In the history of the FIBA Basketball World Cup, the United States and Germany competed in an incredibly high-scoring Semi-Final match that remained undecided until the very end.
Ultimately, Germany emerged victorious with a final score of 113-111.
As a result, Germany will now advance to the Final game on Sunday, where they will face Serbia, while the United States will compete in the Third Place Game against Canada.
Comparing this thrilling Semi-Final to a notable game from 1994, when Russia and Croatia faced off, the contrast is striking.
In 1994, the final score was a modest 66-64. However, the basketball landscape has evolved significantly since then.
In the Semi-Final between the United States and Germany, the two teams combined for an astonishing 119 points in the first half alone, with the USA holding a narrow 60-59 lead.
The pace of the game shifted into high gear in the second half, especially for Germany.
Players like Franz Wagner, Daniel Theis, and Andreas Obst took control, pushing the tempo and displaying remarkable skills, including driving and passing.
Obst, in particular, showcased his shooting prowess and accumulated 19 points before the fourth quarter even began.
With a quick 5-0 run led by Isaac Bonga and Johannes Thiemann, Germany managed to open up a significant 84-75 lead with two and a half minutes left in the third quarter.
The score after 30 minutes stood at 94-84 after Dennis Schroder executed a pull-up shot against a defensive switch by Paolo Banchero.
In the fourth quarter, the USA made a valiant effort to narrow the gap. It took consecutive three-pointers from Austin Reaves and Anthony Edwards to bring the score to within three points at 106-103, with 3:17 remaining in the game.
The passionate crowd of 11,011 fans at the Mall of Asia Arena rallied behind the USA, chanting “Defense! Defense!” The excitement reached its peak when Edwards delivered a spectacular dunk during this run.
Reaves’ successful free throws further closed the gap to 108-107 with just over a minute left to play.
However, Germany responded with a crucial corner three-pointer by Andi Obst. Schroder’s pull-up shot extended the lead to 113-107.
Although Reaves quickly dunked to reduce the deficit to -4, the USA faced a critical moment when Anthony Edwards unintentionally threw the ball out of bounds with 27.6 seconds left on the clock.
Germany skillfully managed the clock, securing their first-ever trip to the Final, amid the thunderous support of the crowd.
Watch the game highlights between USA and Germany in the Semi-Finals at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023:
