FIBAWC 2nd round: the quarterfinals stage is set

FIBAWC 2023 completed the second round and now we have the 8 teams that will play for the medals.

FIBAWC closing the second round and setting the stage for the quarterfinals.

ITALY defeated PUERTO RICO 73-57 and made it to the WC quarterfinals for the first time since 1998. The usual solid performance by Nik Melli was fundamental to grab the win and guarantee a clash with the USA. Offensive rebounds and a great defensive effort were the keys for the azzurri that kept at 57 a team that was uses to scoring 96 ppg.

Steve Kerr's Team lost to a once again marvellous LITHUANIA that remained unbeaten after shooting 14/25 from the arc and knocking down all the first 9 balls from downtown.

35 from Anthony Edwards not enough in front of a baltic team that perfectly managed the americans' switching defence. 21 the largest lead for the winners, juts 2 for the NBAers.

Coach Maksvytis team will face SERBIA, that finished the job for the medals' phase routing DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 112-79 with Bogdan Bogdanovic back to his usual highs: 20 points in a perfect shooting game (7/7) from the field. Game was abundantly over after the first quarter with the serbian up 29-15.

GERMANY, as Lithuania, remained unbeaten and grabbed the first spot in its group by winning 100-71 v SLOVENIA.

This means the third german trip over triple digit scoring and the third W with over 26 points margin so far.

Slovenia was up by 14 at the end of the first but then Dennis Schroeder's (24+10) team came back and never looked back with a 89-46 run in the remaining 30'.

Luca Doncic was 2/11 in 3 pointers in a tournament where he is still struggling from the arc (10/42, 23,8%). His team made it any way to the quarterfinals where they will cross the path with CANADA, winner of the "do or die" game versus SPAIN.

The reigning world and european champions lost the 4th quarter 12-27 and couldn't match another big night from SGA (30 with 4 boards and 7 assists). Dillon Brooks was a key too, with 11 of his 22 points in the last quarter. 88-85 the final score after Spain entered the last 10' with a 12 points lead.

Shai 🥶 #FIBAWC x #WinForCanada pic.twitter.com/qVhxOi9Y09

— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 🏆 (@FIBAWC) September 3, 2023

Elimination of the spanish team came definitely in the last quarter: 11-27 in the loss to Latvia, 12-27 in this one to Canada.

Germany's rival in the quarterfinal game will be LATVIA that completed the outstanding WC run so far routing BRAZIL 104-84 setting the difference with a perfect 36-21 third quarter.

Luca Banchi's team is playing the best and most exciting ball of the whole tournament so far with multiple players emerging as protagonists in a real and complete team effort.

Here following the schedule of the quarterfinals, all played in the Mall of Asia Arena (Manila):

tuesday sept 5th

game #82 LITHUANIA v SERBIA - 1045 CET

game #81 ITALY v USA - 1440 CET

wednesday sept. 6th

game #83 GERMANY v LATVIA - 1045 CET

game #84 CANADA v SLOVENIA - 1430 CET

Winners of games #81 and #83 will face in the semifinal on sept. 8th as well as winners of games #82 and #84.

Finals will be played on sunday, sept. 10th.