Germany, France, and Canada have secured their places in the knockout stage of the international basketball tournament, each demonstrating prowess and resilience in their recent matchups. One team that still has a chance to join them is Team USA, which must win against South Sudan on Wednesday.
The tournament's format sees the top two teams from each group advance, along with the top two finishers in third place, making every game crucial. One of the standout performances came from Germany's Dennis Schroder, who led his team to an 86-73 victory over Brazil. Schroder scored 20 points and added six assists, ensuring Germany’s quarterfinals berth.
France also impressed with a dramatic overtime win against Japan. With just 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Matthew Strazel forced the extra period with a spectacular four-point play. Victor Wembanyama then took control in overtime, scoring eight of his 18 points to secure the win. Reflecting on the gritty performance, Nicolas Batum said, "We could've easily given up down four with 10 seconds. We had no solution, and we got a crazy shot from Matthew." Batum added, "Sometimes, God is on your side."
Japan's Yuki Kawamura had a night to remember despite the loss, netting a game-high 29 points. Rui Hachimura also shone for Japan with 24 points on an efficient 10-for-16 shooting but was ejected after 28 minutes. Despite the loss, the Japanese team demonstrated they are capable of competing at the highest level. "We can fight with any team... To be able to fight until the very end against one of the top teams in the world, that's definitely steps in the right direction for us. No moral victories. We wanted to win," said Josh Hawkinson.
Canada, too, celebrated a significant win, overcoming Australia with a 93-83 victory. RJ Barrett led the charge with 24 points on 8-for-15 shooting in just 25 minutes. Australia's loss saw them finish second in Group A, indicating how fiercely contested the group stages have been. Reflecting on the win, Canada’s head coach Jordi Fernandez said of Barrett, "He's that guy. Sometimes, I don't call plays for him and he just scores. That's what he does. Probably, I should be better and call more plays for him, but he finds a way."
Spain also notched a critical win against Greece, with an 84-77 outcome. Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered a stellar performance for Greece, tallying 27 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Despite Giannis's best efforts, Spain's strategic play prevailed. Spain's head coach, Sergio Scariolo, discussed their game plan, saying, "We thought we'd keep it for the very end of the game... Actually, with Luis Gil, our defensive coordinator, we've been talking a lot about doing it at some point, but we decided to keep it for the very end."
Australia faced challenges in their matchup against Canada, with head coach Brian Goorjian admitting the difficulty they faced in maintaining their stamina against Canada's relentless pressure. "The concern coming into the game was their pressure and how we handle their pressure. Even though we had depth in those spots, they wore us down physically, and we really had trouble getting into anything in the second half," Goorjian said.
In a tournament already brimming with high stakes and thrilling moments, the stage is set for even more captivating basketball. The teams progressing to the knockout stages will need to bring their best game as they vie for the ultimate prize, with performances like those of Dennis Schroder, Victor Wembanyama, and RJ Barrett setting the benchmark.