After weeks of speculation, FIBA has chosen the four final countries, Germany, Lebanon, Lithuania, and Russia, that will represent in the 2010 World Championships of Basketball.

(germany-lebanon-lithuania-and-russia-awarded-12172/#post”>Discuss FIBA’s four wild card selections in our forum)

The maximum three -from-one-region wild cards went to Europe, leaving Great Britain as the only European finalist without a ticket. With their resurgence onto the basketball scene as the hosts of the 2012 Summer Olympics being held in London, Great Britain was likely fifth place in the voting

The other three finalists that were in the running were two nations from Africa, Cameroon and Nigeria, and one from Asia – Korea.

The wild card process started with 14 nations, which was whittled down to eight before the FIBA board chose the four federations last night. Congratulations to Germany, Lebanon, Lithuania, and Russia.

We are onlyy one day away from FIBA announcing the final four countries that will fill the tournament field for the 2010 World Championships.

(Predict the four teams to WC2010)

The Wild Card process started with 14 teams hoping for one of the four remaining spots; now it’s been whittled down to just eight basketball federations and  their current FIBA world rankings: Cameroon (#43), Germany (7), Great Britain (73), Korea (27), Lebanon (24), Lithuania (6), Nigeria (22), and Russia (17).

From FIBA’s world rankings, the four wild cards should go to Lithuania (6), Germany (7), Russia (17) and Nigeria (22), but who knows what FIBA is thinking, but they consider three criteria when selecting wild cards; sporting, economics, and governing aspects for each country.

Wild-card hopefuls must also pay a controversial 500,000 € fee, prior to FIBA’s decision, with the fees going into the marketing and promotion of basketball through FIBA’s International Basketball Foundation.

A maximum of three teams from one region will be allowed, meaning that Europe can only have 3/4 teams that can be awarded the Wild Card, and it’s not unlikely that Europe will get three teams.

Stay tuned, there will be some very happy teams and some very unhappy teams come Saturday night.

The FIBA Wild Cards will determine four teams’ fates for the 2010 World Championships of basketball.

With a few days remaining before FIBA announces their selections, which countries do you think FIBA will select for the event in Turkey in 2010? Below are Interbasket’s top 11 contenders:

• Cameroon
• Dominican Republic
• Germany
• Great Britain
• Korea
• Lebanon
• Lithuania
• Nigeria
• Poland
• Russia
• Taiwan

Seems that Interbasket members mostly agree that Russia and Germany will be locks to receive a ticket to the huge basketball event.

Go to our forum and pick the four countries that you think FIBA will choose based on their criteria of sporting, economics, and governing factors with a maximum of three wild cards from any one zone (that means you, Europe!).

It’s already been hinted that the sporting factor will weigh more heavily, benefiting teams from Europe and the Americas.

After the Wild Cards have been determined, the draw for the World Championships will be held at the Ciragan Palace Kempinski Hotel, Istanbul on Tuesday, 15th December 2009 at 11:30AM local time.

Tijani Umar, the President of the NBBF (Nigeria Basketball Federation) recently returned from Zurich, Switzerland after a meeting with FIBA World officials to chat about the FIBA wild cards for the 2010 World Championships.

However, Umar’s meeting with FIBA officials did not make him very positive on Nigeria’s chances.

While speaking with Ungar, FIBA hinted that they would be selecting the wild cards based on a country’s potential to make some impact on the world stage.

This “impact” factor is listed in FIBA’s wild card criteria, but for FIBA officials to emphasize that, fuels further speculation that the “quality and sporting results of the national teams of the country” is more heavily weighed than any other aspect.

After Nigeria finished fifth in the 2009 Afrobasket tournament, it would be difficult to justify their selection.

FIBA World Championships Wild Cards
With twenty teams having already clinched a spot to Turkey, there are still four slots remaining. These four spots are the wild cards and will be determined by FIBA.

(Chat more about the FIBA wild cards)

In order to qualify for a wild card, a team must have participated in their respective qualifying competition. From there, FIBA will take into consideration the sporting, economic, and governance aspects of that country.

Nigeria is on the short list of roughly ten teams vying for one of the four final spots.

Some of the top contenders for the spot include Cameroon, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Great Britain, Korea, Lebanon, Lithuania, Nigeria, and Russia.

