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Jonathan Tavernari, Rafael Araujo and the Brazilian Senior National Basketball team are ready to make their run at a spot in Beijing.
In the final game of the three-game Acropolis Tournament in Athens, the Brazilians saw a late three-point attempt fall short as Australia tacked on two last-second free throws to finalize an 89-84 exhibition victory. The game was the last Brazil will play before opening competition at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament next Tuesday in Athens, versus Lebanon.
Tavernari went scoreless on 0/3 shooting (all from the arc) in 13:01 of play, while adding an assist and a steal, to go along with a turnover. Araujo scored 6 points on 3/5 shooting in 12:21, while collecting 5 rebounds and handing out a single assist. As a team, Brazil allowed the Aussies to grab 18 offensive rebounds--part of a 37-25 edge on the boards.
For the tourney, Tavernari averaged 4.3 ppg on 33% shooting (30% 3pfg), while recording the most minutes off the bench (14 mpg). He was perfect on his free throws (2/2). JT committed 5 fouls, and he was fouled one time. He pulled down 2 rebounds in 3 games, while averaging one assist, steal and turnover per game.
Araujo averaged 5.0 ppg on 53% shooting, while making one of his two free throws. He committed 7 fouls, and was fouled 2 times. He averaged 3.7 rpg, while in three games, he had two turnovers, one assist and one steal. He had one blocked shot and was blocked two times, all while averaging about 12-and-a-half minutes of floor time.
In 5 exhibition games under new coach Moncho Monsalve, the Brazilians are now 3-2, with this week's 1-2 mark following a 2-0 showing versus Venezuela in Rio de Janeiro.
12 teams will take part in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, with the two finalists and the winner of the third place game securing spots in Beijing. A win over group foe Lebanon next Tuesday should be enough to push Brazil into the quarter-finals, as the Lebanese are expected to be no match for Greece in the group opener on Monday. Assuming both teams adavance, Brazil and Greece would be grouped with likely quarter-finalists Germany and New Zealand, with the first-place team from Brazil's group facing the second-place team from Germany's group, and vice versa.
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