News The world’s top basketball teams can start planning the fine details of their bids for Olympic glory in Brazil this year after the draw for the men’s and women’s tournaments at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games was staged on Friday (11 March) morning The draw at the International Basketball Federation’s (FIBA) House of Basketball in Mies, Switzerland, threw up some fascinating clashes In the men’s tournament, reigning Olympic and world champions the USA were drawn in Group A with Australia, China, Venezuela and two teams to be decided at the Olympic qualifying tournaments on 4-10 July The other top-seeded men’s team, London 2012 silver medallists Spain, were drawn in a tough-looking Group B along with Argentina, Brazil, Lithuania, Nigeria and the other team to be decided at the qualifiers in July The host nation was placed in Group B after the USA and Venezuela had been drawn in Group A in order to avoid having three teams from the Americas in the same group Click here to see the men’s and women’s match schedules “It’s a great draw – Brazil’s men will play Spain, Argentina and Lithuania, while Brazil’s women will play Australia in their first game We expect big Olympic Games ”Paulinho Villas Boas, Rio 2016 basketball managerIn the women’s tournament, reigning Olympic and world champions the USA were drawn in Group B with Canada, Senegal, Serbia and two teams to be decided at the Olympic qualifying tournament on 13-19 June  Group A will feature London 2012 bronze medallists Australia along with Brazil, Japan, and three teams to be decided at the qualifier in June Become a basketball expert with our interactive infographicRio 2016 basketball manager Paulinho Villas Boas, who played for Brazil at the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games (finishing fifth both times), was at the draw and expressed his excitement afterwards, especially ahead of some tasty encounters for the host nation The Rio 2016 basketball competition will run for almost the entire duration of the Olympic Games, begining with the first group phase games on 6 August, the day after the opening ceremony at the Maracanã Stadium, and finishing with the women’s medal games on 20 August and the men’s podium deciders on 21 August, the day of the closing ceremony The group phases will be played in a round-robin format (each team plays the other five in its group), with the top four teams in each group proceding to the knock-out phase, which consists of quarter-finals, semi-finals, bronze medal games and gold medal games In January, Rio 2016 unveiled Carioca Arena 1, the main basketball venue that is suituated in Barra Olympic Park, and earlier this month opened the Youth Arena, which will stage the women’s group games, in Deodoro Olympic Park Find out how to buy tickets to the Rio 2016 GamesRelated linksUSA Basketball announces 30-man shortlist – without Kobe Bryant – for Rio 2016 GamesStephen Curry: playing at Rio 2016 would be a dream come trueThe shock basketball defeat by Brazil that helped create the USA’s ‘Dream Team’Australia’s Erin Phillips adds star dust to Rio 2016 basketball test event‘I’m proud to be the first athlete to mop the Olympic basketball court’USA or Nigeria who will Victor Oladipo play for at Rio 2016?USA begins preparations for defence of Olympic title in RioJapan qualify for women’s basketball at Rio 2016 Olympic GamesUSA basketball star Kyrie Irving dreaming of playing at Rio 2016