HIGHLIGHTS: Canada vs Serbia – FIBA World Cup 2023 semifinals

Serbia claimed the first championship berth after tripping the star-studded Canada squad, 95-86, in the FIBA World Cup knockout semifinal match.

Bogdan Bogdanovic dropped 23 points to power the Serbians, who only have two NBA players in their roster – the fewest among all semifinalists.

Ognjen Dobric added 16 points, while Nikola Milutinov posted a double-double of 16 points and 10 boards.

Serbia will fight for the crown against the winner of the other semis showdown between USA and Germany.

FIBA | FINAL:

After a silver medal finish in 2014, Serbia books a return trip to the FIBA World Cup finals with a 95-86 win over Canada!

Serbian NBA player Bogdan Bogdanovic finishes with 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting.

📸 FIBA#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC pic.twitter.com/4BqdWOZi1s
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 8, 2023

Fourth quarter

FINAL: SERBIA 95, CANADA 86
SERBIA 95-86: Another Zach Edey bucket
SERBIA 95-84: Zach Edey hook shoot, and-one
SERBIA 95-81: RJ Barrett driving layup
SERBIA 95-79: Dejan Davidovic layup, followed by a Bogdan Bogdanovic bucket off a steal

FIBA | 4Q:

Bogdanovic steps back for a corner three! Brooks responds with an and-one play.

91-79, Serbia with under 4 minutes left.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 8, 2023

SERBIA 91-76: Bogdan Bogdanovic cold-blooded corner three
SERBIA 88-76: Bogdan Bogdanovic eurostep layup
SERBIA 86-76: RJ Barrett scores 2 from the line
SERBIA 86-74: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 1/2 free throws
SERBIA 86-73: RJ Barrett layup
SERBIA 86-71: Nikola Milutinov post turnaround layup
SERBIA 84-71: Aleksa Abramovic two, RJ Barrett three
SERBIA 82-68: Dillon Brooks three
SERBIA 82-65: Dejan Davidovac tip-in. Timeout Canada with 8:35 left.
SERBIA 80-65: RJ Barrett dunk
SERBIA 80-63: Marko Guduric corner three
SERBIA 77-63: Aleksa Abramovic steal and score

Third quarter

FIBA | END OF 3Q:

Serbia maintains its double-digit edge over Canada, 75-63!

Bogdan Bogdanovic and Ognjen Dobric have 16 points each to lead the Serbians. #FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 8, 2023

END OF 3Q: Sweet-shooting Serbia stays ahead of Canada, 75-63
SERBIA 75-63: Svetislav Pesic tech, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander free throw
SERBIA 75-62: Vanja Marinkovic open three
SERBIA 72-62: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander quick layup response
SERBIA 72-60: Marko Guduric three
SERBIA 69-60: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander driving layup
SERBIA 69-58: Marko Guduric splits free throws, gets own miss
SERBIA 68-58: Nikola Milutinov hook shot, and-one
SERBIA 65-58: Nickeil Alexander-Walker turnaround jumper
SERBIA 65-56: Ognjen Dobric with another floater
SERBIA 63-56: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sinks two free throws
SERBIA 63-54: Stefan Jovic driving layup
SERBIA 61-54: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander fadeaway jumper
SERBIA 61-52: Ognjen Dobric cuts to the post for the floater
SERBIA 59-52: Kelly Olynyk 2/2 from the line
SERBIA 59-50: Ognjen Dobric layup off Stefan Jovic feed
SERBIA 57-50: Nickeil Alexander-Walker wing three
SERBIA 57-47: Nikola Jovic layup plus a foul. He misses the bonus
SERBIA 55-47: RJ Barrett crafty post dribble leading to easy layup
SERBIA 55-45: Bogdan Bogdanovic split free throw trip
SERBIA 54-45: Dillon Brooks three
SERBIA 54-42: Nikola Jovic contested long two
SERBIA 52-42: Dillon Brooks three

Second quarter

FIBA | STATS AT THE HALF:

Serbia:

Bogdanovic – 15 pts, 5/6 FG, 2/2 3FG, 3 asts

Militunov – 11 pts, 4/4 FG, 6 rebs

Dobric – 10 pts

—

Canada:

Barrett – 10 pts

Olynyk – 7 pts

Gilgeous-Alexander – 5 pts, 4 asts, 3 fouls#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWorldCup
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 8, 2023

FIBA | HALFTIME:

Bogdan Bogdanovic continues to torch Canada as Serbia extends its lead to 13 points, 52-39!#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 8, 2023

HALFTIME: Serbia breaks away from Canada, 52-39.
SERBIA 52-39: RJ Barrett fastbreak dunk
SERBIA 52-37: Aleksa Abramovic 2/2 FTs, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 3rd foul with 0:42 left
SERBIA 50-37: Jordi Fernandez tech, Vanja Marinkovic tech FT.

FIBA | 2Q:

Militunov with 8 straight points for Serbia!

