3rd Group: With a flavor… Saitama and Greece-USA

The third group of the World Cup will be hosted in Manila and pits Greece against the USA. This encounter brings back memories of another event in Asia and the 2006 semi-final triumph over Team USA in Saitama, although things are quite different now. After all, the USA after the 2019 cazo will line up a renewed and more “tied” team. Jordan and New Zealand complete the group and will try to make a surprise, but without theoretically much chance of such a thing.

Greece: With resounding absences that offer opportunities

Ever present at the World Cup since 1986 with the exception of the 2002 event in the USA, the National team goes to the Philippines with a fairly renewed composition. Without Giannis Antetokounmpo, Sluka, Kalathis and Dorsey, with few points of reference but also with players who are asked to take several steps forward. A younger and more athletic team, with a naturalized Walkup and several pleasant surprises in the pre-season friendlies, the “official favorite” with Dimitris Itoudis at the helm is called upon to make consecutive breakthroughs, but also to prepare its future. In its ninth participation in the tournament, a success like the 2006 silver medal seems like a utopian goal, but the new version of the National team will certainly be interesting.

Star: Kostas Papanikolaou has always been a great player, but in this National team he is its big star. The player with the longest run in the “official favorite”, but also the most important career. He won’t “load” the opponent’s basket, but he will… unite the whole team on and off the court, play dogged defense, get rebounds, dive for every ball, make his three-pointers. A true leader and example of love for the coat of arms.

Advantages: This version of the national team has huge motivation and not the pressure of the past to medal. Its players are “soldiers”, who will bring out incredible energy on the court and fight one for all and all for one.

Disadvantages: However we do it, there is a lack of quality compared to previous years. And how can it not happen, when perhaps the best player in the world (Yiannis Antetokounmpo), the two top handlers of Greek basketball in the last decade (Sloukas-Kalathis) and the best shooter (Dorsey) are absent.

Forecast: The National team will put out a very loving face playing with a lot of passion. It will pass, without particular difficulties, the first phase of the groups and in the second it will fight two big battles with Lithuania and Montenegro, aiming for a place in the quarter-finals. These games will be judged on the details.

The roster of Greece

Thomas Walkup (30/12/1992 – 1.95m. – G) Olympiakos

Nikos Rogavopoulos (27/06/2001 – 2.03m – G/F) Baskonia

Michalis Lountzis (04/08/1998 – 1.98m. – G) Olympiakos

Giannoulis Larentzakis (22/09/1993 – 2.00m. – G) Olympiacos

Dimitris Moraitis (02/03/1999 – 1.94m. – G) Panathinaikos

Lefteris Bohorides (18/04/1994 – 1.96m. – G)

Giorgos Papagiannis (03/07/1997 – 2.20m. – C) Fenerbahce

Kostas Papanikolaou (31/07/1990 – 2.04 – F) Olympiakos

Ioannis Papapetrou (30/03/1994 – 2.07m. – F) Panathinaikos

Thanasis Antetokounmpo (18/07/1992 – 2.01m. – F) Milwaukee Bucks

Dinos Mitoglou (11/06/1996 – 2.10m. – F/C) Panathinaikos

Manos Hatzidakis (21/04/2000 – 2.08m. – C) AEK

Coach: Dimitris Itoudis

Assistant Coaches: Sotiris Manolopoulos, Savvas Kamberidis, Stefanos Triantafyllos, Marios Batis.

USA: Renewed and determined

She is the all-time winner of the event with five victories, but Team USA comes from the … China cazo in 2019, where she finished in seventh place. The team formed isn’t exactly… Redeem Team, as it was in 2008 in Beijing, but its clear mission is gold and that alone. Big stars, like Kobe, Lebron or Durant, are absent, as a base of young players with a lot of talent but not so “baked” was chosen. But that’s why the anointing of the coach was given to Steve Kerr, who will be flanked by the also excellent Erik Spoelstra and Tyronn Lue, as well as Gonzaga’s Mark Few.

Star: The player who stands out from the rest does not exist. But if anyone can lead this team, it’s Jaylen Brunson. The short guard is coming off a terrific season with the Knicks (24 points, 6.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds per game) and having led the USA to the top of the world at the 2019 U19 World Cup in Heraklion (where he was MVP), he wants to do the same at Men’s level.

Advantages: It may not have the flash of past teams, but this Team USA is made up of guys with a lot of talent, energy and youth (there isn’t a player over 28 on the roster). The squad consists of players with different characteristics, who in theory complement each other and the technical team has the ability to guide this group back to the top.

Disadvantages: The very big personalities of the past are absent and hardly any of the existing players on the roster can be considered as belonging to the Top 10 or even the Top 20 of active Americans in the NBA. At the same time, this is a whole new set of players, which should become a team in 3-4 weeks and face teams with a longer common path for their players.

Forecast: This team has all the quality to win a medal, even gold. They will hardly be in the semifinals, but there is the question mark of chemistry and lack of experience when the crucial games come.

