Australia to host USA next summer in World Cup warm-up games in Melbourne
MELBOURNE (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019) - Australia and the USA have announced they will meet in a two-game warm-up series in Melbourne in the days leading up to the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
MELBOURNE (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019) - Australia and the United States have announced they are to have a glitzy two-game warm-up series in Melbourne in the days leading up to next year's FIBA Basketball World Cup in China.
The friendly clashes between the two countries that traded blows in one of the most exciting games at the 2016 Olympics will be played at the Etihad Stadium in Melbourne on August 22 and 24.
While the two national sides have yet to book their places in the 32-team World Cup, each has had unbeaten starts in the Qualifiers and look almost certain to make it.
NEWS: USA Basketball Men's National Team to face Australia in Melbourne exhibition games#USABMNT 📰 » https://t.co/3gMUeu5qk5 pic.twitter.com/Tdhx5Lhk0A
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) March 17, 2018
Pumped for the HUGE NEWS - the Boomers🇦🇺 vs USA in a 2-game series at @EtihadStadiumAU in @Melbourne August 2019. Well done to all involved 👍#BoomersUSA #GoBoomers #VisitMelbourne pic.twitter.com/9gTsbvAhTY
— Matthew Dellavedova (@matthewdelly) March 18, 2018
Down Under, the announcement of the two games was made by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews MP.
"This is the one Australian basketball fans have been waiting for, and there's no better place to host the USA team than in the sporting capital of the country – Victoria," Premier Andrews said.
"THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS A LANDMARK MOMENT FOR BASKETBALL AUSTRALIA AND ALL THOSE FANS OF OUR GREAT GAME. I BELIEVE THAT THIS EVENT WILL BE LONG REMEMBERED IN AUSTRALIAN SPORTING HISTORY."
Jim Tooley, the USA Basketball CEO, said: "The USA-Australia game at the 2016 Rio Olympics was intense, passionate and a very competitive game that came down to the final minutes. We expect these friendlies in 2019 will again showcase international basketball at its highest level and offer sports fans a very memorable event."
Basketball Australia CEO Anthony Moore added: "This announcement is a landmark moment for Basketball Australia and all those fans of our great game. I believe that this event will be long remembered in Australian sporting history."
The USA pulled away late for a 98-88 win over Australia at the Brazil Games
After beating Australia and going unbeaten to reach the title game in Rio, the United States captured a third straight Olympic title by rolling past Serbia in the Final, 96-66. Australia suffered an 89-88 defeat to Spain in the closing seconds in the Bronze Medal Game.
Both countries have been moving from strength to strength ever since, with the USA winning the FIBA AmeriCup 2017 in Argentina and Australia cruising on an unbeaten run last summer in Lebanon to the championship in their first FIBA Asia Cup campaign.
The USA have swept all before them in the World Cup Qualifiers, knocking off Puerto Rico twice, Mexico and Cuba. Australia have beaten Chinese Taipei in two games and also overcome Japan and the Philippines.
Next summer, both sides will be expected to bolster their line-ups with veteran players.
FIBA