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12 Teams Set For 2016 Olympics; 12 Storylines To Watch For In Rio

By Matthew Medley

Tony Parker playing for France to qualify for 2016 Rio Olympics (Photo by Frederic Stevens/Getty Images)
Tony Parker playing for France to qualify for 2016 Rio Olympics (Photo by Frederic Stevens/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 12: Manu Ginobili (R) of Argentina, drives to the basket against Andrei Kirilenko of Russia during the Men's Basketball bronze medal game between Russia and Argentina on Day 16 of the London 2012 Olympics Games at North Greenwich Arena on August 12, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Eric Gay - IOPP Pool /Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 12: Manu Ginobili (R) of Argentina, drives to the basket against Andrei Kirilenko of Russia during the Men’s Basketball bronze medal game between Russia and Argentina on Day 16 of the London 2012 Olympics Games at North Greenwich Arena on August 12, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Eric Gay – IOPP Pool /Getty Images) /

7. Argentina: Looking For Revenge

Argentina, ranked No. 6 in the world coming into the Rio Games, is looking for revenge this summer.

They came so close to earning their third medal in men’s basketball history during the 2012 Olympics in London, losing in the bronze medal game to Russia by a score of 81-77.

2016 is Argentina’s seventh appearance in Men’s Basketball in the Olympics and they are looking for their third medal in the nation’s history.

Argentina is in a competitive Group B with Spain and Lithuania, who will be two of the favorites of the group, but Luis Scola and Manu Ginobili should not be counted out this August.

Ginobili suffered a minor calf injury training last week, but it is not expected to be serious or take away from playing time in the Olympics.

It will in all likelihood be Ginobili’s last appearance in the Olympics and like his fellow Spur, Tony Parker, he will be looking to end it on a good note. Ginobili led Argentina to the gold medal in 2004 and although the chances of that happening again seem rather slim, perhaps playing in front of thousands of fans in South America will give Argentina a bit of a home-court advantage.

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