Following the conclusion of the Second Round of the FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup last night, Basketball New Zealand (BBNZ) can today confirm that the Tall Blacks have earned a place in the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournaments next year – keeping them on the road to Paris 2024.
In finishing 22nd overall and placing higher than five other teams in the Asia/Oceania region, the Tall Blacks will be one of 24 teams heading to the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournaments in June next year, at a location yet to be confirmed. From this tournament, the top four countries will earn tickets to the 2024 Paris Olympics, joining seven other teams who automatically qualified via the FIBA World Cup. As Olympics 2024 host, France also receives an automatic qualification.
BBNZ Chief Executive Dillon Boucher, who was with the Tall Blacks in Manila for the FIBA World Cup, says that the squad and staff are pleased to see their Olympics hopes remain alive.
“While our goal was to advance into the Second Round of the FIBA World Cup and beyond – a secondary aim was always to achieve a spot in these Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournaments,” says Boucher.
“So it’s a good result in that sense and something the Tall Blacks can focus on for the future. Make no mistake, it won’t be easy to qualify – but it’s a chance and the task now will be for Coach Cameron to assemble a squad that can get the job done.”
Final ranking for teams placed 9-32:
- Spain (qualified for OQTs)
- Australia (qualified for Paris 2024 as the best-ranked Oceania team)
- Montenegro (qualified for OQTs)
- Puerto Rico (qualified for OQTs)
- Brazil (qualified for OQTs)
- Dominican Republic (qualified for OQTs)
- Greece (qualified for OQTs)
- Georgia (qualified for OQTs)
- South Sudan (qualified for Paris 2024 as the best-ranked African team)
- France (qualified for Paris 2024 as hosts)
- Japan (qualified for Paris 2024 as the best-ranked Asian team)
- Egypt (qualified for OQTs)
- Finland (qualified for OQTs)
- New Zealand (qualified for OQTs)
- Lebanon (qualified for OQTs)
- Philippines (qualified for OQTs)
- Mexico (qualified for OQTs)
- Angola (qualified for OQTs)
- Cote d’Ivoire (qualified for OQTs)
- Cape Verde
- China
- Venezuela
- Iran
- Jordan