There are going to be six very disappointed teams come December when FIBA announces which four countries will receive the wild cards at the FIBA Central Board meeting in Geneva.

If  basketball popularity coincided with the average height of the country’s population, then Scandinavia should have many more professional basketball players.

At least according to some data that was compiled by one of our forum members, tpraseri (see Average Height by Country thread).

Tpraseri compiled data from across the internet, listed out the average heights of 82 countries around the world. You can see the full list at the bottom of this post.

Netherlands the tallest country
At an average height of 5-foot-11 (181,0 cm), the Netherlands has the tallest average height amongst males twenty years old and older.

Holland was followed by #2 Iceland (5-10.8, 179,8), and then the three Scandinavian countries Norway (5-10.7, 179,7),  Sweden (5-10.6, 179,3), and Denmark (5-10.4, 178,8) rounded out the top five.

And who have these countries have produced?

The Netherlands has been decently successful with Rik Smits, Dan Gadzuric, Francisco Elson, Swen Nater, Geert Hammink, Henk Norel, and Serge Zwikker.

Sweden has the recently-drafted Jonas Jerebko, Iceland sent Petur Gudmundsson to the NBA in the 1980s and Jón Stefánsson, and Lars Hansen of Denmark.

And who would have assumed that #43 South Korea (5-7.3, 171,0) would, on average, be taller than #48 Portugal (5-7.1, 170,5), #56 Brazil (5-6.7, 169,5), #69 Mongolia (5-5.5, 166,4), and #75 Nigeria (5-5, 165,0),?

Asia has the shortest countries
Asia owned the six shortest countries on the list, mostly Southeast Asian countries.

The only country shorter than #81 Indonesia (161.5, 5’3.6) and the #80 Philippines (162.0, 5’3.8) was #82 Cambodia clocked in as the country with the shortest average height for males at just 160,3 (5’3.1″).

To see the full chart, see below:

* For the references used to compile this data, go here.

Cameroon‘s Cyrille Etogo” src=”http://www.interbasket.net/news/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/nigeria-cameroon.jpg” alt=”Nigeria’s Chamberlain Oguchi (#6) of drives on Cameroon’s Cyrille Etogo” width=”240″ height=”311″ />

It’s no surprise that Angola is in the finals of Afrobasket, the African nation has been dominating the African Championships the last decade, winning nine of the last ten tournaments.

The shocking news is that Nigeria and Senegal won’t be in the top three, and that the Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) will take on the Angolans in the finals; heading to the World Championships of Basketball for the first time since 1986.

Tournament darlings Tunisia could also punch their ticket to the WBC, which would be their first ever, if they are able to defeat Cameroon in tomorrow’s third-place game.

It’ll be tough for Tunisia, who have won their three last games by a total of just four points, which included a narrow 68-66 win over Cameroon in the round of eight.  No doubt, Cameroon will come out looking to avenge their loss and salvage a disappointing showing in the 2009 Afrobasket.

Quick Starts, Slow Finish
Nigeria and Senegal came out of the gate strong, both accumulated 3-0 records in the preliminary rounds, but would falter when it mattered most.

Senegal’s problem started when they lost Babacar Cissé, their key playmaker, for a couple games.  And even when Cissé returned, they couldn’t recover their momentum; losing four of their next five games.

Nigeria would actually win their first five games, but would misstep twice in matchups with Angola and Cameroon.  Even though Nigeria was unbeaten through their first five games, their two timely losses has them fighting for fifth place. Nigeria (6-2) will play the Central African Republic, who finished with an even 4-4 record.

In the last ten Afrobaskets, Angola, Senegal, Egypt, and Nigeria have dominated the medal cermonies.

Angola has medaled all ten tournaments with nine golds and one bronze. Senegal and Egypt has medaled six times; Senegal has one gold (1997), three silvers, and two bronze medals, while Egypt collect two silvers and four bronzes n that same span.

Nigeria has placed in either second or third place five times in the last ten Afrobaskets – gathering three silvers and two bronzes.  This will be only the second time in twenty years that either Egypt, Nigeria or Senegal do not medal.

After some shocking results on day five of the tournament, only two teams, defending champions Angola and Nigeria, remain as the only undefeated nations in the 2009 Afrobasket tournament

(click here for Afrobasket discussion)

Angola and Nigeria will meet today in the fifth match of the day (schedule).

