Author: Serg Atrakhov, Monojit Mandal
Group L
BRAZIL – Latvia – 84:104 (20-22, 22-23, 21-36, 21-23)
Brazil needed a win to reach the quarter-finals. The first quarter ended evenly. Coboclo’s shot in the final seconds of the first quarter gave Brazil a 20-19 lead. But Kurucs’ three-pointer gave Latvia the opportunity to end the game with a 20-22 lead.
In the second quarter, the Latvians were ahead by more than 10 points, but Gustavo de Conti’s team managed to reduce the gap. Lucas Diaz tied the game with a three-pointer to make it 40-40. However, Bertans responded in the same way, and Latvia went into the break leading 42-45.
Andrejs Grazulis with the best game of his career in a Latvia jersey to lead his country to the World Cup Quarter-Finals!
📊 24 PTS 73%FG 5 AST 2 BLK #FIBAWC x #WinForLatvia 🇱🇻 pic.twitter.com/cHGRzpM6Xu
– FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 🏆 (@FIBAWC) September 3, 2023
🇱🇻 Latvia continue their passing lessons as they are 19 up against 🇧🇷 Brazil with 8 minutes remaining 😯#FIBAWC #WinForAll
– BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) September 3, 2023
The third quarter was the key to the match. Brazil started well, but in the middle of the period they couldn’t win the game – 4-17. The basis of Latvia’s success was excellent teamwork and the ability to adapt to circumstances. Even before the start of the tournament, it was known that Porzingis and Strelnieks, players in the starting line-up who were injured, would miss out. And captain Bertans was injured in the match against France and didn’t play against Spain and Brazil. Overall, before the final ten minutes, Latvia led 81-63.
Recovering 18 points is a difficult task, but when the opponent is in the mood, it’s almost impossible. Latvia also scored three points straight away. Of course, twists and turns happen in basketball, but this wasn’t the case. If we talk specifically about the last period of the match, Brazil lost by at least 21-23. And we repeat once again: the key was the failure in the third quarter. Well, qualification for the quarter-finals was very close, but the strongest went further.
Brazil missed out on the chance to win their third world title, while Latvia, making their debut in the tournament, are making history. By the way, in the first European Basketball Championship (in 1935), Latvia was the champion. Will his debut on the world stage be as successful?
For Brazil, Caboclo scored 20 points and grabbed 7 rebounds, Matheus scored 14 points and Diaz scored 13. The most productive for the Latvians was Grazulis – 24 points, Zagars 17, Bertanza 14.
Spain v Canada – 85:88
CANADA SURVIVE AGAINST THE WORLD CHAMPIONS & BOOK THEIR TICKETS FOR MANILA 🤯#FIBAWC x #WinForCanada 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/SGVZ20w8nF
– FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 🏆 (@FIBAWC) September 3, 2023
Together with Latvia, Canada advanced to the quarter-finals of Group L. Before the final quarter, they were trailing Spain 51-73. But in the final period, they took a 29-7 lead! They tied the score (80-80), took the lead and then never lost the victory. However, just as the final siren sounded, the Spanish managed to take the game into extra time. After a long-distance shot, the ball hit the rim and flew out (although it could easily have flown in).
The reigning world champions are leaving the tournament. Now, either the United States will win for the sixth time (becoming the most decorated team on the planet), or one of the other seven quarter-finalists will win for the first time.
1/4 final
September 5th
- Italy – USA
- Lithuania – Serbia
September 6th
- Canada – Slovenia
- Germany – Latvia