SAWT BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL

| 1 October 2023, Sunday |

Spain knocked out of World Cup, U.S. lose first game

Canada defeated defending champions Spain 88-85 to advance to the FIBA Basketball World Cup quarter-finals on Sunday in Jakarta, while the United States suffered their first loss of the tournament in Manila.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Canada, an NBA All-Star with the Oklahoma City Thunder, led all scorers with 30 points, the most by a Canadian player since 1994.

Spain’s Alex Abrines missed a potential game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer.

In Manila, Team USA lost to Lithuania 110-104 in a quarter-final seeding game.

Lithuania led all game long, building a 54-37 lead by halftime through three-pointers, second-chance points, and buckets from Team USA turnovers.

“They played tough defence, they tried to pressure us, they tried to be aggressive against us but we stayed calm and we take the win,” Lithuania’s center Donatas Motiejunas, who scored nine points, told reporters.

Seven Lithuanians scored in double-digits, led by Vaidas Kariniauskas’ 15 points. Anthony Edwards of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves led the United States with 35 points.

Team USA narrowed the gap to four points with 30 seconds to go in the third quarter, and Edwards tried to lead a comeback in the final frame.

United States and Lithuania came into the game after winning their previous four tournament games.

Lithuania, ranked eighth in the world, will face Serbia while the United States will play Italy, both on Tuesday in Manila.

Lithuania controlled the boards, outrebounding the United States 43-27, resulting in 17 second-chance points.

Other countries through to the last eight include Germany, Slovenia, Italy and Latvia and Canada.

FIBA’s flagship event, co-hosted by the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia, will run until Sept. 10.

    Source:
  • Reuters