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FIBAWC opening the second round with 4 teams making it to the quarterfinals while in two groups it will be a “hot sunday”.
GROUP K
GERMANY defeated GEORGIA 100-73 and SLOVENIA did the same with AUSTRALIA (91-80). Both winners qualified to the quarterfinals.
For the germans it was mostly about a sharpshooting performance from the arc (20/35) led by Maodo Lo (6/6), while even with Luka Doncic in foul trouble since the score was 34-20, Slovenia managed to keep the distance with the rivals thanks to a marvelous Mike Tobey (18+12). For the aussies only Josh Giddey looked at his best (25+8+4). The boards’ battle was won by the Slovenian 39-31 and that was a huge factor.
Shengelia, Bitadze and Mamukelashvili were the only bulwarks for Georgia but not enough facing today’s Germany.
Sunday clash between todays’s winning team will establish which team will be first in the group.
GROUP I
After ITALY won the game with SERBIA 78-76 thanks to a furious comeback led by Gigi Datome and an outstanding Simone Fontecchio (30), Dominican Republic didn’t take advantage of the situation losing 97-102 with Puertorico, keeping the central american rivals alive in the quarterfinals race.
Italy came back from a 44-60 deficit to close the gap and control the game in the final seconds. The first reaction came from Captain Datome, who scored 10 in a while, while Fontecchio was then extraordinary, with multiple NBA signature baskets.
Bogdanovic went for 1/12 from the arc but the question why he was almost never used by Pesic together with Guduric remains unanswered.
39 and 10 by KAT were not enough to match the daily hero of the cup, Tremont Waters, who scored 37 with 11 assists, 7 rebounds and 4 steals for an unbelievable 43 in efficiency.
Now 4 teams tied at 3/1: the two winners of sunday games will advance.
GROUP J
USA avoid a huge upset by MONTENEGRO in the second half, basically thanks to Anthony Edwards who strongly appeared inthe game scoring 10 in the third after the balkans were up by 1 after 20′.
Great game by Vucevic (18+10) and unbelievable numbers in rebounding: 49-31 Montenegro!
The level is getting higher and it was clear to the States that from now on things will be far different from the first stage, but Steve Kerr’s team looks like knowing it perfectly after the 85-73 win.
«It was not our night offensively but we fought» the words by the GS basketball mastermind.
LITHUANIA defeated GREECE 92-67 thanks to a 28-9 last quarter eliminating the ellenic team from the medal race.
A strong late run and another perfect night by the baltics who went for over 62% in both 2s and 3s. Rokas Jokubaitis once again fantastic. Brazdeikis was perfect too.
USA and Lithuania will play for the first spot on sunday.
GROUP L
LATVIA was once again unbelievable and won a game v SPAIN that looked like lost when the spaniards were up by 12 with 11′ minutes to play.
Luca Banchi’s team showed great quality and attitude to never give up as they did with France.
As for Spain it was a tough night on the offensive end: 43% in 2s was definitely unexpected as well as a balanced battle of the boards. Giving up 27 points in the last quarter was then crucial.
When everything looked settled for Canada to grab the first spot in the group, “et voilà” the biggest upset: BRASIL played an outstanding defensive game to edge the canadians 69-65.
Canada was up by 10 with a few seconds left in the third but couldn’t close with a double digits lead due to a buzzer beater by Luca Dias that changed the flow of the game.
With the scored tied at 60 with 1’36” to play two layups by Yago gave the south americans the decisive lead. Then Gui Santos sealed the W with 8 seconds left.
Bruno Caboclo dominated with a 19+13 double-double.
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