Germany secured their first-ever FIBA Basketball World Cup title with a hard-fought 83-77 victory over a depleted Serbia in a thrilling championship clash in Manila. Germany’s championship-winning journey featured a pivotal third-quarter surge orchestrated by the Wagner brothers, Franz and Moritz. The tournament’s Most Valuable Player, Dennis Schroder, delivered a standout performance with a game-high 28 points, surpassing his average of 17.9 points per game.
Speaking at a press conference after the historic win, Schroder praised the team’s unity and their distinctive playing style. “This is an unbelievable group… the coach did a great job bringing us together,” Schroder said. “Our defense and how we play as a basketball team is just special.”
Germany’s triumph marked the first time since 2006 that a debutant in the final secured a FIBA World Cup crown. Their victory was built on an undefeated run through all eight tournament games.
Serbia, on the other hand, faced another heartbreak in a major final, having previously lost to the United States in the 2014 championship game. Nevertheless, their second-place finish was an improvement from their quarter-final exit in 2019.
The closely-contested final saw the teams deadlocked at 47 points by halftime. However, Germany’s 22-10 surge in the third quarter established a 12-point lead, which proved pivotal as they held on for the victory. Despite Serbia’s late efforts, including converting free throws and seeking a comeback, costly turnovers and missed three-pointers hindered their chances.
Serbia faced adversity throughout the tournament, with Ognjen Dobric suffering an ankle injury in the first quarter of the final. Additionally, their power forward, Borisa Simanic, underwent surgery to remove a kidney following an injury sustained during a preliminary match against South Sudan.
In a separate thrilling contest, Canada secured their first-ever FIBA World Cup podium finish by defeating a short-handed United States team 127-118 in overtime in the bronze-medal game. Dillon Brooks led Canada with a tournament-high 39 points, earning MVP chants from the crowd and setting a record for the most points scored by a player in a medal-winning game in tournament history.
The United States, missing key NBA players due to illness, rallied to force overtime but fell short in their bid for a podium finish. Despite the defeat, the U.S. improved on their seventh-place finish in the 2019 World Cup, one of their worst-ever major international tournament results. Team USA boasts a record five World Cup championships.
The thrilling games on Sunday marked the conclusion of the 19th edition of FIBA’s flagship event, co-hosted by the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan, and set a new attendance record with a crowd of 38,115 spectators for the opening game. Qatar has been announced as the host for the 2027 World Cup.
