 2.13 2.01 2.11 1.95

AGE 27 23 20 30 24 25 27 24 27 29 28 28

HEIGHT 1.94 2.13 1.96 2.12 1.93 2.11 2.03 1.92 2.05 2.00 1.90 1.99 2.05

AGE 26 29 29 24 29 30 27 22 27 22 25 27 24

HEIGHT 2.08 2.00 1.89 2.01 1.92 2.13 2.18 1.83 1.89 1.90 1.92 2.11 2.02

AGE 26 24 31 30 23 37 26 31 22 27 25 23 21

ITALY Head Coach: Simone Pianigiani NAME Pietro Aradori Andrea Bargnani Marco Belinelli Riccardo Cervi Andrea Cinciarini Marco Cusin Luigi Datome Amedeo Della Valle Danilo Gallinari Alessandro Gentile Stefano Gentile Daniel Hackett Nicolò Melli

POS. SG C SG C PG C PF SG SF SF PG PG PF

GERMANY Head Coach: Emir MUTAPCIC NAME Robin Benzing Niels Giffey Anton Gavel Alex King Maodo Lo Dirk Nowitzki Tibor Pleiss Heiko Schaffartzik Dennis Schröder Karsten Tadda Akeem Vargas Johannes Voigtmann Paul Zipser

POS. SF SF PG SF PG PF C PG PG SG SG C SG

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Players to Watch

GROUP

NETHERLANDS

Worthy De Jong

GREECE

CROATIA

Kostas Papanikolaou

Bojan Bogdanovic

NETHERLANDS Head Coach: Toon VAN HELFTEREN NAME Kees Akerboom Yannick Franke Nicolas de Jong Worthy de Jong Mohamed Kherrazi Charlon Kloof Henk Norel Ralf de Pagter Roeland Schaftenaar Arvin Slagter Robin Smeulders Leon Williams

POS. SF SG C SG SF PG C SF PF SG PF PG

HEIGHT 2.00 1.94 2.10 1.94 2.00 1.90 2.12 2.00 2.11 1.92 2.08 1.89

AGE 32 19 27 27 25 25 27 21 27 30 28 24

HEIGHT 2.08 2.13 1.97 2.05 2.13 1.95 2.03 2.03 2.05 1.98 1.92 1.96

AGE 21 32 27 32 26 25 25 31 30 25 33 32

HEIGHT 2.15 2.00 2.01 2.08 1.97 2.06 2.17 1.96 2.11 2.12 2.08 1.81

AGE 26 26 20 21 30 30 28 31 31 25 29 31

GREECE Head Coach: Fotis Katsikaris NAME Giannis Antetokounmpo Yannis Bourousis Nick Calathes Kostas Kaimakoglou Kostas Koufos Evangelos Mantzaris Kostas Papanikolaou Stratos Perperoglou Georgios Printezis Kostas Sloukas Vassilis Spanoulis Nikos Zisis

POS. GF C PG PF C PG F F F PG SG SG

CROATIA Head Coach: Velimir Perasovic NAME Miro Bilan Bojan Bogdanovic Mario Hezonja Dario Saric Krunoslav Simon Marko Tomas Ante Tomic Roko Leni Ukic Luka Zoric Tomislav Zubcic Damjan Rude탑 Dontaye Draper

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POS. C SG SF PF SG SG C PG C PF F PG

SLOVENIA

Zoran Dragic

FYR MACEDONIA

GEORGIA

Predrag Samardjiski

Giorgi Shermadini

SLOVENIA Head Coach: Jurij Zdovc NAME Jure Balazic Jaka Blazic Ziga Dimec Zoran Dragic Nebojsa Joksimovic Jaka Klobucar Mitja Nikolic Alen Omic Klemen Prepelic Luka Rupnik Uros Slokar Sasa Zagorac

POS. PF G C GF G SG SF C G PG PF C

HEIGHT 2.04 1.96 2.12 1.96 1.93 1.98 2.04 2.15 1.91 1.86 2.10 2.06

AGE 35 25 23 26 33 28 24 23 22 22 27 31

HEIGHT 1.97 2.02 2.03 1.87 2.03 1.88 2.07 2.15 1.92 1.96 1.94 1.97

AGE 26 23 28 35 27 27 20 29 26 27 27 29

HEIGHT 2.03 1.92 1.96 2.11 2.10 1.83 1.96 2.03 2.10 2.07 2.16 1.92

AGE 21 29 29 24 31 26 23 29 25 24 26 29

FYR MACEDONIA Head Coach: Marijan Srbinovski NAME Vladimir Brckov Stojan Gjuroski Richard Hendriks Vlado Ilievski Marjan Janeski Aleksandar Kostoski Ljubomir Mladenovski Predrag Samardjiski Marko Simonovski Damjan Stojanovski Vojdan Stojanovski Bojan Trajkovski

POS. SF PF PF PG C PG C C SG SG SG SF

GEORGIA Head Coach: Igor Kokoskov NAME Beka Burjanadze Besik Lezhava Manuchar Markoishvili Nika Metreveli Zaza Pachulia Jacob Pullen Duda Sanadze Viktor Sanikidze George Sharabidze Tornike Shengelia Giorgi Shermadini George Tsintsadze

