Aurélie Sacchelli, Media365, published on Friday, September 8, 2023 at 1:13 p.m.

The Serbian team pulled off a minor upset in Manila by defeating Canada in the semifinals of the World Cup with a score of 95-86. The Serbs will face the USA or Germany in the final on Sunday.

At least one European team will be represented in the final of the Basketball World Cup! While many were waiting for the USA and Canada to meet their NBA stars in Manila on Sunday, the Canadians stumbled on their way to the semifinals against Serbia. Even without NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic and Efes Istanbul star (who will play in OKC this season) Vasilije Micic, the Serbs look great and have taught Canada a lesson in FIBA ​​basketball that has been impressive so far. Serbia won 95-86 and is playing in its second World Cup final as such (they lost to the USA in 2014). after collecting gold medals (5) as Yugoslavia. From the start of the game, the Serbs set the tone with an 8-1 lead, including two 3-pointers. The Canadians then managed to take a 12-13 lead before conceding a 9-0 lead. The first quarter finally ended with a score of 23:15 in favor of Serbia. Within four minutes, the Serbs, led by an impressive Bogdan Bogdanovic (15 points at halftime), took a ten-point lead (33:23). Canada got back to -3 but ran into trouble when the team’s two main players, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dillon Brooks, picked up their third foul. The gap finally increased to +15 (52-39, MT) just before halftime.

Bogdanovic carries Serbia

At the restart, Canada tried to regain control of the game, but failed to get back to less than seven points behind (65-58, 27th). Brooks committed a fourth foul, which didn’t help Canadian affairs, and at the end of the quarter Serbia had a twelve-point lead (75-63). The last quarter didn’t change anything. The Serbs started with a 5-0 and always maintained a lead of at least ten points until the Canadians signed a 7-0 win at “garbage time” for the honor. Bogdan Bogdanovic finished the game with 23 points, including 8 of 12 shooting, and was well supported by Ognjen Dobric and Nikola Milutinov, who scored 16 points each (the future Olympiakos pivot also added 10 rebounds). RJ Barrett was the top scorer with 23 points, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had to make do with 15 (4/8 shots). With 33 rebounds against 22, the Serbs taught a lesson under the baskets, and here they are in the final, where they will face the USA or Germany. The Canadians, who reached the semifinals of a world championship for the first time, will play for the bronze medal.