Basketball World Cup 2019: What does Argentina need to qualify for the 2020 Olympics? The options | NBA.com Argentina

After the day on Saturday, the panorama of the National Team was quite clear. Sergio Hernández's team is already in the quarterfinals of China 2019, and his ticket to Tokyo 2020 could be sealed on Monday.

By Leandro Fernández



@FernandezLea

More: Basketball World Cup Guide 2019: groups, teams, figures, matches and more

First and foremost, because Argentina is already in the top 8 of the tournament. Here, of course, we talk about the enormous merit of a team that is showing a very good basketball that, for now, has it undefeated after four presentations. The other reason is the combination of results that occurred during the day on Saturday, which almost left Argentina among one of the two best teams in America that took the classification to Tokyo.

Before the most interesting part and with greater variables, we go to the "simple" scenario: Dominican Republic has no chance of quarterfinals, after losing 82-76 against Australia, which got into the 8 along with France (surpassed 78-75 to Lithuania).

Now, the "complicated" (although not so much), in Group K, where the United States and Brazil are, the other teams in America with chances. Team USA erased a pale Greece from the court (69-53), while the Czech Republic slapped the South Americans (93-71), generating the first great news for Argentina. After those results, they enter the last date as follows:

• United States 4-0
• Czech Republic 3-1
• Brazil 3-1
• Greece 2-2

In the Last date, will play United States vs.. Brazil and Greece before the Czech Republic. What does Argentina need to qualify for Tokyo 2020?

• A victory of the United States against Brazil: Thus, Team USA would advance, and Brazil would run out of chances.

Well, that is the "simplest" part of scenario analysis. Then, it is best to search what are the chances of Brazil to qualify to quarters. What do you need? At a minimum, beat the United States and comply with the following:

• Greece beat the Czech Republic: there, Team USA and Brazil would advance to quarters with (4-1).
• If Czech Republic beats Greece, there would be triple tie in 4-1 with USA and Brazil, and in that combination the three would have 1-1 in the matches with each other. So, count the difference. Czech Republic already knows that it has +1 (lost by 21 with USA and surpassed by 22 to Brazil). To move forward, Brazil should beat the United States by 22. And the best thing for Argentina is that this scenario is the only one that leaves Team USA out, so your ticket to Tokyo would also be sealed.

So, and in summary, Argentina will be in Tokyo if The Czech Republic beats Greece on Monday's first turn, at 5.30 (any triumph of Brazil in that virtual triple tie with the USA and the Czechs leaves one of Brazil or USA outside the quarter), or with a victory of the United States against Brazil in the second turn.

The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the NBA or its organizations.