Canada eradicated champions Spain 88-85 in a thriller in Jakarta on Sunday to ebook their place within the FIBA Basketball World Cup quarterfinals in Jakarta, whereas the United States had been overwhelmed by Lithuania of their last preliminary recreation.
The last day of preliminary video games in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines provided shocking outcomes because the quarterfinal line-up was accomplished.
Lithuania, ranked eighth on the earth, will face Serbia whereas the U.S. will play Italy within the final eight.
Germany will meet Latvia and Canada will lock horns with Slovenia.
Canada’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, an NBA All-Star with the Oklahoma City Thunder, scored a game-high 30 factors, probably the most for a Canadian participant since 1994.
“We’re willing to do whatever it took and we ended up getting it done,” stated Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored Canada’s final eight factors together with six clutch free throws to finish a comeback win.
Canada beat Spain for simply the second time within the match’s historical past, snapping a 49-year winless streak towards the top-ranked European powerhouse.
Spain’s Alex Abrines missed a possible game-tying three-pointer on the buzzer. Spain, lacking 2019 World Cup’s Most worthy participant Ricky Rubio who stepped away from the game to concentrate on his psychological well being, suffered their first back-to-back match defeats since 1990.
Canada additionally certified for the 2024 Paris Olympics, their first since 2000.
In Manila, Team USA misplaced to Lithuania 110-104 in a quarterfinal seeding recreation.
Lithuania led all through, constructing a 54-37 benefit by halftime by way of three-pointers, second-chance factors, and buckets from Team USA turnovers.
“They tried to be aggressive against us but we stayed calm and we take the win,” Lithuania’s Donatas Motiejunas, who scored 9 factors, informed reporters.
Seven Lithuanians scored in double-digits, led by Vaidas Kariniauskas’ 15 factors. Anthony Edwards of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves led the scoring for the U.S. with 35 factors.
Team USA narrowed the hole to 4 factors with 30 seconds to go within the third quarter, and Edwards tried to guide a comeback within the last body.
“Lithuania obviously just came out of the gates on fire,” Team USA head coach Steve Kerr stated. “We are fortunate that the loss doesn’t hurt us in terms of our goal which is to win the gold medal.”
In different video games with quarterfinals implications, Serbia routed the Dominican Republic 112-79 in Manila, and Italy defeated Puerto Rico 73-57 for a return to the quarterfinals after 25 years. Germany outlasted Slovenia 100-71 in Okinawa whereas Latvia received towards Brazil 104-84.
FIBA’s flagship occasion, co-hosted by the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia, will run till Sept. 10.
—Reuters
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
