MAR DE PLATA, Argentina — LSU sophomore forward Glen Davis and the members of the USA U21 team begin play Friday in the FIBA U21 World Championships here as the USA will take on China in the opening round of Mar de Plata pool play.
The game will take place in the smaller of the two venues being used for the competition — the Stadium Polideportivo Islas Malvinas with a capacity of 6,800. The other group competition is being played in the city of Cordoba in the Orfeo Superdomo with a capacity of 8,600.
The USA team arrived late Monday in Argentina after a 10-hour plane flight to Buenos Aires and a four-hour bus ride, which included, according to USA Basketball Officials, a welcome stop some two hours in to the bus trip at a well-known American fast food restaurant. The team traveled to the tournament from Frisco, Texas, where they won the gold medal in the Global Games at the conclusion of the trials for the 12-member team.
Davis played in all four games for the American team, averaging about 13 minutes a contest. While he did not score in double figures in any of the game, he had six rebounds in the championship game Saturday and twice had three steals.
The American team will play three straight days to open the event before a day off in this competition that reaches its climax on Aug. 14. The USA team plays China on Friday, Lithuania on Saturday and Puerto Rico on Sunday.
The Cordoba group, which was supposed to have six teams as the USA’s group was rocked late Wednesday when the Iranian team had visa trouble and couldn’t get into the country for the tournament.
Davis knows his team needs to continue to improve as the competition begins, despite the success in the Global games.
“We have a long way to go to win the gold,” said Davis. “In order to win the gold we’re going to have to play with a little more consistency, we have to get in the flow of the game more. There are some things we have to work on and in order to do that we’ll have to practice some more and continue to put it together.”
China qualified for the tournament as the FIBA Asian Silver Medalists.
2005 FIBA U21 World Championship Schedule
Note: All times Central and subject to change. Medal round times and order of games subject to change.
Group A
Argentina
Australia
Canada
Greece
Iran (unable to participate due to visa problems)
Israel
Group B
Lithuania
Nigeria
China
Puerto Rico
Slovenia
United States
Preliminary Round
Friday, August 5
Group A (Cordoba)
4p.m. Australia vs. Greece
7 p.m. Isreal vs. Argentina
Group B (Mar del Plata)
12:15 p.m. Slovenia vs. Nigeria
2:30 p.m. China vs. USA
4:45 p.m. Lithuania vs. Puerto Rico
Saturday, August 6
Group A (Cordoba)
4:45 p.m. Canada vs. Australia
7p.m. Argentina vs. Greece
Group B (Mar del Plata)
11:15 a.m. Nigeria vs. China
1:30 p.m. USA vs. Lithuania
3:45 p.m. Puerto Rico vs. Slovenia
Sunday, August 7
Group A (Cordoba)
5:30 p.m. Greece vs. Israel
7:50 p.m. Argentina vs. Canada
Group B (Mar del Plata)
1 p.m. Lithuania vs. Nigeria
3:15 p.m. China vs. Slovenia
5:30 p.m. USA vs. Puerto Rico
Monday, Aug. 8
No games scheduled
Tuesday, August 9
Group A (Cordoba)
4:15 p.m. Australia vs. Isreal
6:30 p.m. Greece vs. Canada
Group B (Mar del Plata)
11:45 a.m. Slovenia vs. Lithuania
2 p.m. Nigeria vs. USA
4:15 p.m. Puerto Rico vs. China
Wednesday, August 10
Group A (Cordoba)
4:15 p.m. Israel vs. Canada
6:30 p.m. Argentina vs. Australia
Group B (Mar del Plata)
11:45 a.m. USA vs. Slovenia
2 p.m. Lithuania vs. China
4:15 p.m. Nigeria vs. Puerto Rico
Quarterfinals and Beyond(TBD due to Iran’s absence):
The four best placed teams in each group will play for the 1st to 8th place and the teams placed 5th and 6th in each preliminary group will play for 9th and 12th place. All final round games will be held in Mar del Plata.
Friday, August 12
7:45 a.m. A5 vs. B6
10 a.m. B5 vs. A6
12:15 p.m. B2 vs. A3
2:30 p.m. A1 vs. B4
4:45 p.m. A2 vs. B3
7 p.m. B1 vs. A4
Semifinals
Saturday, August 13
12:15 p.m. Loser B2 vs. A3 vs. Loser A1 vs. B4
2:30 p.m. Loser A2 vs. B3 vs. Loser B1 vs. A4
4:45 p.m. Winner B2 vs. A3 vs. Winner A1 vs. B4
7 p.m. Winner A2 vs. B3 vs. Winner B1 vs. A4
Consolation Finals
Saturday, August 13
7:45 a.m. 11th/12th Place: Loser A5 vs. B6 vs. Loser B5 vs. A6
10 p.m. 9th/10th Place: Winner A5 vs. B6 vs. Winner B5 vs. A6
Finals
Sunday, August 14
2 p.m. 7th/8th Place Game
4:15 p.m. 5th/6th Place Game
6:30 p.m. Bronze Medal Game
8:50 p.m. Gold Medal Game