Germany’s size and firepower combined proved to be a lethal combination, enough to knock out the United States, 113-111, Friday night in their semifinals duel in the FIBA World Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena.
It’s going to be an all-European championship showdown for this year’s biggest basketball spectacle to be played on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena as Germany set up a title duel with Serbia, which handed Canada a 95-86 beat down in the other semis pair.
The Germans, who could only finish 18th in the previous edition of the FIBA World Cup in China, made a huge turnaround in this year’s campaign as they remained unbeaten after seven games and punched a ticket to the gold medal game.
Team USA, which missed the medal round in 2019, will be playing for the bronze medal where it faces Canada.
But Germany had to weather a late US uprising, sparked by Anthony Edwards and Austin Reaves.
Down by 12 halfway the final period, the Americans rallied behind Edwards and Reaves, who put together baskets that showed Team USA within striking distance.
Reaves’ two free throws with 1:35 left allowed the Americans to breath down the necks of the Germans, 107-108, but a triple by Andreas Obst coming off a perfectly set up inbound play, gave Germany some cushion.
Obst, a 27-year-old, 6-foot-3 guard, led six players finishing in double figures for Germany, which displayed superb firepower from inside and out. He ended up with 24 points, including four three-point shots.
Franz Wagner, who along with his brother, Moritz, are playing for the Orlando Magic in the National Basketball Association, added 22 points.
Daniel Theis, a solid 6-foot-8 NBA journeyman, contributed 21 points, while another fellow big leaguer, Dennis Schroder of the Toronto Raptors, tallied 17 points and dished out nine assists.
Johannes Theimann and Moritz Wagner each poured in 10 apiece to complete the Germans’ display of balance production.
Germany’s activity allowed the team to score 25 second chance points, 13 more than Team USA.
