SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – The Mall of Asia Arena rolls the welcome mat one last time for new arrivals in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
On Wednesday, September 6, the star-studded victors of the Okinawa, Japan and Jakarta, Indonesia group phases clash for the first time in Philippine soil, with many more NBA stars set to thrill Filipino and foreign fans alike.
Canada vs Slovenia
Canada claimed the last semifinal spot in the FIBA World Cup after turning back Luka Doncic and Slovenia, 100-89, in their knockout quarterfinal battle.
The Canadians banked on huge third-quarter turnaround, unleashing a 19-5 run behind NBA players Shai Gilgeous Alexander and RJ Barrett for a 69-55 spread after a 50-50 deadlock at the half.
Gilgeous Alexander paced Canada with a double-double of 31 points and 10 rebounds, while Barrett posted 14 points and 9 boards.
Doncic posted 24 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists before the Slovenian NBA star got ejected late in the fourth quarter for incurring his second technical foul.
Canada battles Serbia in the final four, while USA and Germany clash in the other semifinal pairing.
FIBA | 4Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Canada hounds Slovenia from buzzer to buzzer to reach its first-ever #FIBAWC semifinal berth, 100-89.
Luka Doncic and Dillon Brooks both get ejected in the heated contest, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the winning Canadian rally.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC pic.twitter.com/JeliGbWUUf
FIBA | 4Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Furious Slovenia goes on an 8-0 run after Luka Doncic's ejection.
Canada still leads, 94-85, with 3:57 left.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | 4Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Canada's Dillon Brooks gets ejected for taunting.
Slovenia's Luka Doncic also gets ejected a bit later with his second technical.
Canada leads Slovenia, 94-77.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | 4Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Dillon Brooks swishes another three and claps to the MOA Arena crowd.
Timeout Slovenia as Canada leads, 92-76, with 7:06 left in regulation.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | 4Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Canada regains a 16-point advantage over Slovenia, 87-71, off a 7-0 start in the frame.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | END OF 3Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Canada hangs on to an 80-71 lead as Slovenia makes a late run.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | 3Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Luka Doncic turns up the magic, sinking a highly contested three!
Slovenia still trails Canada, 69-80, with 24.3 seconds left.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | 3Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Luka Doncic and RJ Barrett trade threes. Barrett now has 11 points in the third alone.
Canada leads Slovenia, 72-58, with 3:40 left.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | 3Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Two more Shai Gilgeous-Alexander free-throws push Canada to its biggest lead so far over Slovenia, 65-55.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | 3Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Dillon Brooks sinks a long side-step three and blows kisses to the booing MOA Arena crowd.
Timeout Slovenia as Canada rides a 9-2 run for the 59-52 lead with 6:34 left.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | STATS:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Slovenia's Luka Doncic leads all scorers with 17 points off 5-of-12 shooting, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds.
NBA cousins Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nickeil Alexander-Walker lead Canada with 13 and 10 points, respectively.
50-all at the half.#FIBAWorldCup2023 pic.twitter.com/p25A0vOTEj
FIBA | HALFTIME:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Slovenia reaches a stalemate with Canada, 50-all.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | 2Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Luka Doncic gets the better of Dillon Brooks this time and sinks the reverse layup.
Canada leads Slovenia, 50-49, with 59 seconds left.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | 2Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Nickeil Alexander-Walker hammers down a poster jam!
Canada leads Slovenia, 50-47, with 1:52 left.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | 2Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
As Luka Doncic is endlessly harassed on defense by Dillon Brooks and Lu Dort, other Slovenian shooters like Klemen Prepelic and Aleksej Nikolic step up.
Canada, however, still leads Slovenia, 42-40, midway in the second quarter.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | STATS:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – 8 pts, 4/5 FG
Lu Dort – 6 pts, 2/2 3PT
Luka Doncic – 7 pts, 2 asts#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | 1Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shakes, bakes, and hits a tough turnaround jumper to the delight of the crowd.
Canada leads Slovenia, 16-15.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | 1Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Luka Doncic sinks his first three off a signature step-back.
Slovenia leads Canada, 6-4, with 7:44 left.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | 1Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Slovenia and Canada's lineups are called out ahead of their 8:30 showdown.
