MADRID, June 15 (Reuters) - Brazil overcame Cuba 72-67 in
the final of the women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament to take
the last place available for the Beijing Games on Sunday.
They join the four quarter-final winners, Spain, Czech
Republic, Latvia and Belarus, who beat them after overtime on
Friday.
Brazil, who were fourth at the Athens Olympics in 2004,
suffered a dramatic bust-up after that game when coach Paulo
Bassul kicked his captain Iziane Castro Marques off the team for
refusing to come on in overtime.
They went on to hammer Angola 75-58 without her in their
playoff semi-final on Saturday.
Cuba, who beat Japan in their semi, pushed Brazil all the
way in the final and were leading by five with four minutes to
go.
But Brazil stormed back with Micaela Jacintho finishing with
a game-high 22 points.
“It’s a great moment and the girls deserve this,” said
Bassul. “I think it is a wonderful group and basketball is all
about the group.”
The five qualifiers join hosts China, world champions
Australia, gold medal holders United States, Mali, Korea,
Russia, and New Zealand for the Olympics in August.
(Writing by Mark Elkington; editing by Miles Evans)
(For more stories visit our multimedia website “Road to
Beijing” at http://www.reuters.com/news/sports/2008olympics; and
see our blog at http://blogs.reuters.com/china)