Latvia turned issues round early to eke out a victory towards undermanned Italy, 87-82, and advance to the battle for fifth place within the 2023 FIBA World Cup on Thursday on the Mall of Asia Arena.
Latvia awaits the winner between Slovenia and Lithuania to find out its subsequent opponent within the classification spherical whereas Italy might be relegated to the battle for seventh.
Italy wasted what was as soon as a 13-point lead as Latvia closed the hole and even constructed a seven-point cushion earlier than the fourth, 67-60, earlier than veteran Italian ahead Luigi Datome sank a triple for a 79-75 deficit.
Another enormous triple from Italy’s Marco Spissu despatched Italy made it a two-point deficit, 84-82, with 41 seconds left. But Andrejs Grazulis capped off an enormous evening for himself with a three-pointer of his personal for an 87-82 lead.
Grazulis completed with 28 factors on near-perfect 12-of-13 taking pictures from the sphere alongside six rebounds and one steal whereas Aigars Skele chipped in 12 markers and 9 dimes.
Italy, who was lacking star Simone Fontecchio, was paced by Datome who poured in 20 factors.
—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
