The United States are headed to the medal round of the Basketball World Cup, bouncing back from their first loss of this year’s tournament in emphatic fashion
It was 46-24 USA by half-time, with Austin Reaves providing the exclamation point with a follow-slam that had teammates out of their seats. The Americans were in complete control at that point despite Anthony Edwards – the team’s leading scorer entering Tuesday, averaging just over 20 points in the first five games of the World Cup – not even getting on the scoresheet until the first possession of the third quarter.
That won’t happen this time. Win Friday, and the US are assured of a medal. Win Friday and Sunday, and the Americans will be flying home with gold. Italy had beaten the US only twice in 14 previous tries at the senior men’s national level, both times at the world championships, which Fiba now calls the World Cup. The first was in 1970 on the way to a fifth-place finish for the US The second was in 1978, in Manila no less, a defeat that helped relegate the Americans to a fifth-place finish that year as well.
In Tuesday’s other quarter-final, Serbia beat Lithuania 87-68. They will play Slovenia or Canada for a place in the final.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Boomers coach 'not embarrassed' after Australia's early basketball World Cup exitBy missing the quarterfinals, the Boomers fell well short of expectations at the FIBA World Cup, but coach Brian Goorjian puts the disappointing campaign down to to the team rebuilding and reshuffling its line-up.
Read more »
Serbia’s Boriša Simanić loses kidney after taking elbow at Basketball World CupA Serbian player has had a kidney removed after taking an elbow to his midsection during a game against South Sudan at the Basketball World Cup
Read more »
Courtney Lawes adds to England’s World Cup worries before ArgentinaSteve Borthwick already has several injuries in his squad building up to their World Cup opener, with Courtney Lawes ‘sore’ after a training session
Read more »
The Sydney coach creating the perfect platform for Fiji’s World Cup campaignMick Byrne made his name as a pioneer in rugby skills coaching. He leads the Fijian Drua Super Rugby Pacific and explains what makes the national team tick.
Read more »