Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics was the sixteenth appearance of the sport of basketball as an official Olympic medal event. It took place at the Helliniko Olympic Indoor Arena, a part of the Hellinikon Olympic Complex, in Athens, for the preliminary rounds, with the later stages being held in the Olympic Indoor Hall at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex.[1]

16th Olympic Basketball Tournament
Athens 2004
Tournament details
Olympics2004 Summer Olympics
Host nationGreece
CityAthens
Duration15–28 August 2004
Men's tournament
Teams12
Medals
1 Gold medalists  Argentina
2 Silver medalists Italy
3 Bronze medalists  United States
Women's tournament
Teams12
Medals
1 Gold medalists  United States
2 Silver medalists Australia
3 Bronze medalists  Russia
Tournaments
← Sydney 2000  Beijing 2008 →
Italy and Argentina warming up before the game.

Argentina, led by NBA standouts like Manu Ginóbili and Luis Scola, won the country's first and only gold medal in the event.

In Olympic basketball tournaments, 12 teams take part. The host nation (Greece in 2004) automatically receives a berth in the tournament. By winning the two World Championship tournaments in 2002, FR Yugoslavia, now named Serbia and Montenegro, also put a team into the men's tournament and the United States a team in the women's tournament.

The remaining 10 spots in each tournament were allocated by the five Olympic zones. Each of these zones held its own tournaments to select its entries in the Olympic tournament. Africa was allocated one spot in each of these, Oceania was allocated two apiece, and Europe was allocated three. Furthermore, the Americas were allocated three teams for the men's tournament and just one in the women's tournament, whereas Asia was allocated just one in the men's tournament and three in the women's tournament.

The United States team's third-place finish in the men's tournament was an embarrassment for the country that birthed the sport. The following Summer Olympics, the U.S. was represented by the Redeem Team, sporting an improved roster led by international superstars like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Dwyane Wade, under the coaching of Mike Krzyzewski, and returned the gold medal to America.

Medalists

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Event Gold Silver Bronze
Men
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  Argentina (ARG)

Carlos Delfino
Gabriel Fernández
Manu Ginóbili
Leonardo Gutiérrez
Walter Herrmann
Alejandro Montecchia
Andrés Nocioni
Fabricio Oberto
Juan Ignacio Sánchez
Luis Scola
Hugo Sconochini
Rubén Wolkowyski

  Italy (ITA)

Roberto Chiacig
Luca Garri
Denis Marconato
Giacomo Galanda
Nikola Radulović
Alex Righetti
Matteo Soragna
Gianluca Basile
Massimo Bulleri
Gianmarco Pozzecco
Michele Mian
Rodolfo Rombaldoni

  United States (USA)

Allen Iverson
Stephon Marbury
Dwyane Wade
Carlos Boozer
Carmelo Anthony
LeBron James
Emeka Okafor
Shawn Marion
Amar'e Stoudemire
Tim Duncan
Lamar Odom
Richard Jefferson

Women
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  United States (USA)

Shannon Johnson
Dawn Staley
Sue Bird
Sheryl Swoopes
Ruth Riley
Lisa Leslie
Tamika Catchings
Tina Thompson
Diana Taurasi
Yolanda Griffith
Katie Smith
Swin Cash

  Australia (AUS)

Alicia Poto
Allison Tranquilli
Sandy Brondello
Penny Taylor
Suzy Batkovic
Trisha Fallon
Kristi Harrower
Laura Summerton
Belinda Snell
Natalie Porter
Rachael Sporn
Lauren Jackson

  Russia (RUS)

Olga Arteshina
Oxana Rakhmatulina
Natalia Vodopyanova
Diana Goustilina
Yelena Baranova
Tatiana Shchegoleva
Ilona Korstin
Maria Stepanova
Maria Kalmykova
Elena Karpova
Irina Osipova
Anna Arkhipova

Qualification

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A National Olympic Committee (NOC) may enter just one men's team with 12 players, and just one women's team with 12 players in the regional tournaments. The reigning world champions and the host country qualify automatically, as do the winners of the five continental championships, plus the runner-up and third place teams from the Americas and Europe competitions, and the runner-up Oceania in the men's tournament. For the women's tournament, the extra teams consisted of the runner-up and third place teams from Asia and Europe, and the runner-up from Oceania.

