FIBA World Cup Ends in Germany Win, U.S. Heartbreak
The FIBA World Cup has come to an end, and while no San Antonio Spurs came out on top, there's proof that international competition is very competitive and fluid.
In Sunday's third-place game, Canada forward Dillon Brooks did a little bit of everything, pairing a five-rebound, four-assist output with 39 points on 12-of-18 from the field, stunning the United States in a 127-118 victory.
The win gave Canada the bronze medal for the tournament, the country's best performance ever in a World Cup.
However, Germany is the biggest winner Sunday after completing an undefeated FIBA World Cup run in a 83-77 win against Serbia in Manila.
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Toronto Raptors guard Dennis Schroder was named MVP of the tournament after his 28-point performance in the final. Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner also helped out with 19 points while his brother Moe added eight off the bench.
For Serbia, Aleksa Avramovic led the scoring effort with 21 points while Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 17 in a thrilling final.
While Germany led by double digits going into the fourth quarter, Serbia clawed back from 12 points down and nearly pulled off a comeback. However, Germany staved off Serbia and grabbed the gold medal.
Now, the World Cup participants will return home to rest for a few weeks before the NBA season and will return for international competition next summer at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama is expected to lead his host nation France after a disappointing opening-round exit.
