SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – As hope wanes for Gilas Pilipinas following a crushing second-game loss to Angola in the ongoing 2023 FIBA World Cup, other countries start to pick up steam in their respective campaigns, seeing clearer paths to the second round and beyond.
USA Basketball is once again in the spotlight at the Mall of Asia Arena this Monday, August 28, as other nations warily look on – trying to find holes in the championship contender’s formidable armor.
MALL OF ASIA ARENA
New Zealand vs Jordan
New Zealand broke through in its group the hard way with a 95-87 overtime escape of Jordan, which leaned on former PBA import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson’s 39-point explosion.
Izayah Le’afa stuffed the stat sheet in the win with 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.
FIBA | WATCH:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
Jordan naturalized player Rondae Hollis-Jefferson on the “Kobe” chants and his four-point play late in the fourth quarter, which sent the game into overtime:
“God was with me and Kobe was with me, for sure.”#FIBAWorldCup2023 pic.twitter.com/Dv4ZZDPA6C
FIBA | FINAL:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
New Zealand survives Jordan’s gutsy second-half comeback and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson’s 39-point explosion for a 95-87 breakthrough win in Group C.
📸 FIBA#FIBAWorldCup2023 pic.twitter.com/ARGIGxCboX
FIBA | END OF REGULATION:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
Naturalized player Rondae Hollis-Jefferson completes a tough, cold-blooded four-point play as Jordan drags New Zealand to overtime, 85-all. #FIBAWorldCup2023
FIBA | END OF 3Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
New Zealand keeps Jordan at bay with a 65-57 lead. #FIBAWorldCup2023
FIBA | HALFTIME:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
Izayah Le’Afa also catches fire from downtown in the second quarter as New Zealand creates a 46-37 separation over Jordan. #FIBAWorldCup2023
FIBA | END OF 1Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
Finn Delany finds the early touch from beyond the arc as New Zealand grabs a 21-18 lead over Jordan. #FIBAWorldCup2023
Preview
New Zealand tries to brush off its World Cup opener loss to USA with a bounce-back effort against Jordan, as the two winless Group C teams try to stave off elimination to kick off the two-game MOA Arena slate at 4:45 pm.
The likes of Reuben Te Rangi and Flynn Delaney are expected to again pace the balanced Tall Blacks, while former PBA import Rondae-Hollis Jefferson will once again be a literal driving force for the Falcons with support from Ahmad Dwairi and Freddy Ibrahim.
Greece vs USA
USA Basketball ran circles around a hapless Greece side without NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to the tune of a 109-81 beatdown, securing a 2-0 record in Group C and nearing a second-round berth.
Crowd favorite Austin Reaves led the balanced attack with 15 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals off the bench, while Anthony Edwards and Jalen Brunson each scored 13 – the latter on a perfect 5-of-5 clip.
Former NBA player Giorgios Papagiannis paced the loss with 17 points on 8-of-13 shooting, while Giannis’ older brother Thanasis was held to just 2 points and 4 boards in 22 minutes.
FIBA | WATCH:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
“If you told me five years ago that I would be where I’m at with the fans that I have, the love that I have worldwide, I would look at you crazy,” says Austin Reaves as the Filipino fans continue to show him love at the Mall of Asia Arena. #FIBAWorldCup2023 pic.twitter.com/wvvz9kKRyT
FIBA | FINAL:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
USA continues to flex its dominance in Group C as it breezes past Greece, 109-81.
Crowd favorite Austin Reaves shows the way for the Americans with 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. #FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC https://t.co/f6hzJ9Vs9m pic.twitter.com/06HveLaGAw
FIBA | END OF 3Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
USA is likely just 10 minutes away from its second victory as it widens its gap over Greece, 79-56. #FIBAWorldCup2023
FIBA | HALFTIME:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
USA slowly pulls away from Greece with a 50-37 advantage.
Jalen Brunson still leads the Americans with 8 points on 3-of-3 shooting, while Mikal Bridges and Jaren Jackson Jr. have 7 points each. #FIBAWorldCup2023 https://t.co/f6hzJ9VZYU pic.twitter.com/kxmPinLnHx
FIBA | END OF 1Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
USA holds a slim 23-19 lead over Greece.
