BRASIL!! (clap clap clap) BRASIL!! (clap clap clap)

Updates from the Olympic Qualifying Basketball Tournament in Athens...including running commentary during Brazil's opener with Lebanon.

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Setting up play tomorrow...Canada plays Korea at 4:00am MT. Runnin' Ute Tyler Kepkay and Canada must win or go home. The winner clinches second-place in Group C and a quarterfinal berth versus the Group D winner (winner of tomorrow's Croatia/Puerto Rico game at 6:30am). Group C winner Slovenia awaits the Croatia/Puerto Rico loser.

At 10:30am, Germany plays New Zealand for first-place in Group B, then at 1:00pm, Brazil plays Greece for first-place in Group A. The winner of Germany/New Zealand gets the loser of the Brazil/Greece game in the quarterfinals, with the Germany/New Zealand loser drawing the Brazil/Greece winner in the quarters.

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It's a final... Brazil beats Lebanon 94-54 in Group A play. Brazil qualifies for the quarterfinals against either Germany (w/ Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Kaman) or New Zealand. Brazil v. Greece tomorrow at 1:00pm MT to determine the group winner. Lebanon is eliminated.

Final stats...JT: 1/4fg, 2pts, 3 reb, 4ast in 18mp. Rafa: 8/11fg, 16pts, 3 reb in 17mp...second-leading scorer on the day for Brazil.

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Rafa back in... and promptly scores again. And again. 16pts now for "Baby." Brazil leading 94-50 w/:50 seconds to play.

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JT and Rafa sitting to start the fourth quarter...

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(after third quarter)

Brazil leading 73-37. Updated stats... JT: 1/4fg, 2pts, 3 reb, 4ast in 18mp. Rafa: 6/8fg, 12pts, 3reb in 14mp.

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JT scores in the paint with 1:32 to go in the third for his first points of the game. Brazil leading 73-32.

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Another hoop for Rafa. Leads all bench scorers (third-leading scorer overall) with 12 points. 71-32 Brazil with 2:32 remaining in the 3rd quarter.

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It's a blowout, but JT leads Brazil in minutes played. Good game to get him some valuable international experience...

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Rafa scores again, then steals the ball. 10pts (5/7fg) in 9 mp for "Baby"...and JT leads Brazil with 4 assists. 69-31 Brazil.

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Another basket for Rafa. 8 points in 8 minutes for Araujo. JT now 0/3fg, but with 3 reb and 3 ast.

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Another 3-point miss for JT, and a foul for Rafa. 5:00 to go in the third...60-31 Brazil.

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(start of third quarter)

The second half is underway in Athens... with JT and Rafa both in the starting five. Brazil opens up a 56-21 lead...with Rafa scoring two more baskets in the paint. Another rebound for JT.

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Assuming Brazil holds on to the lead and wins today, Lebanon will be eliminated. The winner of tomorrow's Brazil/Greece game will win Group A and play the loser of tomorrow's Germany/New Zealand game (Group B) in the quarters.

Earlier today, Canada (no Steve Nash) opened with an 86-70 loss to Slovenia in Group C. Utah's Tyler Kepkay played two scoreless minutes. The winner of tomorrow's Canada/Korea game advances to the quarters--the loser goes home.

Former Jazz man Carlos Arroyo had 16 points in Puerto Rico's win over Cameroon (securing a Group D berth in the quarters).

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(halftime)

48-21 Brazil at the break. JT: 0/2 fg, 2 reb, 1 ast in 8+ minutes. Rafa: 1/3fg, 2pts, 2 reb in 3+ minutes. Brazil outrebounding Lebanon 24-12, with 8 steals in the first half. Brazil with a 19-nothing run at the end of the first quarter/start of the second quarter.

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Two quick rebounds for Rafa (who is called "Baby" in the boxscore)...missed shot for Rafa, rebound for JT... make by Rafa. 48-21 Brazil *******

JT with a defensive rebound... Rafa misses in the paint. 42-18 Brazil.

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Rafa enters for the first time with 3:36 remaining in the second quarter.

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JT blocked in the paint with 5:00 to go until halftime. 40-18 Brazil. Tavernari has an assist in his 3+ minutes of play.

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JT enters the game four minutes into the second quarter...

...and misses a 3-pointer 90 seconds later. 36-18 Brazil.

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(after one quarter)

Brazil goes on a tidy 16-nothing run to end the quarter and opens up a 27-8 lead on Lebanon. A win today and Brazil is through to the quarter-finals, regardless of the outcome of tomorrow's Brazil v. Greece matchup.

Neither Jonathan Tavernari nor Rafael Araujo played in the opening 10 minutes.

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