The semi-final clash between the United States and Germany was the highest scoring match recorded in the tournament since 1994; Germany will now play in their first ever World Cup final against fellow European heavyweights Serbia
Germany shocked the fancied United States 113-111 in a high-octane semi-final on Friday to reach first ever FIBA Basketball World Cup final against fellow European powerhouses Serbia.
Guard Andreas Obst carried Germany with his tournament-high 24 points and six assists, including a three-pointer to build a comfortable lead before they fended off a late rally by the Americans.
Orlando Magic guard Franz Wagner added 22 points while power forward Daniel Theis, who plays for the Indiana Pacers, contributed 21 points, to seal the upset victory for Germany.
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“We played good defence, we were running around and we stayed mentally tough from first to the last guy,” Obst told reporters.
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Obst’s step back three-pointer from the right wing and Schroder’s jump shot gave the Germans a comfortable 113-107 lead with 40 seconds to go, despite a fightback by Team USA.
Germany will play Serbia in the final on Sunday after the third place match between the USA and Canada.
The Americans made another slow start which proved costly, as it allowed the Germans to take a 25-15 lead off a Dennis Schroder three-pointer with four and a half minutes to go in the first quarter.
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Team USA, composed of NBA players, recovered and engaged in a tit-for-tat contest to take a slim 60-59 lead at the break in the highest-scoring tournament game since 1994, according to FIBA.
Germany controlled the third quarter, and kept up the pressure as Wagner’s layup with nine minutes to go in the final frame padded their advantage to 12 points.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards led the United States with 23 points and eight rebounds. Fan favourite Austin Reaves provided a spark off the bench, scoring 21 points.
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“The main point of the loss was just we weren’t ever able to make them feel us defensively,” USA head coach Steve Kerr told a press conference.
Ranked second by FIBA, the USA’s shock defeat in the semis this year follows their worst-ever major international tournament result, in the 2019 edition, when they finished seventh.
