ATHENS (Greece) – Greece will fine-tune their game for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Piraeus by hosting Poland, Montenegro and Bahamas in friendlies.
All three contests will be held at the Peace & Friendship Stadium (SEF), where the Greeks will host the OQT from July 2 to July 7.
Greece will take on Poland on June 21 and then square off against Montenegro on June 25 before finishing up with the Bahamas on June 27.
All three opponents will be warming up for their own OQT campaigns. Poland and the Bahamas will play in the OQT Spain in Valencia while Montenegro, coming of a terrific World Cup performance in Manila where they finished 11th out of 32 teams, will be at the OQT Latvia in Riga.
The last time Greece hosted an OQT was in 2008. Twelve teams took part with Greece, Croatia and Germany clinching the three spots on offer for Beijing. At the last three OQTs, however, Greece have not done well enough to reach the Summer Games.
This summer, the Piraeus OQT looks like the toughest on paper, with Slovenia appearing to be the biggest hurdle to clear for Greece if they are to reach the Games for the first time since playing in China in 16 years ago.
Also at the Piraeus OQT will be tricky opposition in New Zealand, Croatia, Dominican Republic and Egypt.