Everything had appeared really easy for the US on the Basketball World Cup. Points have been coming in bunches, last scores have been blowouts and stress wasn’t an issue.
Until Friday.
If the Americans have been ready a severe take a look at on the World Cup, they’ll wait no extra. Facing a 26.5-point underdog in Montenegro in a second-round opener for each groups, they trailed by a degree on the half, did not take the lead for good till halfway via the third quarter and nonetheless had a contest on their palms till the ultimate minutes.
They discovered a method ultimately, profitable 85-73 to stay unbeaten and transfer to the brink of the quarterfinals.
“Great game for us … These games are going to happen,” mentioned US coach Steve Kerr.
Anthony Edwards scored all of his team-high 17 factors within the second half for the Americans (4-0), who bought 12 from Austin Reaves and 11 from Jaren Jackson Jr. Mikal Bridges and Tyrese Haliburton every added 10 for the US, which did not draw back till late within the fourth.
“It wasn’t the prettiest game,” Haliburton mentioned. “But what FIBA games really are?”
Nikola Vucevic had 18 factors and 16 rebounds for Montenegro, which led 39-38 on the half. Kendrick Perry scored 14 for Montenegro (2-2).
It was primarily a must-win for Montenegro, and it darn close to pulled off a stunner.
“We played well and we made it as tough for them as we could,” mentioned Vucevic, who performs for the Chicago Bulls. “But in the end, quality prevailed.”
The US led 61-55 going into the fourth and tacked a degree on to make it a seven-point edge – its largest of the sport to that time – early within the last quarter.
Montenegro simply would not go away. A 3-pointer by Nikola Ivanovic bought the underdogs inside 64-62 with 7:15 remaining, and the Americans could not exhale till the ultimate seconds – a far cry from the best way the primary three video games of the event went, with factors coming in bunches and the US profitable each recreation by a minimum of 27 factors.
“It’s good for us to get one of these games,” Reaves mentioned.
Montenegro had a recreation plan and labored it practically to perfection: Slow the Americans down by any means mandatory.
The Americans know they’re going to see extra of that going ahead.
“A small country like Montenegro, we played tonight maybe one of the best games ever,” Montenegro coach Bosko Radovic mentioned. “We played such a good team.”
In Jakarta, Latvia continued its giant-killing run on event debut, including defending World Cup champions Spain to their record of scalps.
The comeback 74-69 win of their second-round opener in Jakarta adopted a defeat of Tokyo Olympic silver-medallists France to knock them out within the first spherical.
Latvia trailed 58-47 earlier than a 27-11 last quarter shot them to within reach of a quarter-final berth.
They can seal one with a win over Brazil on Sunday.
“That game against France put us in a situation we’ve never been in before,” ahead Davis Bertans mentioned.
“If we’re not able to compete at this level against Brazil and come up with the win in that game, this doesn’t really matter that much.”
In different video games Slovenia ended Australia’s title hopes, Italy beat Serbia by two factors, Germany accounted for Georgia, Puerto Rico pipped Dominican Republic and Lithuania trounced Greece and Brazil beat Canada.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
