US men's team to face Argentina, France in London

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The U.S. will play Argentina, France and Tunisia in the first round of the Olympic men's basketball tournament in London.

The U.S. was drawn into Group A on Monday in Rio de Janeiro, along with the first and second teams in the world qualifying tournament, which will be played in Venezuela in July.

Spain, runner-up to the U.S. in the Beijing Games, was drawn into Group B along with Australia, Brazil, China, Britain and the third qualifier in Venezuela.

The American women's team was drawn into Group A along with China, Angola and the first, second and fourth teams from the qualifying tournament played in Turkey in June. Group B has Australia, Brazil, Britain, Russia and the third and fifth qualifiers.

The U.S. has won the last four Olympic gold medals in women's basketball.

For both tournaments, the top four teams in each group will advance to the quarterfinals. They will play each other once within the group.

Former Brazil players Hortencia and Paula, silver medalists at the Atlanta Games in 1996, participated in the women's draw in Rio, which will host the 2016 Games. Oscar, Brazil's career scoring leader, helped in the men's draw.

"The 2008 men's final between the U.S. and Spain was one of the greatest Olympic moments," said FIBA Secretary General Patrick Baumann, who is an IOC member. "It showed the huge strides international basketball had made in becoming more and more competitive. I expect this year's Olympic basketball tournaments will be a great and memorable spectacle for all."

The U.S. men's team is facing a series of injuries to the 20 players pre-selected to the squad in January. Derrick Rose injured a knee in the NBA playoffs on Saturday. Chancey Billups already had been dropped after rupturing an Achilles tendon earlier this year.

Rose and Billups were the point guards in the U.S. team that won the world title two years ago in Turkey. Deron Williams, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook are expected to take over in London. Westbrook also played on the American team in Turkey.

Dwight Howard, the starting center for the U.S. in Beijing, had season-ending back surgery in April, while LaMarcus Aldridge has also been ruled out of London because of a hip problem.

The Brazilian men's team will be playing in the Olympics for the first time since the Atlanta Games. It had failed to qualify for the last three Olympic tournaments.

The teams participating in the men's Olympic qualifying tournament will be Angola, the Dominican Republic, Macedonia, Greece, Jordan, South Korea, Lithuania, New Zealand, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Russia and host Venezuela.

The women's tournament will include Argentina, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Japan, South Korea, Mali, Mozambique, New Zealand, Puerto Rico and host Turkey.

The Olympic basketball tournaments will take place from July 28-Aug. 12.