The Germans seek to confirm their semi-final victory against the US with gold
The Serbs aim for their sixth title, after the five of the Yugoslav era
MADRID, 9 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The German basketball team will face Serbia this Sunday (2:40 p.m.) in the grand final of the men’s World Championship, which is being held in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia, with the Germans aiming to complete their victory in this tournament with a gold medal, a priori, reserved for other contenders.
The bronze that it won last year in the Eurobasket was already a warning that Germany was not going on a trip to Asian lands in 2023. However, Dennis Schröder, Franz Wagner, Daniel Theis and company have had an excellent performance throughout this World Cup, winning seven straight victories and even defeating the ogre in the semifinals.
That close 111-113 victory against the United States will go down in the World Cup archives, as a demonstration of aim and level of intensity. In addition, it meant that the German team reached the final match for gold for the first time in its history, a milestone it reached in Indianapolis 2002 when the star Dirk Nowitzki commanded the operations.
Nowitzki was chosen MVP of that championship, but since then few groups of players have captured as much attention as that group from 21 years ago. Now it is Schröder who directs from the base position and Theis who dominates under the boards, while the brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner make the rivals bitter from medium and long distance.
His next opponent, despite everything, will be the favorite. And Serbia’s game has experienced moments of luxury in its seven previous matches in this World Cup. The only thing on his travel route is the blot against Italy (76-78) at the start of the second group phase, which momentarily mortgaged his future and changed his plans.
In the next match, all or nothing against the Dominican Republic, the pupils of the very veteran Svetislav Pesic revealed their magic with a favorable 79-112 that chased away ghosts and served as a ticket to the quarterfinals. Of course, having been second in the group caused them to cross paths with Lithuania; but without mercy, they achieved victory (68-87).
Looking ahead to the semis, Canada was waiting with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in full effervescence. After achieving 30 points, seven assists and 36 rating credits against Spain in the ‘eighth’ sui generis and then 31 points, 10 rebounds and 40 rating credits against Slovenia in the quarterfinals, the Oklahoma City Thunder point guard was the threat to deactivate .
So Pesic, fondly called ‘grandpa’ during his various spells in Barcelona, brought out his defensive tactics book. Neither Gilgeous-Alexander nor RJ Barrett shined, in a duel whose score of 95-86 made Serbia reach the second World Cup final in its history, after the loss in 2014 against the USA.
Not in vain, sheltered from when the country was Yugoslavia, the ‘plavi’ team did drink on many occasions from the honeys of success. Five golds (1970, 1978, 1990, 1998 and 2002), three silvers (1963, 1967 and 1974) and two bronzes (1982 and 1986) decorate an enviable track record that could increase at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila (Philippines) .
DATASHEET.
–EQUIPMENT.
ALEMANIA: Schröder, Obst, F.Wagner, Theis y Voigtmann –posible quinteto inicial–; Bonga, Giffey, Hollatz, Kramer, Lô, Thiemann and M.Wagner.
SERBIA: Bogdanovic, Dobric, N.Jovic, S.Jovic y Milutinov –posible quinteto inicial–; Avramovic, Davidovac, Guduric, Marinkovic, Petrusev, Ristic y Simanic.
–REFEREES: Roberto Vázquez (PUR), Omar Bermúdez (MEX) and Gatis Salins (LET).
–PAVILLION: Mall of Asia Arena, Manila (Philippines).
–TIME: 2:40 p.m./Teledeporte.