The Slovenia Times

Basketball: Slovenia Arrive in Las Palmas

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Before opening with Australia, Slovenia will play the US, the tournament favourites, to wrap up the warm-up period in which the team played a total of 13 games. One of the most notable wins from these matches came last week against Lithuania, the runner-up from the 2013 EuroBasket.

Besides Lithuania and Australia, the team led by NBA star point-guard Goran Dragić will play in the preliminary stage of the World Cup in the newly-opened Gran Canaria Arena against Angola, South Korea and Mexico.

Head coach Jure Zdovc, who took over from Božidar Maljković after last year's EuroBasket in Slovenia, is still optimistic about the teams chances despite the lack of size, which became obvious after power forward Erazem Lorbek pulled out due to a nagging knee injury.

Zdovc, who said in June he is looking to finish among the top four teams in the tournament, is coaching Slovenia for the second time in major international tournaments. He led the team to its best result ever at EuroBaskets, taking 4th place in Poland in 2009.

"It is very important that some of the players have stepped up their form. There are still some problems, but we have a lot of time to resolve them," the head coach told reporters ahead of the departure for the Canary Islands.

Dragić, the NBA's most improved player and all-NBA third team choice, is worried about the lack of chemistry within the team but is still motivated. "There is no shortage of motivation when you play against the best national teams in the world."

Slovenia will be looking to finish among the top four in their group, which would take them to the single-game elimination round of 16, to be played in Madrid and Barcelona on 6 and 7 September.
 

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