POS. PF SG SF PF C PG SF SF C PF C PG

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Players to Watch

GROUP

ESTONIA

Gregor Arbet

LATVIA

LITHUANIA

Andrejs Selakovs

Jonas Valanciunas

ESTONIA Head Coach: Tiit Sokk

Photo: index.hr

NAME Gregor Arbet Gert Dorbek Martin Dorbek Reinar Hallik Kristjan Kangur Erik Keedus Tanel Kurbas Sten Sokk Tanel Sokk Janar Talts Joosep Toome Rain Veideman Siim-Sander Vene

POS. SF SG PG C SF PG SG PG PG PF PF SG SF

HEIGHT 1.95 1.93 1.98 2.08 2.01 1.97 1.98 1.81 1.88 2.07 2.08 1.92 2.03

AGE 32 30 24 31 33 25 27 26 30 32 30 24 25

HEIGHT 1.92 2.11 1.91 2.10 1.86 1.95 1.95 2.08 2.07 2.11 1.91 2.01

AGE 26 30 33 27 22 32 24 24 24 25 26 22

HEIGHT 2.00 2.08 1.93 2.05 2.11 1.95 2.07 2.05 1.80 1.98 1.95 2.05 1.96 2.10

AGE 28 22 26 31 35 29 31 26 21 29 29 19 30 23

LATVIA Head Coach: Ainars Bagatskis NAME Dairis Bertans Kaspars Berzins Janis Blums Rolands Freimanis Ingus Jakovics Kristaps Janicenoks Haralds Karlis Martins Meiers Mareks Mejeris Davis Rozitis Janis Strelnieks Janis Timma

POS. SG PF SG PF PG G GF FC F C PG SF

LITHUANIA Head Coach: Jonas Kazlauskas NAME Deividas Gailius Arturas Gudaitis Zygimantas Janavicius Paulius Jankunas Robertas Javtokas Mantas Kalnietis Antanas Kavaliauskas Mindaugas Kuzminskas Lukas Lekavicius Jonas Maciulis Arturas Milaknis Domantas Sabonis Renaldas Seibutis Jonas Valanciunas

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POS. PF C G PF C PG C F G F SG C GF C

UKRAINE

Viacheslav Kravtsov

BELGIUM

CZECH REPUBLIC

Axel Hervelle

Jan Vesely

UKRAINE Head Coach: Yevgen Murzin NAME Kyrylo Fesenko Maxym Korniyenko Pavlo Krutous Denys Lukashov Oleksandr Lypovyy Olexandr Mishula Artem Pustovyi Maksym Pustozvonov Oleksandr Sizov Stanislav Tymofeyenko Jerome Randle Ihor Zaytsev

POS. C PF G PG SG PG C F SF PF PG C

HEIGHT 2.16 2.04 1.97 1.88 2.01 1.89 2.18 2.00 1.98 2.01 1.75 2.07

AGE 28 27 23 26 25 23 23 28 27 26 28 26

HEIGHT 1.75 2.04 2.01 2.04 1.98 1.98 1.95 1.93 1.90 1.84 2.06 1.88

AGE 34 28 24 33 30 32 26 25 25 30 24 29

HEIGHT 2.06 2.16 2.02 2.16 2.03 2.00 1.98 1.90 2.05 2.00 1.98 2.11 2.00

AGE 26 23 35 35 31 29 25 25 20 24 32 25 35

BELGIUM Head Coach: Eddy CASTEELS NAME Lionel Bosco Maxime De Zeeuw Pierre-Antoine Gillet Axel Hervelle Matthew Lojeski Wen Mukubu Jean-Marc Mwema Jean Salumu Quentin Serron Jonathan Tabu Kevin Tumba Sam Van Rossom

POS. PG PF SF PF SF F F SF G G C PG

CZECH REPUBLIC Head Coach: Ronen Ginzburg NAME Patrik Auda Ondrej Balvín Lubos Barton Ales Chan Pavel Houska Vojtech Hruban David Jelinek Radim Klecka Adam Pechacek Tomás Satoransky Blake Schilb Jan Vesely Jiri Welsch

POS. C C PF C PF SG GF G PF PG SF PF SG

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GROUP A Montpellier, France

Russia Bosnia and Herzegovina France Finland Poland Israel

GROUP B Berlin, Germany

Iceland Turkey Spain Serbia Italy Germany

GROUP C Zagreb, Croatia

Netherlands Greece Croatia Slovenia FYR Macedonia Georgia

GROUP D Riga, Latvia

Estonia Latvia Lithuania Ukraine Belgium Czech Republic

EUROBASKE T 2015 Schedule

Serbia won silver in the 2014 World Basketball Championship

05.09.2015.

A/2 15:00 B/1 15:00 C/1 15:00 D/1 15:30 A/1 17:30 B/3 18:00 C/2 18:00 D/2 18:30 A/3 21:00 B/2 21:00 C/3 21:00 D/3 21:30 06.09.2015.

