Ioannis Bourousis warns against looking too far ahead

Ioannis Bourousis of Greece (Photo credit: FIBA)Photo Gallery>>Every player on every team at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament will have had long, hard seasons with their clubs.

With a spot in the Beijing Games at stake, though, Greece's Olympiacos center Ioannis Bourousis says: "It doesn't matter how tired we may feel.

"The fact is that we have a great passion and motivation to play for the national team.

"For every one of us, playing for Greece is completely different compared to playing for our clubs. We really want to earn a berth to the Olympic Games and we are determined to work hard in order to achieve that.

"We want to play well at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament and we are looking forward to qualifying for the Olympics."

The fact remains, though, that Bourousis had less than 15 days of rest before joining the national team.

"If you think of this like that, you will be badly influenced," he says.

"We don't think of that at all! That's not a problem. We are all here to work for a specific reason and nothing else crosses our minds. Everyone wants the team to achieve its goal."

Though some might say Greece will have additional pressure on them in the tournament since they are playing in Athens, Bourousis thinks otherwise.

"That's only positive!" he says.

"I don't think that anybody could ever feel any pressure coming from the home crowd. The fans are always a big support. It's important to have them on our side. Furthermore, it's essential that all the people who love our team and basketball, they know that we will always be giving our best for the national team.

"The people should come to the venue united to support the national team - nothing more, nothing less."

Greece's recent success on the international stage has many expecting Bourousis and Co to reach Beijing.

Indeed, despite tough qualifying games coming up against Brazil and Lebanon in Group A, and then a quarter-final against Germany, New Zealand or Cape Verde, some fans are already wondering what a Greek showdown against Team USA would be like.

The two met in Athens four years ago, and the Americans won, but in the semi-finals of the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan, Greece won 101-95.

Bourousis says there is a danger in looking too far ahead.

"No. That's not a good way to think," he warns.

"The Olympic Qualifying Tournament will not be an easy task. It's the opposite; this will be a very hard tournament and we have to play really well in order to qualify.

"There are some really good teams that have the same goal as us and will try to beat us."

This summer will feel different with veterans Lazaros Papadopoulos, Dimos Ntikoudis, Nikos Hatzivrettas and Michalis Kakiouzis not with the team.

All four had been with Greece in recent campaigns.

"Each of these four players was present at many tournaments before," Bourousis says.

"Generally, I believe that the team's renewal is for a good reason. There are some other players that can replace those that are gone."

(Credit: FIBA. Click here for further information.)