As expected, Slovenia star Luka Doncic gets the loudest ovation while Canada's Dillon Brooks gets a smattering of boos from the Filipino crowd.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
Preview
In one of the most-anticipated showdowns in the World Cup so far, especially in the Philippines, NBA-laden Canada and world No. 7 Slovenia meet in a finals-worthy tiff at 8:30 pm.
Heavily carried by NBA superstar Luka Doncic, Slovenia will try to show it is much more than a one-man team ahead of a semifinal berth, as the likes of Mike Tobey and former NBA player Zoran Dragic aim to show their worth to Filipino fans not yet familiar with their games.
Meanwhile, Canada brings a different NBA flavor to eager audiences in Manila only used to seeing mighty USA so far. All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, athletic swingman RJ Barrett, and streaky agitator Dillon Brooks are just some of the world-class Canadian talent on board ready to go for gold.
Germany vs Latvia
Germany clawed its way to the semifinals as feisty Latvia fought until the final second in an 81-79 decision.
The Germans pulled away from the tight affair, 79-69, with less than three minutes left, only to witness the Latvians storm back again within a bucket, 81-79, in a run capped by an Arturs Zagars layup.
Latvia, a World Cup debutant, even had a chance to steal it but Davis Bertans missed a potential game-winning triple at the buzzer.
Franz Wagner led the Germans with 16 points and 8 rebounds as fellow NBA player Dennis Schroder struggled, missing all eight of his three-point attempts before finishing with 9 points.
Zagars topscored for Latvia with 24 points, half coming from beyond the arc, while Bertans added 20 points, 18 from three-point range.
FIBA | FINAL:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Germany bucks a slow start, ends Latvia's #FIBAWorldCup2023 dream run in a cardiac 81-79 finish to arrange a semifinal showdown with mighty USA.
This marks Germany's first semis appearance in 21 years.#FIBAWC pic.twitter.com/yoZ1RyBSV7
FIBA | 4Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Not so fast, says Latvia!
The underdog Latvians go on an 8-0 run as Germany hangs on to a 79-77 lead with less than a minute.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | 4Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Latvia starts its comeback attempt as Germany holds on to a 74-69 lead.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | 4Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Germany finally finds its breakthrough for the game, going on an 8-0 start in the fourth for a 70-59 lead over Latvia.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | END OF 3Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Germany stays unable to pull away from feisty Latvia, 62-59.
Dennis Schroder continues his frigid struggles with just 4 points on 2-of-17 shooting.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | 3Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Daniel Theis converts the alley-oop jam off a Dennis Schroder lob, and-one! He makes the bonus.
Germany up on Latvia, 46-45, with 6:30 left.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | STATS:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Andreas Obst and Johannes Thiemann lead Germany with 8 points apiece, while Davis Bertans leads Latvia with 12 points off 4-of-5 threes.
Germany captain Dennis Schroder is still scoreless in 14 minutes with a 0-of-9 shooting clip. #FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | HALFTIME:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Germany holds on to a 36-34 lead over Latvia in a back-and-forth affair.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | END OF 1Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Germany wakes up after a 3-13 start, goes on a 10-3 run as Latvia hangs on to a 16-13 lead.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | 1Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 6, 2023
Giant-killer Latvia is at it again, forcing Germany to call timeout after a 13-3 start with 4:54 left.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
Preview
World No. 29 Latvia – the lowest-ranked team remaining in World Cup contention – comes in still as one of the most dangerous as it turns its giant-killing intentions to No. 11 Germany at 4:45 pm.
Despite not having NBA All-Star Kristaps Porzingis, Latvian leaders Davis Bertans and Rodions Kurucs nonetheless added powerhouses France and Spain to their group phase kill count, and have shown no signs of stopping ahead of their encounter with another title contender.
Germany, bannered by NBA players Dennis Schroder, Isaac Bonga, and the Wagner brothers Moritz and Franz, will try to do what other stronger teams haven’t, and strike a cold midnight hand on Latvia’s Cinderella run for good.
Please refresh this page for live updates. – Rappler.com
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