(19 July 1996)
With the United States' Dream Team highly favored to capture the gold medal in the 1996 Olympic Games, Saturday marks the beginning of a battle by 11 other nations to record one of the greatest upsets in Olympic Games history.
The first game of the day will feature Australia (AUS) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (KOR). Both of these teams are led by strong guard play; Andrew GAZE (AUS) led the squad to a 102-62 victory over New Zealand in the Oceania Zone Finals, while HUR Jae led Korea in qualifying for the Olympic Games by averaging 29.5 points per game in the Asian Championships.
In the second preliminary game, Greece (GRE) will play Yugoslavia (YUG). The feature attraction in this game will be Yugoslavia's two NBA stars - center Vlade DIVAC and guard/forward Predrag DANILOVIC. Yugoslavia is the expected to meet the USA in the finals. Greece, which qualified for the Olympic Games men's basketball competition for the first time ever by defeating Spain (ESP) in the European Championships, will counter Yugoslavia's two NBA players with "The Three Musketeers." The "Musketeers" are made up of long-time Greek National team members Panayotis FASSOULAS, Panayotis GIANNAKIS and Theofanis CHRISTODOLOU. Between them, these three Greek stars have played in 170 games for a nation that has seen basketball grow quickly in popularity over the past few years.
The People's Republic of China (CHN) will meet Angola (ANG) in the third preliminary game of the 1996 Olympic Games. China qualified for the Olympic Games by winning the Asian Championship over Korea (KOR), while Angola earned its ticket to Atlanta by winning the African Zone qualification. China will be led by 3-point marksman HU Weidong and will try and build on the country's two big wins over Brazil and Spain at the World Championship of Basketball in 1994. Angola returns three players from the 1992 Olympic Games and will be trying to make the world forget about its 116-48 beating at the hands of USA in the opening game in Barcelona.
The fourth preliminary game in the men's basketball competition offers possibly the best game of the opening round as Croatia plays Lithuania. Croatia will be led by Chicago Bulls' star Toni KUKOC and the Boston Celtic's Dino RADJA. Lithuania will be led by NBA Rookie of the Year runner-up Arvydas SABONIS and veteran NBA guard Sarunas MARCIULIONIS. Both teams are expected to battle Yugoslavia for the silver and bronze medals.
Puerto Rico and Brazil will play in preliminary game number five and will serve as the crowd's warm-up game for the USA's Dream Team in the Georgia Dome. Puerto Rico qualified for the Olympic Games by winning the Tournament of the Americas, while Brazil placed third in that same tournament to qualify. Puerto Rico will be led in the frontcourt by two former NBA players, Jose ORTIZ and Ramon RIVAS. The guards for Puerto Rico have had a lot of practice together as Edgar PADILLA and Carmelo TRAVIESO both helped the University of Massachusetts to the 1996 NCAA Basketball Final Four. Brazil is led by scoring machine Oscar SCHMIDT, who will tie a record in men's basketball by appearing in the Olympic Games for the fifth time. He will tie the record held by Teofilo CRUZ (PUR), who appeared in five Olympic Games from 1960 to 1976.
And now, for what the world has been waiting for. Well, maybe with the exception of Argentina, which is making its first appearance in the men's basketball competition at the Olympic Games in 44 years. The United States will take to the court against Argentina and try to become the first country to win two consecutive Olympic gold medals since the USA struck gold in 1964 and 1968. While 12 of the greatest players in the world will lead the USA, Argentina will be led by guard Marcelo MILANESIO, the team's captain. Also hoping to help Argentina to what would be one of the biggest upsets in sports history is guard Juan ESPIL, forward Marcelo NICOLA and center Diego OSELLA.
This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department. Written by Wayne White.
| An estimated 5.3 million visted Centennial Olympic Park between opening day - 13 July - and closing day - 4 August, making the park the most single most visited Olympic site during the Games. |