A/4 15:00 B/5 15:00 C/4 15:00 D/4 15:30 A/5 17:30 B/4 18:00 C/5 18:00 D/6 18:30 A/6 21:00 B/6 21:00 C/6 21:00 D/5 21:30 07.09.2015.

A/7 15:00 D/8 15:30 A/9 17:30 D/9 18:30 A/8 21:00 D/7 21:30 08.09.2015.

B/7 14:30 C/7 15:00 B/9 17:45 C/9 18:00 B/8 21:00 C/8 21:00

16 |

Poland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina Germany vs Iceland Georgia vs Netherlands Czech Republic vs Estonia Israel vs Russia Spain vs Serbia FYR Macedonia vs Greece Belgium vs Latvia France vs Finland Italy vs Turkey Croatia vs Slovenia Lithuania vs Ukraine

Montpellier, FRA Berlin, GER Zagreb, CRO Riga, LAT Montpellier, FRA Berlin, GER Zagreb, CRO Riga, LAT Montpellier, FRA Berlin, GER Zagreb, CRO Riga, LAT

Russia vs Poland Serbia vs Germany Netherlands vs FYR Macedonia Estonia vs Belgium Finland vs Israel Iceland vs Italy Slovenia vs Georgia Latvia vs Lithuania Bosnia and Herzegovina vs France Turkey vs Spain Greece vs Croatia Ukraine vs Czech Republic

Montpellier, FRA Berlin, GER Zagreb, CRO Riga, LAT Montpellier, FRA Berlin, GER Zagreb, CRO Riga, LAT Montpellier, FRA Berlin, GER Zagreb, CRO Riga, LAT

Finland vs Russia Lithuania vs Belgium Israel vs Bosnia and Herzegovina Czech Republic vs Latvia France vs Poland Ukraine vs Estonia

Montpellier, FRA Riga, LAT Montpellier, FRA Riga, LAT Montpellier, FRA Riga, LAT

Serbia vs Iceland Slovenia vs Netherlands Germany vs Turkey Georgia vs Greece Spain vs Italy Croatia vs FYR Macedonia

Berlin, GER Zagreb, CRO Berlin, GER Zagreb, CRO Berlin, GER Zagreb, CRO

PREVIEW GUIDE |

eurobasket 2015

09.09.2015.

B/11 14:30 Turkey vs Serbia A/11 15:00 Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Finland C/11 15:00 Greece vs Slovenia D/12 15:30 Belgium vs Czech Republic A/12 17:30 Poland vs Israel B/12 17:45 Italy vs Germany C/12 18:00 FYR Macedonia vs Georgia D/11 18:30 Latvia vs Ukraine A/10 21:00 Russia vs France B/10 21:00 Ieland vs Spain C/10 21:00 Netherlands vs Croatia D/10 21:30 Estonia vs Lithuania 10.09.2015.

B/15 14:30 Serbia vs Italy A/15 15:00 Finland vs Poland C/15 15:00 Slovenia vs FYR Macedonia D/15 15:30 Ukraine vs Belgium A/13 17:30 Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Russia B/14 17:45 Germany vs Spain C/14 18:00 Georgia vs Croatia D/13 18:30 Latvia vs Estonia A/14 21:00 Israel vs France B/13 21:00 Turkey vs Iceland C/13 21:00 Greece vs Netherlands D/14 21:30 Czech Republic vs Lithuania 12.09.2015.

61/A Team(B/2) vs Team(A/3) 62/A Team(C/1) vs Team(D/4) 63/A Team(A/1) vs Team(B/4) 64/A Team(D/2) vs Team(C/3) 13.09.2015.

65/A Team(B/1) vs Team(A/4) 66/A Team(C/2) vs Team(D/3) 67/A Team(A/2) vs Team(B/3) 68/A Team(D/1) vs Team(C/4) 15.09.2015.

69/A Winner of (61) vs Winner of (62) 70/A Winner of (63) vs Winner of (64) 16.09.2015.

71/A Winner of (65) vs Winner of (66) 72/A Winner of (67) vs Winner of (68) 17.09.2015.

73/A Loser of (69) vs Loser of (70) 75/A Winner of (69) vs Winner of (70) 18.09.2015.

74/A Loser of (71) vs Loser of (72) 76/A Winner of (71) vs Winner of (72) 20.09.2015.

77/A 14:00 Loser of (75) vs Loser of (76) 78/A 19:00 Winner of (75) vs Winner of (76)

Berlin, GER Montpellier, FRA Zagreb, CRO Riga, LAT Montpellier, FRA Berlin, GER Zagreb, CRO Riga, LAT Montpellier, FRA Berlin, GER Zagreb, CRO Riga, LAT Berlin, GER Montpellier, FRA Zagreb, CRO Riga, LAT Montpellier, FRA Berlin, GER Zagreb, CRO Riga, LAT Montpellier, FRA Berlin, GER Zagreb, CRO Riga, LAT Lille, FRA Lille, FRA Lille, FRA Lille, FRA Lille, FRA Lille, FRA Lille, FRA Lille, FRA Lille, FRA Lille, FRA Lille, FRA Lille, FRA Lille, FRA Lille, FRA Lille, FRA Lille, FRA Lille, FRA Lille, FRA