Jakarta, – In a nail-biting showdown on Sunday, Canada pulled off a stunning upset by defeating reigning champions Spain 88-85, securing their spot in the quarter-finals of the FIBA Basketball World Cup, hosted in Jakarta. Meanwhile, the United States suffered a setback as they were outplayed by Lithuania in their final preliminary game.
The last day of preliminary matches across Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines brought about surprising results and finalized the quarter-final matchups.
Lithuania, currently ranked eighth in the world, will square off against Serbia, while the United States is set to face Italy in the highly anticipated last eight showdown.
Germany is gearing up to meet Latvia, and Canada will battle Slovenia, promising basketball enthusiasts a thrilling quarter-final stage.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA All-Star representing the Oklahoma City Thunder, showcased his prowess by contributing a game-high 30 points for Canada, marking the highest-scoring performance by a Canadian player since 1994. Reflecting on their victory, Gilgeous-Alexander expressed, “We were prepared to do whatever it took, and we managed to get the job done.” He played a pivotal role, scoring Canada’s last eight points, including six crucial free throws, to secure their comeback win.
Notably, this victory was only Canada’s second triumph over Spain in the history of the tournament, ending a 49-year winless streak against the European powerhouse. Spain, coping with the absence of the 2019 World Cup’s Most Valuable Player Ricky Rubio, who took a hiatus from the sport to prioritize his mental health, faced their first consecutive tournament defeats since 1990.
Canada’s triumph also secured their qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics, marking their first Olympic appearance since the 2000 Games.
In a parallel development in Manila, Team USA suffered a loss to Lithuania, with the final score reading 110-104 in favor of the Baltic nation. Lithuania maintained their lead throughout the game, establishing a commanding 54-37 advantage by halftime through a combination of three-pointers, second-chance points, and capitalizing on Team USA turnovers.
Donatas Motiejunas of Lithuania, who contributed nine points, remarked, “They tried to be aggressive against us, but we remained composed, securing the win.” Seven Lithuanian players scored in double digits, with Vaidas Kariniauskas leading the way with 15 points. On the American side, Anthony Edwards of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves led the scoring with an impressive 35 points. Team USA managed to narrow the deficit to just four points with 30 seconds remaining in the third quarter, and Edwards attempted to engineer a comeback in the final frame.
Reflecting on the loss, Team USA head coach Steve Kerr stated, “Lithuania obviously came out of the gates on fire. We are fortunate that the loss doesn’t impact our ultimate goal, which is to secure the gold medal.”
In other matches with significant implications for the quarter-finals, Serbia dominated the Dominican Republic with a score of 112-79 in Manila, while Italy triumphed over Puerto Rico 73-57, marking their return to the quarter-finals after a 25-year hiatus. Germany exhibited their mettle by outlasting Slovenia 100-71 in Okinawa, while Latvia secured a victory against Brazil with a scoreline of 104-84.
The FIBA Basketball World Cup, co-hosted by the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia, will continue to captivate fans until September 10, promising more thrilling moments on the hardwood.
