Great Britain to face Team USA in Olympic Basketball Warm Ups - Hoopsfix.com

Great Britain to face Team USA in Olympic Basketball Warm Ups

The Great Britain men’s and women’s basketball teams will face the reigning Olympic champion USA Basketball men’s and women’s national teams in Manchester next year in pre-Olympic warm-ups, it was announced today.

The friendlies, to be played at the 18,000 seat Manchester Evening News Arena in July 2012, will be the toughest test the GB teams have ever faced and are hoped to generate a lot of public interest.

GB forward Luol Deng is looking forward to the match-up:

“I cannot think of a more exciting prospect for fans in the UK than to see Great Britain play the USA Basketball men’s national team in Manchester in the lead up to the 2012 Olympics.”

USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo is also excited about the trip to the UK:

“The USA-Great Britain games in Manchester will be a terrific prelude to the 2012 London Olympic Games. The games are key components in the 2012 training plans for the USA Basketball men’s and women’s national teams. I’m sure that both USA teams will feature some of basketball’s best players and coaches, and I’m confident the games will be memorable events for all basketball fans.”

The city of Manchester will host a series of premier basketball events in the coming years as part of a recently announced multiyear partnership between Manchester City Council, the NBA and USA Basketball.

The first game of this new partnership will see GB women play host to the Atlanta Dream of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) at the MEN on May 29 as part of WNBA Live – Manchester 2011. Fans that purchase tickets and attend WNBA Live – Manchester 2011 will be given limited priority access to buy tickets for the games featuring the GB and USA Basketball men’s and women’s national teams.

Tickets for WNBA Live – Manchester 2011 are on sale from today at www.ticketmaster.co.uk, www.men-arena.com, or via phone at 0844 847 8000.

Thoughts? Hyped? Gonna be attending the games? Drop a comment!

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