Basketball – Men

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Africa Americas Asia Europe Oceania Automatic qualifiers
  Angola   United States
  Argentina
  Puerto Rico
  China   Lithuania
  Spain
  Italy
  Australia
  New Zealand
  Serbia and MontenegroWorld champions
  Greece – Olympic hosts

Basketball – Women

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Africa Americas Asia Europe Oceania Automatic qualifiers
  Nigeria   Brazil   China
  Japan
  South Korea
  Russia
  Czech Republic
  Spain
  Australia
  New Zealand
  United StatesWorld champions
  Greece – Olympic hosts

Format

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  • Twelve teams are split into two preliminary round groups of six teams each.
  • The top four teams from both groups qualify for the knockout stage.
  • Fifth-placed teams from both groups compete for 9th place in an additional match.
  • Sixth-placed teams from both groups compete for 11th place in an additional match.
  • In the quarterfinals, the matchups are as follows: A1 vs. B4, A2 vs. B3, A3 vs. B2 and A4 vs. B1.
    • From the eliminated teams at the quarterfinals, the loser from A1 vs. B4 competes against the loser from B1 vs. A4 for 7th place in an additional match. The remaining two loser teams compete for 5th place in an additional match.
  • The winning teams from the quarterfinals meet in the semifinals as follows: A1/B4 vs. A3/B2 and A2/B3 vs. A4/B1.
  • The winning teams from the semifinals contest the gold medal. The losing teams contest the bronze.

Tie-breaking criteria:

  1. Head to head results
  2. Goal average (not the goal difference) between the tied teams
  3. Goal average of the tied teams for all teams in its group

Teams

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The men's event involved twelve teams split equally into two groups.

Women

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The women's event involved 12 teams split in two groups.

Men's tournament

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Preliminary round

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The four best teams from each group advanced to the quarterfinal round.

Group A

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Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1   Spain 5 5 0 405 349 +56 10 Quarterfinals
2   Italy 5 3 2 371 341 +30 8[a]
3   Argentina 5 3 2 414 396 +18 8[a]
4   China 5 2 3 303 382 −79 7
5   New Zealand 5 1 4 399 413 −14 6[b] 9th place playoff
6   Serbia and Montenegro 5 1 4 377 388 −11 6[b] 11th place playoff
Source: FIBA archive
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Head-to-head record: Italy 1–0 Argentina
  2. ^ a b Head-to-head record: New Zealand 1–0 Serbia and Montenegro
August 15
11:15
Italy   71–69   New Zealand
August 15
14:30
China   58–83   Spain
August 15
16:45
Argentina   83–82   Serbia and Montenegro
August 17
9:00
New Zealand   62–69   China
August 17
16:45
Serbia and Montenegro   74–72   Italy
August 17
20:00
Spain   87–76   Argentina
August 19
11:15
Italy   63–71   Spain
August 19
20:00
Argentina   82–57   China
August 21
11:15
Spain   76–68   Serbia and Montenegro
August 21
14:30
New Zealand   94–98   Argentina
August 21
16:45
China   52–89   Italy
August 23
9:00
Spain   88–84   New Zealand
August 23
16:45
Serbia and Montenegro   66–67   China
August 23
20:00
Italy   76–75   Argentina

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1   Lithuania 5 5 0 468 414 +54 10 Quarterfinals
2   Greece 5 3 2 389 343 +46 8[a]
3   Puerto Rico 5 3 2 410 411 −1 8[a]
4   United States 5 3 2 418 389 +29 8[a]
5   Australia 5 1 4 383 411 −28 6 9th place playoff
6   Angola 5 0 5 321 421 −100 5 11th place playoff
Source: FIBA archive
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.
Notes:
  1. ^ a b c Head-to-head record: Greece 1–1 (1.10 GAvg), Puerto Rico 1–1 (0.99), United States 1–1 (0.92)
August 15
9:00
Angola   73–78   Lithuania
August 15
20:00
Puerto Rico   92–73   United States
August 15
22:15
Greece   76–54   Australia
August 17
11:15
Australia   83–59   Angola
August 17
14:30
Lithuania   98–90   Puerto Rico
August 17
22:15
United States   77–71   Greece
August 19
14:30
United States   89–79   Australia
August 19
16:45
Puerto Rico   83–80   Angola
August 19
22:15
Greece   76–98   Lithuania
August 21
9:00
Australia   82–87   Puerto Rico
August 21
20:00
Lithuania   94–90   United States
August 21
22:15
Angola   56–88   Greece
August 23
11:15
Lithuania   100–85   Australia
August 23
14:30
United States   89–53   Angola
August 23
22:15
Greece   78–58   Puerto Rico

Knockout stage

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Quarterfinals
(August 26)
Semifinals
(August 27)
Gold-medal game
(August 28)
         
A1   Spain 94
B4   United States 102
B4   United States 81
A3   Argentina 89
A3   Argentina 69
B2   Greece 64
A3   Argentina 84
A2   Italy 69
B1   Lithuania 95
A4   China 75
B1   Lithuania 91 Bronze-medal game
(August 28)
A2   Italy 100
A2   Italy 83 B4   United States 104
B3   Puerto Rico 70 B1   Lithuania 96

Classification round

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August 24
14:30
11th place
Serbia and Montenegro   85–62   Angola
August 24
16:45
9th place
New Zealand   80–98   Australia
August 28
9:00
7th place
China   76–92   Spain
August 28
11:15
5th place
Puerto Rico   75–85   Greece

Women's tournament

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Preliminary round

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The four best teams from each group advanced to the quarterfinal round.

