Brasil is set for London.

Marcelo Huertas

After beating Spain's team B and Argentina (without Manu Ginobili and Carlos Delfino) in the Eletrobras Super four tournament played in their hometown, Ruben Magnano, coach of the Brazilian national team named the 12 players that will officially represent Brazil in the London Olympics. The point guard positio duties will be divided between Marcelo Huertas, Larry Taylor  and Raulzinho.  Leandro Barbosa, Alex Garcia will spent most of their time as shooting guards. Veterans Marcelo Machado, Guillherme Giovannoni. and Marquinhos will be the small forwards.  Nene, Anderson Varejao, Tiago Splitter and Caio Torres are going to be alternating in the power forward and center positions.

Marquinhos (Left) Coach Magnano with Larry Taylor.

 Many are underestimating the Brazilians, they are one of the deepest teams in the Olympics, they have the perfect mix of veterans and younger players, they have a point guard that has been through every tough situation, a lot of shooters, post players and guys willing to do the dirty job.  Brazil also can play many different styles of basketball, they can play faster with Leandro Barbosa, Marcelo Huertas or they can play methodically dumping the ball to Nene and Tiago Splitter.

L to R:  Splitter, Giovannoni, Varejao, Garcia and Machado.

Brazil classified in the Olympics by coming in second in the FIBA Americas Championships last year despite not having players such as  Nene, Leandro Barbosa & Anderson Varejao. Brasil almost won the whole thing, but Argentina was able to defeat them. These are the first Olympics for Brasil since the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. This group is eager to get a medal, and coach Magnano wants to prove he can also win a gold medial with the Brazilians, he won a gold medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics when he was coaching Argentina.

Nene

There are three exhibition games left for Brazil before the London Olympics, they will meet the United States on July 16, then five days later, they will  move on to play France and Australia on consecutive days.

Source:  http://lnb.com.br

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The Brazilian national team is preparing for the olympics.

Ruben Magnano, coach of the Brazilian national team, is taking this opportunity seriously, he knows it's not easy to make an Olympics appearance and he's determined to do everything in his power for Brazil to get a medal.  After a 16 year drought, Brazil hopes to put their best team together and finish better than how they did in 1996, which was in 6th place and didn't get a medal.

If everything goes according to plan, this Brazil team will be the strongest they've had in years. Tiago Splitter, Nene , Anderson Varejao & Leandro Barbosa haven't played together in a tournament in years. In The 2011  Fiba Americas Championship in Mar Del Plata, Argentina, Nene, Barbosa and Varejao weren't available and Brazil still qualified for London, in the World Championships 2010 in Turkey, Varejao and Barbosa played, but Nene sat down with a leg injury.

With those four NBA players, along with Marcelo Huertas and solid role players like Alex Garcia, Marcelo Machado, Marquinhos Vinicius and Guilherme Giovannoni, Brazil has a chance to do something very special.

Brazil will play in many preparation games before the London Olympics, here's the schedule:


June 26-28  -  Basketball Tournament Electrobas
Teams:  Brazil, Greece, New Zealand & Nigeria.

July 5 & 6 -  Super 4 Tournament
Teams:  Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and another team left to confirm.

July 11-12 Four Super Tournament

Teams:  Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and another team left to confirm.

July 16 - Brazil vs Team USA
Friendly game.

July 21-22  -  Tournament in France
Teams: Brazil, France & Australia

Magnano hasn't closed the door on making changes to the roster, but he has these 15 players on the selection. Only time will tell if anyone gets injured or can't make the team for other reasons.

1. Marcelo Huertas
2. Leandro Barbosa
3. Larry Taylor
4. Caio Torres
5. Nene
6. Tiago Splitter
7. Alex Garcia
8. Marcelo Machado
9. Guilherme Giovannoni
10. Augusto Lima
11. Raul Togni Neto ( Raulzinho)
12. Nezinho Dos Santos
13. Vitor Benite
14. Marquinhos Vinicius
15. Anderson Varejao


Source:  http://lnb.com.br



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