Matchup of former Wildcats highlights Olympic men’s basketball qualifying tourneys

Three former Arizona men’s basketball stars are trying to get their respective home countries into the 2024 Paris Olympics, and so far so good.

The squads featuring Deandre Ayton (Bahamas), Nico Mannion (Italy) and Azuolas Tubelis (Lithuania) went a combined 5-1 during pool play at their respective FIBA Olympic Qualifying tournaments. Each advanced to the semifinals, which are on tap for Saturday with the finals set for Sunday.

At least one UA-represented team will play for a trip to Paris, as Italy and Lithuania meet in Puerto Rico at 1 p.m. PT Saturday. The winner will play either Puerto Rico or Mexico in Sunday’s final.

Mannion has averaged 10.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists off the bench for Italy, while Tubelis is playing 16 minutes per game for Lithuania and has scored 14 points on 55.6 percent shooting.

Ayton has been dominant for Bahamas, which is seeking its first Olympic bid. The former No. 1 NBA pick in 2018 has averaged 18.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in two games in Valencia, Spain while shooting 62.5 percent.

Bahamas faces Lebanon—which is starting most of the same guys the UA beat in Abu Dhabi last summer—Saturday at 8:30 a.m. PT, with host Spain and Finland meeting in the other semifinal.