The USA roster

Paolo Banquero (12/11/2002 – 2.08m – F) Orlando Magic

Michael Bridges (30/08/1996 – 1.98m – G/F) Brooklyn Nets

Jaylen Brunson (31/08/1996 – 1.88m. – G) New York Knicks

Anthony Edwards (08/05/2001 – 1.93m – G/F) Minnesota Timberwolves

Tyrese Haliburton (29/02/2002 – 1.96m – G) Indiana Pacers

Josh Hart (03/06/1995 – 1.93m – G/F) New York Knicks

Brandon Ingram (02/09/1997 – 2.04m – F) New Orleans Pelicans

Jaren Jackson (15/09/1999 – 2.08m – C) Memphis Grizzlies

Cameron Johnson (03/03/1996 – 2.03m – F) Brooklyn Nets

Walker Kessler (26/07/2001 – 2.13m – C) Utah Jazz

Bobby Portis (10/02/1995 – 2.11m – PF) Milwaukee Bucks

Austin Reaves (29/05/1998 – 1.96m – SG) Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Steve Kerr

Assistant coaches: Erik Spoelstra, Tyronn Lue, Mark Few

New Zealand: Looking for transcendence

For the seventh time in its history New Zealand participates in a World Cup. The fourth place in the 2002 event in Indianapolis seems… an unrepeatable success for the Tall Blacks, who in 2019 were limited to 19th place playing in the first group stage against Greece. The country’s basketball legend, Pero Cameron, is now the coach and will rely on a roster that does not have much quality, but has fighters who will sell their chest dearly. Of course, the chances of qualifying in a group with the USA and Greece are difficult.

Star: Stephen Adams is out after the injury he had this year with the Grizzlies, while the Webster brothers, who provided scoring in the region, will also be missed. Thus, the experienced and brilliant power forward Isaac Fotou, who plays in China and is one of the oldest in the team, stands out on the roster, as well as Yanni Wetzel, the tall power forward/center of Alba Berlin.

Advantages: Ignorance of danger and… zero anxiety. New Zealand go without demands or expectations and this makes them dangerous against teams, such as Greece, who are “bound” to beat opponents of this level.

Disadvantages: The roster doesn’t have much talent. Most of the players do not have performances from Europe or the NBA, except in the Oceania leagues.

Forecast: As much as you like the New Zealanders, they will hardly manage to qualify for the second group stage. The challenge for the Tall Blacks is to beat Jordan and give everything for the surprise against Greece in the last match of the first phase.

The New Zealand roster

Dan Fotu (24/06/1999 – 2.01m – F) Franklin Bulls

Finn Delaney (12/08/1995 – 2.00m – F) New Zealand Breakers

Flynn Cameron (30/06/2000 – 1.90m – G) Melbourne United

Hyrum Harris (03/06/1996 – 2.04m – F) Perth Wildcats

Isaac Fotu (18/12/1993 – 2.03m – PF) Utsunomiya Brex

Isaiah Leafa (07/11/1996 – 1.88m – G) Wellington Saints

Jordan Ngatai (07/03/1996 – 1.96m – F) Hawke’s Bay

Reuben Te Rani (14/10/1994 – 1.98m – G) Auckland Tuatara

Sam Timmins (23/05/1997 – 2.11m – C) Sydney Kings

Shay Ealy (06/10/1992 – 1.84m – G) Melbourne United

Cam Taylor Britt (22/09/1996 – 1.88 – G) Canterbury Rams

Toy Smith-Milner (06/10/1995 – 2.05m – PF) Wellington Saints

Walter Brown (23/05/2003 – 1.90m – G) Canterbury Rams

Yanni Wetzel (07/08/1996 – 2.08m – PF/C) Alba Berlin

Coach: Per Cameron

Assistant coaches: Michael Fitchett, Zico Coronel, Aaron Young

Jordan: Glad to be there

Jordan is participating in the World Cup for the third time in its history, claiming something better than the overall… one victory it had in its previous two appearances. However, he is rightly considered the underdog of the group and will line up in Manila more for the experience. Although her roster is mostly quite old.

Star: Under other circumstances, the choice would have been obvious, Ahmed Doverioglu, with his career at Fenerbahce and last year at Bursaspor. But the “transfer” of Rodey Hollis-Jefferson underlines the Turkish-Jordanian center. The 28-year-old American, number 23 in the 2015 draft, had a remarkable six-year NBA career and spent the previous season in the Philippines. He is now Jordan’s natural and will offer quality and athleticism in the forward positions.

Advantages: It is a team with players quite “tied” together, as most are long-time members of the national team, while several are teammates at the country’s best team, Al Ahli.

Disadvantages: The roster doesn’t have much quality or freshness to claim more than a group win. They are a team with a traditionally low ceiling and… favorites for the last place at least in this group.

Forecast: He will fight in the match against New Zealand to get an honorable victory. But it seems impossible to be competitive against this incomplete Greek team, let alone Team USA.

Jordan’s roster

Zaid Abbas (21/11/1983 – 2.07m – F) Al Ahli

Ahmed Duverioglu (03/04/1993 – 2.09m. – C) Bursaspor

Ahmed Al-Hamarsha (10/10/1986 – 1.96m – F) Orthodox

Muhammad Hussain (03/03/1990 – 2.11m – C) Al Ahly

Abu Hawass Amin (26/04/1994 – 1.93m. – G) Orthodox

Sami Bzai (26/01/1994 – 1.90m. – G) Al Ahly

Malek Kanaan (07/02/1993 – 1.85m – G) Al Ahly

Hashim Abbas (30/03/1999 – 1.98m – F/C) Al Ahly

Zain Al-Naidawi (26/09/1996 – 2.01m – F) Al Ahly

Ahmad Amouri (2005 – 1.85 – G) Western Lisesi

Amir Eid (15/07/1989 – 1.85m – G) Byblos

Rodey Hollis-Jefferson (03/01/1995 – 1.98m – F) Atletico de San Herman

Coach: Wesham Alsous