Jalen Brunson leads the Americans with 6 points, while Georgios Papagiannis already has 11 markers for the Greeks. #FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC https://t.co/f6hzJ9VZYU pic.twitter.com/GknOd5Xnld
Preview
Greece will certainly miss two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo a little bit harder on Monday night as it faces USA Basketball at the 8:40 pm main event.
Giannis’ older brother Thanasis and the likes of Kostas Papanikolaou and Giorgios Papagiannis will have their hands full trying to contain the all-NBA American squad, which is led by crowd favorite Austin Reaves and former No. 1 picks Paolo Banchero and Anthony Edwards.
SMART ARANETA COLISEUM
China vs South Sudan
South Sudan brushed off its earlier World Cup heartbreak and finally won its first-ever game in the quadrennial showpiece with an 89-69 blowout of struggling China.
Chicago Bulls guard Carlik Jones carried the offense anew with 21 points and 6 assists after a record 35-point, 11-dime World Cup debut, while Kyle Anderson bounced back from a scoreless opener albeit in another loss with 22 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block.
READ: Luol Deng hailed the ‘heart and soul’ as South Sudan nails first-ever FIBA World Cup win
FIBA | FINAL:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
After victory eluded it against Puerto Rico, South Sudan finally wins its first-ever FIBA World Cup game at China's expense, 89-69.
Carlik Jones – 21 points, 5 assists
Kyle Anderson – 22 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC pic.twitter.com/tFtaUo3bmn
FIBA | END OF 3Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
South Sudan still keeps China at bay, 63-53, despite Kyle Anderson scoring 9 of his 18 points so far in the third quarter.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | HALFTIME:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
South Sudan keeps a short distance over China, 44-40.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | END OF 1Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
Carlik Jones starts strong anew for South Sudan as it leads China, 22-14.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | 1Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
Kyle Anderson finally scores his first FIBA bucket for China off a bank layup against South Sudan.
The Minnesota Timberwolves forward missed his first 10 shots – 9 in China's 42-point opener loss to Serbia.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
Preview
Victims of varied styles of losses in their opening World Cup matches, South Sudan and China are set to vent ire on each other by 4 pm at the Araneta Coliseum.
After a heartbreaking overtime loss to Puerto Rico in their first-ever World Cup game, super scorer Carlik Jones and NBA player Wenyen Gabriel are tasked to spark the rally past the hurting Chinese, who are led by seething NBA starter Kyle Anderson coming off a horrific scoreless debut against mighty Serbia.
Puerto Rico vs Serbia
World No. 6 Serbia once again found no trouble dispatching another group phase foe, pummeling Puerto Rico, 94-77, for a 2-0 record and a likely second-round berth.
Atlanta Hawks veteran Bogdan Bogdanovic and Miami Heat prospect Nikola Jovic conspired on offense in the win, each scoring 17 points while holding former NBA player Tremont Waters to just 9 points on 3-of-13 shooting with 9 assists over at the losing side.
FIBA | FINAL:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
NBA players Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nikola Jovic conspire to lift Serbia to another dominant victory, this time at Puerto Rico's expense, 94-77.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC pic.twitter.com/yX7rsgx1Sq
FIBA | END OF 3Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
Serbia's manhandling of Puerto Rico is still underway, 75-58.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | HALFTIME:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
Serbia continues to have little to no problems handling Puerto Rico, 57-27.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
FIBA | END OF 1Q:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 28, 2023
Serbia quickly dominates Puerto Rico, 27-15.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC
Preview
World No. 6 Serbia looks to keep its momentum high after a 42-point whipping of China with another dominant showing against No. 20 Puerto Rico at 8 pm.
NBA players Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nikola Jovic are bound to keep going amid a well-balanced Serbian system, while ex-NBA role player Tremont Waters will likely carry another heavy offensive load for the Puerto Ricans after a 43-minute marathon against South Sudan.
OTHER RESULTS
OKINAWA
Cape Verde def. Venezuela, 81-75. (Betinho Gomes – 22 points, Edy Tavares – 6 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks, David Cubillan – 15 points)
Slovenia def. Georgia, 88-67. (Luka Doncic – 34 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists)
JAKARTA
Ivory Coast def. Iran, 71-69. (Nisre Zouzoua – 17 points, Behnam Yakhchali – 19 points)
Please refresh this page for live updates. – Rappler.com
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