Senegal loses PG, upset by Morocco
Senegal has been upset twice in it’s last two games.

After coming out of the prelimiary round unbeaten, the west African nation would drop their next two games in surprising losses to Rwanda and Morocco.

Their losses coincided with an injury to their point guard Babacar Cissé.  Cissé, who leads the field in assists at 6.2, went down early in Senegal’s game against Rwanda and wasn’t available against Morocco.

With Senegal’s 75-73 loss to Morocco, there is no chance that the Senegalese team will advance to the next round.  The game was tightly-contested until the Moroccan team outscored their Senegalese opponents 20-8 in the third quarter to open up a ten point lead going into the final stanza.

Mohamad Hacad led Morocco with a double double (18 points and 13 rebounds). Hamed was buoyed by Zakaria El-Masbahi (17 points), Yunss Akinocho (12) and Younes Idrissi (10 points and 7 rebounds).

Senegal wasted Mouhammad Faye’s 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.  Boniface N’Dong added 13 points and 12 rebounds for the losers.

Tunisia continues Success, upsets Cameroon
The surprise team of the tournament has to be the small, northern nation of Tunisia who is 4-1 after their first five games.

Tunisia lost their first game to last year’s darling, Cape Verde, but would go on to win their next four matches, to go to the top of their group.

Tunisia used Amine Rzig’s team-high 17 points and 6 rebounds to help upset Cameroon 68-66.   This has been a difficult tournament for team Cameroon, who placed second in the 2007 Afrobasket and whose two losses were both two-point margins.

Gaston Essengué led Cameroon with 14 points.  Cameroon outshot their opponents from the field, 3pt, and free-throws, but turned the ball over eight more times (23-15).

To the northwest of Libya, the Tunisians have won their last two games by a total of just three points.  They will attempt to continue their dark horse ways and try upset Senegal in their next game.

Libya defeats Egypt at the buzzer
Egypt mounted a furious comeback on Libya and tied the game at 73 with just three seconds left before Raid Fareed launched a jumper that found the bottom of the net.

The shot gave hosts Libya a 75-73 upset of Egypt,

Both teams were in a must-win situation in order to keep their hopes alive to advance into the next round.  Egypt and Libya came into the game having lost three of their four games.

Libyan Alfateh Belgasim led the floor with 23 poinst and 6 rebounds while the quartet of Mohamed Mersal, Hisham Farag added 15 points and match hero Raid Fareed contributed 10 points.

Libya is hosting their first Afrobasket and is participating in the tournament for the first time in 30 years.  Libya played in the 1965, 1970, and 1978 Afrobasket championships.

The prelimiary stage of the 2009 African Championships have finished (discuss).  Three nations Angola, Nigeria, and Senegal have moved onto the next round undefeated with three wins each.   Each team will play today in the quarterfinals.

[Show as slideshow]

Nigeria was led by 24-year old Michael Efevberha’s 23 points, good for second in the field.  Efevberha also had 3.3 assists, and 3.0 steals a game.

The 2005 Afrobasket MVP Boniface N’dong led Senegal in scoring and rebounding in their first three games.  N’dong, a former NBA player who played 23 games for the Los Angeles Clippers back in 2005-06, averaged 20.3 points and 8.3 rebounds for the Senegalese.  The 7-0 center from Dakar also averaged 1.3 blocks.

DeSagana Diop helped Senegal dominate the inside with 12.3 rebounds a game.  Diop pulled down 15 rebounds, and scored 8 points, in Senegal’s 67-65 win over Cameroon.

Jeff Xavier, a graduate of Providence University in the USA, led the Afrobasket field in scoring.  Xavier put up 27.3 points a game for Cape Verde, who were the surprise Bronze medalists in the 2007 tournament.  Unfortunately, CPV lost two games in the prelimiaries and will play in the relegation round.

Xavier hoisted 58 three pointers in Cape Verde’s first four games; an average of 14 three-point attempts per game, including 22 shots from behind the arc in a win over the Congo.

Angola, the defending champions and favorites to win the tournament, didn’t have one  player in the top ten of scoring.  In Angola’s first three games, Joaquim “Kikas” Gomes led Angola with 15 points, Eduardo Mingas 12.3 points, and Carlos Almeida 11 points per game.

