Portugal, Lopez Go Separate Ways

18 September 2010

Portugal have parted ways with coach Moncho Lopez.

The Spaniard, who had led his native country to the silver medal at EuroBasket 2003 in Sweden, was handed the reins to Portugal after EuroBasket 2007 following ex-coach Valentyn Melnychuk's decision to leave for his native Ukraine.

Lopez steered the Portuguese to three wins in six games and into the Additional Qualifying Round for EuroBasket 2009 but they weren't able to claim a place in the Final Round in Poland.

This summer, Lopez's men finished bottom of Group C with just one win.

That wasn't good enough for the team to earn a trip to the EuroBasket, even after the tournament field was expanded to 24 teams earlier this month.

Portugal will still have a chance of reaching the EuroBasket.

The Portuguese, Finland and Hungary will play in the Additional Qualification Round in 2011.

In announcing that Lopez was no longer the coach, Portugal said it had been an "honor" for him to lead the team and called him "a basketball figure of high standing".


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