Group A

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Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1   Australia 5 5 0 418 313 +105 10 Quarterfinals
2   Russia 5 4 1 389 333 +56 9
3   Brazil 5 3 2 430 361 +69 8
4   Greece (H) 5 2 3 353 392 −39 7
5   Japan 5 1 4 381 485 −104 6
6   Nigeria 5 0 5 335 422 −87 5
Source: FIBA archive
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.
(H) Hosts
August 14
9:00
Australia   85–73   Nigeria
August 14
16:45
Japan   62–128   Brazil
August 14
20:00
Greece   62–69   Russia
August 16
11:15
Nigeria   73–79   Japan
August 16
20:00
Brazil   87–75   Greece
August 16
22:15
Russia   56–75   Australia
August 18
11:15
Japan   78–97   Australia
August 18
16:45
Greece   83–68   Nigeria
August 18
20:00
Brazil   67–77   Russia
August 20
9:00
Russia   94–71   Japan
August 20
20:00
Australia   77–40   Greece
August 20
22:15
Nigeria   63–82   Brazil
August 22
11:15
Nigeria   58–93   Russia
August 22
14:30
Brazil   66–84   Australia
August 22
16:45
Greece   93–91   Japan

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1   United States 5 5 0 430 285 +145 10 Quarterfinals
2   Spain 5 4 1 368 334 +34 9
3   Czech Republic 5 3 2 408 375 +33 8
4   New Zealand 5 2 3 321 414 −93 7
5   China 5 1 4 360 406 −46 6
6   South Korea 5 0 5 320 393 −73 5
Source: FIBA archive
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.
August 14
11:15
South Korea   54–71   China
August 14
14:30
United States   99–47   New Zealand
August 14
22:15
Spain   80–78   Czech Republic
August 16
9:00
New Zealand   81–73   South Korea
August 16
14:30
Czech Republic   61–80   United States
August 16
16:45
China   67–75   Spain
August 18
9:00
China   83–98   Czech Republic
August 18
14:30
South Korea   57–80   United States
August 18
22:15
Spain   91–57   New Zealand
August 20
11:15
New Zealand   79–77   China
August 20
14:30
United States   71–58   Spain
August 20
16:45
Czech Republic   97–75   South Korea
August 22
9:00
New Zealand   57–74   Czech Republic
August 22
20:00
China   62–100   United States
August 22
22:15
Spain   64–61   South Korea

Knockout stage

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Quarterfinals
(August 25)
Semifinals
(August 27)
Gold-medal game
(August 28)
         
A1   Australia 94
B4   New Zealand 55
A1   Australia 88
A3   Brazil 75
A3   Brazil 67
B2   Spain 64
A1   Australia 63
B1   United States 74
B1   United States 102
A4   Greece 72
B1   United States 66 Bronze-medal game
(August 28)
A2   Russia 62
A2   Russia 70 A3   Brazil 62
B3   Czech Republic 49 A2   Russia 71

Classification round

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August 24
9:00
11th place
Nigeria   68–64   South Korea
August 24
11:15
9th place
Japan   63–82   China
August 27
9:00
7th place
Greece   87–83   New Zealand
August 27
11:15
5th place
Czech Republic   79–68   Spain

Final standings

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Rank Men Women
Team Pld W L Team Pld W L
    Argentina 8 6 2   United States 8 8 0
    Italy 8 5 3   Australia 8 7 1
    United States 8 5 3   Russia 8 6 2
4th   Lithuania 8 6 2   Brazil 8 4 4
Eliminated at the quarterfinals
5th   Greece 7 4 3   Czech Republic 7 4 3
6th   Puerto Rico 7 3 4   Spain 7 4 3
7th   Spain 7 6 1   Greece 7 3 4
8th   China 7 2 5   New Zealand 7 2 5
Preliminary round 5th placers
9th   Australia 6 2 4   China 6 2 4
10th   New Zealand 6 1 5   Japan 6 1 5
Preliminary round 6th placers
11th   Serbia and Montenegro 6 2 4   Nigeria 6 1 5
12th   Angola 6 0 6   South Korea 6 0 6

References

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