The tournament also features well-known players Pape Sow (Senegal), Ebi Ere (Nigeria), Romain Sato (CAF), Harding Nana and Alfred Aboya (Cameroon).

Two regional basketball championships are going into their third, and final day, of preliminary games today.

The 2009 Africa Nations and the Asia Championships are finishing up their round robin play.After day 2, Angola, Nigeria, Senegal, and Cameroon have advanced into the quarterfinals of the 2009 Africa Nations Championships of Basketball

The top three teams in each of the four groups will move onto the quarterfinals to be played on Saturday, August 8th local time.

National Teams that are promised a berth in the quarterfinals for Afrobasket are defending champions Angola, Nigeria, Senegal, and Cameroon, all four of these teams went undefeated in their first two days of pool play. Follow the African Nations Basketball Championships in our Afrobasket forum.

On the Asian side, 2007 Asiabasket champions Iran, China, Jordan, Korea, and the Philippines have started 2-0 going into their third games today.  After winning their first two games, these five teams will move onto the quarterfinals even if they lose today.  For more about the Asia Basketball Championships, visit our Asiabasket forum.

The final goal of the gathered national teams is to grab one of three available berths to the World Championships in 2010.  Both Africa and Asia will send the top three finishers from the tournament to the 2010 global basketball tournament.

Links and Resources: 2009 Afrobasket Schedule (Fiba.com),  2009 Asiabasket Schedule (Fiba.com)

Title: Afrobasket 2009
Location: Tripoli, Libya
Official Site: http://libya2009.fiba.com
Information: The 2009 Africa Nations Basketball Championships, or Afrobasket, starts in less than a week.

The 25th Afrobasket (discuss) is being held August 5-15 in Tripoli, Libya.

Teams participating include Libya (host), Angola, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Tunisia, Morocco, Mali, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Central African Republic, Congo, Egypt, Rwanda, Mozambique, South Africa, and Senegal.

Discuss the 2009 Africa Championships of Basketball in our forum.

In the last decade of Afrobasket tournaments, the national team from Angola has been the most dominant and most organized nation.  Behind players like Joaquim Gomes, Olímpio Cipriano, Ângelo Victoriano, Eduardo Mingas, and Carlos Morais, the Angolans have won gold in nine of the last ten Afrobasket tournaments, with Senegal interrupting the dominance in 1997.

Can Nigeria and Cameroon, the two teams with the best chances of defeating Angola, finally break through and end Angola’s golden era of basketball? 

The Africa Nations Championship will feature several big names.  In addition to Angola’s Gomes, Mingas, Morais, and Cipriano, there is Boniface N’Dong, Pape Sow, and DeSagna Diop of Senegal, Gabe Muoneke and Ebi Ere of Nigeria, Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje, Alfred Aboya, and Brice Vounang from Cameroon.

The top three teams from the Afrobasket tournament will automatically qualify for the FIBA World Championship being held in Turkey.  Even if African nation doesn’t finish in the top three, there is still a chance to make the World Championships, as 3-4 more teams can be selected as wild cards by FIBA to complete the 24-team field.

The African regional championships have begun. Afrobasket 2007 will be held this year in Luanda, the largest city and the capital of Angola. The tourney features 16 teams from across the continent – Angola, Cameroon, Cape Verde Island, Central African Republic, Congo, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia.

The main question, as with most African tournaments in recent memory is Can Angola be beat? and not just that, can they be defeated when the tournament is being held in Luanda? Olumide Oyedeji believes that many African teams can defeat the perennial African champions, but most teams on this continent lack Angola’s dedication. [article]

If Angola’s first game was any indication, it’s going to be a difficult task to unseat the defending champions. Angola defeated Afrobasket first-timers Rwanda 109-66. Angola was led by Olimpio Cipriano‘s 17 points. Joaquim Gomes added 15 points and Eduardo Mingas posted 14.

Elhadji Ndoye scored 15 points for Senegal helping to defeat Mali last night in their opening Afrobasket game played in Angola. Senegal, the defending Afrobasket silver medalists, will play Egypt next.

Games will be continue until the 25 of August. (Originally published (08/18/2007)

[related thread] [article]