Defending champions Spain advanced to the round-of-16 at the basketball world championship on Wednesday and, more surprisingly, so did Angola.
Angola made the last 16 four years ago, but it began this year’s tournament with a 50-point loss to Serbia. It kept improving, however, and they rallied from a 10-point deficit late in the game to stun Germany 92-88 in overtime on Wednesday.
“We made history for Angola today,” coach Luis Magalhaes said. “My players never give up, they are warriors.”
PHOTO: EPA
Spain came into the tournament as the reigning world and European champions and Olympic silver medalists. They lost two of their first three games and only made sure of advancing by defeating Lebanon 91-57.
Marc Gasol led Spain with 25 points and Fran Vasquez added 15.
Because the winners of each of the six-team groups have an easier draw in the single-elimination round in Istanbul, at least on paper, it means Spain could run into the US in the quarter-finals.
The US beat Spain for the Olympic gold medal in Beijing two years ago, but no players from that US team have returned to play at the worlds.
Still, the Americans made sure of winning Pool B by cruising past Iran 88-51.
The US and Iran may have tense political relations, but there was no tension on the court in Istanbul. There was no suspense, either, as the Americans quickly established control.
“We just respected their basketball team and we just played a basketball game,” US coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “There’s no political aspect in my mind in the ballgame.”
Kevin Love scored 13 points and Kevin Durant 12 for the undefeated Americans, who will meet the fourth-place team from Group A in the round-of-16.
In that group in Kayseri, top-ranked Argentina were to play Serbia for first place yesterday. Joining Angola in the second round were Australia, despite losing 94-79 to Serbia on Wednesday. Argentina later won their fourth straight by defeating winless Jordan 88-79.
Croatia beat Tunisia 84-64 and Slovenia edged Brazil 80-77 as the winners — and Brazil — joined the US in the last 16.
Lithuania beat France 69-55 to win Group D and New Zealand — 71-61 winners over Canada — join Spain in the next round, with France also advancing.
In Group C in Ankara, hosts Turkey stayed perfect after four games, but only just, edging Puerto Rico 79-77 after trailing for three quarters.
Greece booked a place in the round-of-16 by cruising past Ivory Coast 97-60, while Russia beat Canada 89-80 to do the same. Puerto Rico need to beat Ivory Coast to advance over China, who were to play Turkey yesterday.
Angola had never beaten Germany before and it looked like history would repeat itself when Germany held a 10-point margin with less than four minutes remaining.
However, Joaquim Gomes sank a three-pointer to put Angola within six, Felizardo Ambrosio stole the ball for a dunk and after both teams wasted their next two possessions, Ambrosio made another three to make it a one-point game. Heiko Schaffartzik made one free-throw, but Olimpio Cipriano sank both to send the game into overtime.
In overtime, Schaffartzik’s three-pointer got Germany within three with six seconds remaining, but Ambrosio then made both free -throws to secure the win. Ambrosio finished with nine points and seven rebounds.
Olimpio Cipriano scored 30 points for Angola and Gomes added 16 points and 14 rebounds.
“This win means a lot for Angola, because basketball is so big in our country,” Gomes said.
Nenad Krstic returned from a three-game suspension for a pre-tournament brawl in Greece and had a double-double in Serbia’s victory over Australia. Krstic scored 14 points and had 10 rebounds, Milos Teodosic added 19 points and Novica Velickovic contributed 18 points and nine rebounds for Serbia.
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