49-37, Serbia. #FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 8, 2023

SERBIA 49-37: Nikola Milutinov sinks 2 charities
SERBIA 47-37: Nikola Milutinov keeps going inside with a layup
SERBIA 45-37: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 2/2 from the line
SERBIA 45-35: Nikola Milutinov back-to-back dunks
SERBIA 41-35: Dwight Powell layup
SERBIA 41-33: Ognjen Dobric brushes off his pain, sinks open three
SERBIA 38-33: RJ Barrett open three as Ognjen Dobric rolls on the floor in pain
SERBIA 38-30: Bogdan Bogdanovic long two
SERBIA 36-30: Kelly Olynyk sinks 2 free throws
SERBIA 36-28: Nikola Milutinov 1/2 from the line. Dillon Brooks 3rd foul with 4:11 left.
SERBIA 35-28: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander splits his free throws
SERBIA 35-27: Nickeil Alexander-Walker driving layup
SERBIA 35-25: Ognjen Dobric tough alley-oop layup
SERBIA 33-25: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores his first field goal at the 5:49 mark
SERBIA 33-23: Bogdan Bogdanovic bullies his way inside and flexes
SERBIA 31-23: Bogdan Bogdanovic three
SERBIA 28-23: RJ Barrett 2/2 free throws
SERBIA 28-21: Marko Guduric uncontested layup
SERBIA 26-21: Nickeil Alexander-Walker corner three
SERBIA 26-18: Marko Guduric corner three
SERBIA 23-18: Lu Dort corner three

First quarter

FIBA | END OF 1Q:

Serbia finishes the first quarter on a fiery 11-2 run for a 23-15 lead over Canada!

Bogdan Bogdanovic leads the way for the Serbians with 8 points. #FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 8, 2023

END OF 1Q: Serbia leads Canada, 23-15
SERBIA 23-15: Aleksa Abramovic 2/2 charities
SERBIA 21-15: Kelly Olynyk 2/2 from the line

FIBA | 1Q:

9-0 run by Serbia after another wide-open layup by Avramovic!

21-13, Serbia with 1:59 to play in the quarter. #FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 8, 2023

SERBIA 21-13: Aleksa Abramovic fakes a pass, gets an easy fastbreak layup. Timeout Canada with 1:59 left.
SERBIA 19-13: Bogdan Bogdanovic 2/2 free throws
SERBIA 17-13: Aleksa Abramovic outlet pass for an easy Nikola Jovic layup
SERBIA 15-13: Bogdan Bogdanovic and-one putback off missed Nikola Milutinov free throws
CANADA 13-12: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander offensive foul, his second with 3:27 left
CANADA 13-12: Ognjen Dobric floater
CANADA 13-10: Dillon Brooks tough fading jumper
CANADA 11-10: RJ Barrett dump pass to Dwight Powell for the jam
SERBIA 10-9: Nikola Jovic layup
CANADA 9-8: Dillon Brooks 2/2 free throws
SERBIA 8-7: Kelly Olynyk open three
SERBIA 8-4: RJ Barrett corner three
SERBIA 8-1: Ognjen Dobric and Bogdan Bogdanovic sink threes
SERBIA 2-1: Nikola Milutinov dunk off a Bogdan Bogdanovic pass
CANADA 1-0: Dwight Powell splits from the line
SERBIA STARTING FIVE: Bogdanovic, Dobric, N. Jovic, S. Jovic, Milutinov
CANADA STARTING FIVE: Gilgeous-Alexander, Barrett, Brooks, Powell, Olynyk

Preview

One has been to the last dance of the FIBA World Cup, the other has never made it this far.

Canada and Serbia dispute a prized spot in the championship game as they lock horns in a sudden death semifinal at the Mall of Asia Arena on Friday, September 8.

Reaching the final four for the first time in World Cup history, the Canadians look to extend their stellar run by overcoming a hungry Serbian side seeking to complete its unfinished business after a silver finish in the 2014 edition.

Save for its surprising loss to Brazil in the second round, Canada has been a steady force in this World Cup, winning all of its four games against European squads (France, Latvia, Spain, and Slovenia) by an average of 17.5 points.

At the forefront of the Canadian attack is All-NBA First Team member Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who enters the semifinals with norms of 25 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1.7 steals.

Six more NBA players represent Canada: RJ Barrett, Dillon Brooks, Lu Dort, Kelly Olynyk, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Dwight Powell.

While Serbia has only two NBA players in its roster – the fewest among all semifinalists – in Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nikola Jovic, it boasts of a laundry list of success on the world stage.

The Orlovia have been to the semifinals in three of the last World Cups, placing fourth in 2010 and bagging silver in 2014.

Its quarterfinal ouster of erstwhile unbeaten Lithuania provides further proof that Serbia is just as dangerous as any of the three other remaining squads.

Bogdanovic leads the way for Serbia with 18.8 points, 4.8 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.2 steals.

Game time is 4:45 pm, before the USA and Germany tangle in the opposite semifinal bracket at 8:40 pm.

Please refresh this page for live updates. – Rappler.com