Group A: CHN-VEN-POL-CIV

[Tevfik1907]

• Venezuela (Fiba World Rank: 020)
• Poland (Fiba World Rank: 025)
• China (Fiba World Rank: 030)
• Cote d'Ivoire (Fiba World Rank: 064)

31 August 2019

Poland - Venezuela
16:00 GMT+08
City, Arena: Beijing, Wukesong Sport Arena
Game day 1


Cote d'Ivoire - China
20:00 GMT+08
City, Arena: Beijing, Wukesong Sport Arena
Game day 1


2 September 2019

Venezuela - Cote d'Ivoire
16:00 GMT+08
City, Arena: Beijing, Wukesong Sport Arena
Game day 2

China - Poland
20:00 GMT+08
City, Arena: Beijing, Wukesong Sport Arena
Game day 2


4 September 2019

Cote d'Ivoire - Poland
16:00 GMT+08
City, Arena: Beijing, Wukesong Sport Arena
Game day 3

Venezuela - China
20:00 GMT+08
City, Arena: Beijing, Wukesong Sport Arena
Game day 3

[Dtown]

The Group of Life, the winner of this group might be the 4th best team in Group H.

Right now I'll have it,

Venezuela
Poland
Cote d'Ivorie
China

But this one is wide open

[mojo13]

Venezuela can’t be favored over Poland can they? Or even China.

Canada’s qualifier team beat a full strength Venezuela by 40 the last time they played. They are using the PanAm games as prep and couldn’t make it out of their group - losing to an NCAA team by almost 20 who then turned around and lost to Argentina by 40.

I know this is a weak group but Is Poland and China (playing at home) or even Ivory Coast that bad?

[Mindozas]

Venezuela can’t be favored over Poland can they? Or even China.

Canada’s qualifier team beat a full strength Venezuela by 40 the last time they played. They are using the PanAm games as prep and couldn’t make it out of their group - losing to an NCAA team by almost 20 who then turned around and lost to Argentina by 40.

I know this is a weak group but Is Poland and China (playing at home) or even Ivory Coast that bad?

Ivory Coast is poor. They are here only thnx to FIBA dumb qualifying system. They managed to schedule decisive groups games in African zone in different months. So Ivory Coast knew exactly that they need to win 3 games at home by 60+ points combined to be best 3rd place finishers and kick out Cameroon, who could've compose much better team here. Of course Ivorians did this against unmotivated Nigeria and two midgets. So they are here. The basketball they plays is unorganized and boring with random shooting and some defense based on physical strength. I guess Venezuela vs Ivory Coast might become a biggest borefest here.
Poland could've been obvious favorites here, but Gortat rejected to comeback to NT, Lampe is out due to conflicts with coach, but still they has guys like Ponitka, Waczynski, Slaughter, who should make the difference. They plays more organized game, has more fluent offense. Only frontcourt is the issue, but since Venezuela will be without Echenique, Ivorians has only Deon Thompson there (maybe Sidibe will surprise), Poles should cope with that and qualify.
Have no strong opinion regarding China, they were too messed up with rosters during qualifiers, Red Team, Blue team and etc. but I guess with Yi aboard, with home crowd, probably home cooking, they might finish 2nd

[soulis79]

I doubt that Siakam or Embiid will represent Cameron in the near future. But Cameroon team was a better option for this World Cup.

Poland is a good European team with a very good coach. They are together for years and as you mentioned they have some good players. If they adjust to China conditions, then they will win the group. As for Venezuela they are an aged team now, with very limited offensive game.

[mojo13]

So is it safe to say Pool A has the worst team from each of FIBA America, Europe, Asia and Africa?
I supposed China may not be the worst of Asia, but it is pretty close.

Wow - this pool is even worse than expected.

[soulis79]

Coach Li Nan almost decided the roster for World Cup: Jiwei Zhao
Shuo Fang, Ailun Guo, Minghui Sun, Rui Zhao, Kelanbaike Makan, Abudushalamu Abudurexiti, Junfei Ren, Zhai Xiaochuan, Zhou Peng, Jianlian Yi, Zhelin Wang and Qi Zhou.

Mighui Sun is almost certain that he will be out. Meanwhile Ding Yanyuhang who tried in NBGL (Texas Legends) is recovering from an injury and has minimal chances to make the cut.

[Leoyyyyy]

id say china really has a chance to make it at least quarter final this time as their odds on bet365 are almost the lowest lool

[Leoyyyyy]

china was top 8 in the league back to 2008 and still the best team of Asia currently no doubt

[Darrell Armstrong]

China is a lock for the 2nd round. They're playing at home, and the other teams aren't that special. They may even go 3-0 and if they can win just one game in the 2nd round they will earn a QFs spot. That's the most they can advance, though.

Poland is the better structured team in the group and should be the other one to reach the 2nd round. Lower ceiling than China, though. It would be a surprise if they can beat Argentina, Russia or Nigeria. Can't see them as one the top two teams in that group. I mean, they lost every single preparation game save one, against Jordan.

[Mindozas]

China is a lock for the 2nd round. They're playing at home, and the other teams aren't that special. They may even go 3-0 and if they can win just one game in the 2nd round they will earn a QFs spot. That's the most they can advance, though.

Poland is the better structured team in the group and should be the other one to reach the 2nd round. Lower ceiling than China, though. It would be a surprise if they can beat Argentina, Russia or Nigeria. Can't see them as one the top two teams in that group. I mean, they lost every single preparation game save one, against Jordan.

They also beat Netherlands in farewell game from Poland, and already in China they won vs Iran, in the same tournament lost in OT vs Nigeria and lost by 5 vs Montenegro. Still nothing too impressive of course

[Darrell Armstrong]

They also beat Netherlands in farewell game from Poland, and already in China they won vs Iran, in the same tournament lost in OT vs Nigeria and lost by 5 vs Montenegro. Still nothing too impressive of course

True, the site I was checking didn't have results for those games. Still, 7 losses and 3 wins, none of them against top teams. I still don't think they have enough talent to overcame the home factor for China.

[Mindozas]

True, the site I was checking didn't have results for those games. Still, 7 losses and 3 wins, none of them against top teams. I still don't think they have enough talent to overcame the home factor for China.

I don't have a clue actually how their match-up will end-up. Been changing my mind during last month for a dozen times

[Hoopnation12]

China is making it at least to the quarter-finals

[usagre]

China struggling with the Ivory Coast. This group might be even weaker than we thought.