Standard Life GB Men Drawn In Group A for EuroBasket 2013

The draw saw the Standard Life GB men drawn in Group A for what will be their third EuroBasket appearance. Joining GB in their group are 2011 runners up, France alongside Germany, Belgium, Ukraine and Israel.

France will provide GB with tough competition in the group, particularly after their impressive performances in London 2012 losing just two games at the hands of basketball powerhouses Spain and USA.

British Basketball Performance Director, Chris Spice commented on the draw: "It is critical that we maintain the momentum we have established over the past two EuroBasket competitions and in this year's Olympic Games.

"We have been drawn in a group where we have had great rivalries in the past few years, with France, Israel, Belgium and the Ukraine. Germany will be tough after their outstanding qualification tournament last year too.

"There are no easy games in EuroBasket and we will take each one at a time. I am confident with the right coaching staff, preparation and player commitment we can advance beyond the pool stages."

EuroBasket 2013 will be played from 4-22 September 2013, with the First Round in the cities of Jesenice, Koper, Celje and Hala Tivoli in Ljubljana. The Second and Final Rounds will take place in Ljubljana's Stozice Arena.

Great Britain's first game will be on 4 September 2013 against Israel in Ljubljana. The two teams last faced up to each other in the 2008 EuroBasket Qualifying rounds where the teams won a game each.

At the draw the official EuroBasket 2013 song, written by Slovenian singer Zoran Predin, was played as six former and active Slovenia national team members participated in a 3on3 exhibition game, the first basketball game to ever be played in a natural cave.

Slovenia's Minister for Education, Culture and Sport, Ziga Turk in his speech put an emphasis on Slovenia's rich basketball tradition and the country's hospitality tradition: "In 1970 basketball became one the most popular sports in Slovenia when the World Championship was held in Ljubljana, and our team won. We want every visitor to feel at home and hope that at the end of the championship they will have fond memories of Slovenia."

Elsewhere in the draw, defending champions and Olympic silver medallists, Spain, start their campaign against the tournament hosts from Slovenia in Group C alongside Croatia, Poland, Georgia and Czech Republic.

In Group D, Russia will not have an easy task against Greece, Italy, Turkey, Finland and Sweden.

The surprise in the draw came in Group B which is being described as a "Balkan-Baltics" group with EuroBasket 2011 surprise package F.Y.R. of Macedonia joined by the likes of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia as well as Lithuania and Latvia.

For the full list of First Round Groups please see below: