Tunisia unveils ambitious preparation plan ahead of Turin OQT

TUNIS (2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments) - Tunisia’s attempt to reach the 2016 Olympics resumes in July in Turin, Italy, and the country’s Basketball Federation is making sure to get the team prepared the best way possible.

Tunisia, who claimed a third-place as hosts of AfroBasket 2015, and as a result has a second chance to qualify for the Rio Olympics via the Turin FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT), has unveiled an ambitious preparation plan.

As well as holding a two-week training camp in China in May, Tunisia will host a four-team international tournament in June in their capital Tunis along with Senegal, [Venezuela and Angola are yet to confirm participation].

A week before they open their Olympic quest against hosts Italy and Croatia in the OQT Group B, the North Africans will face Latvia and Lithuania on Lithuanian soil.

Four years ago, Tunisia qualified directly for the London Olympics after winning their first-ever African Championship in 2011, but reaching the Rio Games against Europeans teams on European soil, presents a tremendous challenge.

“Even though it didn’t play well at EuroBasket [2015] Croatia is a very difficult team to beat. Italy is another tough team as well,” Tunisia head coach Adel Tlatli told FIBA.com.

Meanwhile, Tlatli remains upbeat about his team’s future.

We are going to the OQT to learn and see how opportunities. I believe we can win at least one game, but we have to plan the future of this team. - Tlatli

If Tunisia can win one game as Tlatli hopes, they will advance to the Semi-Finals and take on one of the top two teams in Group A which consists of Greece, Mexico, and Iran.

Only the winner of the six-team Turin OQT will advance to Rio, joining Olympic champions USA, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Nigeria, Lithuania, Venezuela, China and Australia.

Tlatli continued: “It will be difficult to qualify [for the Olympics], but the OQT will be a great opportunity for our younger players to develop their game and increase their international experience.”

Among Tunisia rising stars, is point guard Omar Abada, who Tlatli describes as a “smart player, who keeps progressing year after year.”

In fairness, Tlatli says, “We expect to prepare a very good team for the World Cup 2019. We look to compete for the title of AfroBasket 2017. There won’t be major changes in the team for the OQT. Most of our players are based in Tunisia, and they are the ones I am taking to Turin. Probably we are going to the OQT with 90 percent of the team that played the African Championship.”

Both Dallas Mavericks center Salah Mejri and Michael Roll, who plays for Turkish Demir IBB, the only two foreign-based players, will only join the team’s preparation at a later stage due to playoff commitments.

FIBA