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Atlanta '96 Hardwood Glory

An in-depth analysis of the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics Men's Basketball tournament, covering its structure, participating nations, key matches, and the ultimate medal winners.

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Tournament Overview

Host and Dates

The men's basketball tournament at the 1996 Summer Olympics was a pivotal event held in Atlanta, United States. The competition spanned from July 20 to August 3, 1996, culminating in the gold medal match on August 4th.

  • Host Country: United States
  • Host City: Atlanta
  • Dates: July 20 – August 3, 1996
  • Venues: 2 (within Atlanta)

Final Standings

The tournament showcased intense competition, with the host nation ultimately claiming the top prize. The final positions were:

  • Champions: United States (securing their 11th Olympic title)
  • Runners-up: Yugoslavia
  • Third Place: Lithuania
  • Fourth Place: Australia

Key Statistics

A total of 46 games were played throughout the tournament, featuring 12 teams from 5 different confederations. A standout individual performance was delivered by Brazil's Oscar Schmidt, who led all scorers.

  • Games Played: 46
  • Participating Teams: 12 (from 5 confederations)
  • Top Scorer: Oscar Schmidt (Brazil) with an average of 27.4 points per game.

Participating Nations

The Contenders

Twelve national teams qualified to compete for Olympic glory in Atlanta. These teams represented a diverse array of basketball powerhouses and emerging talents from across the globe, setting the stage for a memorable tournament.

  • Angola
  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • Brazil
  • China
  • Croatia
  • Greece
  • Lithuania
  • Puerto Rico
  • South Korea
  • United States (host)
  • FR Yugoslavia

For detailed team rosters, please refer to the main article on "Basketball at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's team rosters."

Tournament Format

Structure of Play

The 1996 men's Olympic basketball tournament employed a structured format designed to narrow down the field of 12 teams to a single champion. The competition was divided into preliminary rounds, followed by a knockout stage for the top performers, and additional classification matches for ranking.

Preliminary Round:

  • Twelve teams were divided into two groups of six.
  • The top four teams from each group advanced to the knockout stage (quarterfinals).
  • Teams finishing fifth and sixth in their respective groups competed in additional matches to determine 9th through 12th place.

Knockout Stage:

  • Quarterfinals: Matchups were strategically set as A1 vs. B4, A2 vs. B3, A3 vs. B2, and A4 vs. B1.
  • Teams eliminated in the quarterfinals proceeded to play classification matches for 5th through 8th place.
  • Semifinals: The winners from the quarterfinals advanced, with specific pairings (A3/B2 winner vs. A1/B4 winner, and A2/B3 winner vs. A4/B1 winner).
  • Medal Games: Semifinal winners contested the gold medal, while the losing teams played for the bronze medal.

Tie-Breaking Criteria:

In cases where teams were tied in the standings, the following criteria were applied sequentially:

  1. Head-to-head results between the tied teams.
  2. Goal average (points scored divided by points against) among the tied teams.
  3. Goal average of the tied teams against all other teams within their group.

Preliminary Round: Group A

Group A Standings

Group A featured the host nation, United States, who dominated their matches. Lithuania and Croatia also performed strongly, securing their spots in the knockout stage. China advanced as the fourth qualifier, demonstrating resilience.

Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 United States (H) 5 5 0 522 345 +177 10 Quarterfinals
2 Lithuania 5 3 2 427 354 +73 8
3 Croatia 5 3 2 422 386 +36 8
4 China 5 2 3 360 502 −142 7
5 Argentina 5 2 3 351 396 −45 7 9th place playoff
6 Angola 5 0 5 280 379 −99 5 11th place playoff

(H) Hosts. Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.

Notable Group A Matches

The preliminary round saw several compelling matchups, showcasing individual brilliance and team strategy. Here are a few highlights from Group A:

July 20, 1996

China 70–67 Angola
Top Scorers: Wang (CHN) 17, Â. Victoriano, Carvalho (ANG) 13
Top Rebounders: Wang (CHN) 11, Â. Victoriano (ANG) 6
Top Assists: Hu (CHN) 3, Avô (ANG) 5
Referees: Jose Piovesan Neto (BRA), Juan Brea Diaz (CUB)

July 20, 1996

United States 96–68 Argentina
Top Scorers: Robinson (USA) 18, Espil (ARG) 27
Top Rebounders: Robinson (USA) 7, Nicola (ARG) 4
Top Assists: Hill, Hardaway (USA) 5, Milanesio (ARG) 7
Referees: Gennaro Colucci (ITA), Stylianos Koukoulekidis (GRE)

July 20, 1996

Lithuania 83–81 (OT) Croatia
Top Scorers: Sabonis (LTU) 20, Kukoč (CRO) 33
Top Rebounders: Sabonis (LTU) 14, Rađa (CRO) 12
Top Assists: Vaišvila (LTU) 6, Kukoč (CRO) 6
Referees: Miguel Betancor Leon (ESP), Jose Lapaix Guance (DOM)

Preliminary Round: Group B

Group B Standings

Group B saw FR Yugoslavia emerge undefeated, showcasing their strength. Australia secured a strong second place, while Greece and Brazil also advanced to the quarterfinals, setting up exciting matchups in the knockout stage.

Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 FR Yugoslavia 5 5 0 478 364 +114 10 Quarterfinals
2 Australia 5 4 1 492 438 +54 9
3 Greece 5 3 2 402 416 −14 8
4 Brazil 5 2 3 498 494 +4 7
5 Puerto Rico 5 1 4 447 465 −18 6 9th place playoff
6 South Korea 5 0 5 422 562 −140 5 11th place playoff

Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.

Notable Group B Matches

Group B also delivered thrilling contests, with several teams battling fiercely for quarterfinal berths. The performances of key players often determined the outcome of these crucial preliminary games.

July 20, 1996

Australia 111–88 South Korea
Top Scorers: Gaze (AUS) 26, J. K. Jung (KOR) 23
Top Rebounders: Dorge (AUS) 10, J. K. Jung (KOR) 8
Top Assists: Heal (AUS) 11, D. H. Kang (KOR) 8
Referees: Davorin Nakic (CRO), Hidetoshi Ishida (JPN)

July 20, 1996

Puerto Rico 98–101 Brazil
Top Scorers: Ortiz (PUR) 35, Schmidt (BRA) 45
Top Rebounders: Ortiz (PUR) 11, Vianna (BRA) 8
Top Assists: Mincy (PUR) 7, Ratto (BRA) 10
Referees: Pascal Noel Dorizon (FRA), Romualdas Brazauskas (LTU)

July 20, 1996

Greece 63–71 FR Yugoslavia
Top Scorers: Fasoulas (GRE) 21, Savić (YUG) 21
Top Rebounders: Fasoulas (GRE) 10, Divac (YUG) 8
Top Assists: Sigalas (GRE) 4, Đorđević (YUG) 6
Referees: Donald Cline (CAN), Carl Jungebrand (FIN)

Tournament Bracket

Path to the Podium

The knockout stage of the tournament was a single-elimination bracket, where teams battled through quarterfinals and semifinals to reach the ultimate gold and bronze medal games. The intensity escalated with each round, leading to dramatic conclusions.

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Gold Medal Game

FR Yugoslavia 128
China 61
Lithuania 99
Brazil 74
United States 98
Australia 71
Croatia 78
Greece 62
FR Yugoslavia 66
Lithuania 58
United States 101
Croatia 73
United States 95
FR Yugoslavia 69

Bronze Medal Game

Lithuania 80
Croatia 74

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References

References

A full list of references for this article are available at the Basketball at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament Wikipedia page

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