"We're excited about the growth of the sport across the five continents," Elphinston said.
"It's an exciting time for basketball," he said.
FIBA's 213 national federations make it the second-largest governing body in Olympic sports and the improvements shown by the teams from Africa and Asia have helped spread basketball's global growth.
"We're certainly planning on being a major sport of interest at Beijing," Elphinston said.
Quarter-final matchups
TODAY'S GAMES
■ Greece v France
GREECE (6-0)
Previous semifinals: 1998 (4th); 1994 (4th). Second round: beat China 95-64. Leading scorer: Vasilis Spanoulis (11.3). Leading rebounder: Antonis Fotsis (4.3). On offense: 83.2 pts; 49 pct overall; 34 pct 3s; 12.0 asts; 15.8 tos. On defense: 70.3 pts; 48 pct overall; 36 pct 3s; 13.8 asts; 25.0 tos.
FRANCE (4-2)
Previous semifinals: 1954 (4th). Second round: beat Angola 68-62. Leading scorer: Boris Diaw (12.8). Leading rebounder: Florent Pietrus (6.7). On offense: 70.2 pts; 40 pct overall; 23 pct 3s; 11.2 asts; 12.8 tos. On defense: 65.2 pts; 38 pct overall; 27 pct 3s; 9.5 asts; 13.5 tos.
Game prediction: Greece was able to beat France even though star guard Tony Parker played for the French in last year's European semifinals. The same result should happen again at the game today.
■ United States v Germany
UNITED STATES (6-0)
Previous semifinals: 1998 (3rd); 1994 (1st); 1990 (3rd); 1986 (1st); 1982 (2nd); 1974 (3rd); 1967 (4th); 1963 (4th); 1959 (2nd); 1954 (1st); 1950 (2nd). Second round: beat Australia 113-73. Leading scorer: Dwyane Wade (20.0). Leading rebounder: Dwight Howard (4.7). On offense: 109.3 pts; 53 pct overall; 41 pct 3s; 20.2 asts; 10.3 tos. On defense: 83.5 pts; 45 pct overall; 37 pct 3s; 13.7 asts; 19.3 tos.
GERMANY (5-1)
Previous semifinals: 2002 (3rd). Second round: beat Nigeria 78-77. Leading scorer: Dirk Nowitzki (24.5). Leading rebounder: Dirk Nowitzki (10.3). On offense: 83.2 pts; 45 pct overall; 36 pct 3s; 14.8 asts; 15.2 tos. On defense: 76.8 pts; 44 pct overall; 33 pct 3s; 10.8 asts; 11.7 tos.
Game prediction: Germany coach Dirk Bauermann has said throughout the tournament about his team that ''one cannot beat five.'' He will be proven right.
Source: AP
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