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Posts tagged as “FIBA”

USA Basketball Women’s National Team Unveils the 15-Woman Roster for April Training Camp

April 1, 2026

USA Basketball just announced the 15 players who will participate in a training camp set for April 1-3 in Phoenix.

  1. A’ja Wilson
  2. Azura Stevens
  3. Brittney Sykes
  4. Cameron Brink
  5. JuJu Watkins
  6. Kayla Thornton
  7. Mikayla Blakes
  8. Monique Billings
  9. Napheesa Collier
  10. Paige Bueckers
  11. Rae Burrell
  12. Rickea Jackson
  13. Sabrina Ionescu
  14. Stefanie Dolson
  15. Veronica Burton

2025-28 USA Basketball Women’s National Team head coach Kara Lawson (Duke University) will lead training camp and will be assisted by court coaches Niele Ivey (Notre Dame), Natalie Nakase (Golden State Valkyries), Shea Ralph (Vanderbilt University), Nate Tibbetts (Phoenix Mercury) and Stephanie White (Indiana Fever).

USA Women’s National Team managing director Sue Bird is set to evaluate the current roster pool ahead of the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin. This assessment will include players from the recent qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico as the U.S. prepares to pursue its fifth consecutive gold medal from September 4–13.

More Cailin Clark Content from FIBA

March 30, 2026

Watch the evolution of Caitlin Clark from age 19 to 24. From her early days as a young scorer to becoming a complete floor general, her growth is undeniable.

These highlights show how her shooting, playmaking, and control of the game have reached another level.

At 19, she was already special… but at 24, she’s a superstar. Her range, vision, and confidence have transformed her into one of the best players in the game.

FIBA previously released a 10-mins highlight reel if Caitlin Clark.

FIBA released a 10-minute Caitlin Clark highlight reel

March 19, 2026

Watch the BEST of Caitlin Clark in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournaments. From deep threes to elite playmaking, Clark controlled the game like a true floor general, showcasing her full offensive arsenal. This marks her first senior FIBA competition, and she’s already making a massive impact.

FIBA also named her as the MVP of the Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 Qualifying Tournament.

Caitlin Clark Named MVP at FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 Qualifying Tournament

March 18, 2026

Despite starting only in just one game, WNBA Star Caitlin Clark is named as the MVP of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 Qualifying Tournament.

via FIBA;

She posted the best average efficiency for her team (14.6), was the second-best scorer for the USA with 11.6 points (52.9 percent shooting), and recorded a tournament-best 6.4 assists.

You can visit Caitlin Clark’s FIBA Player Profile for more stats.

U.S. Women’s National Team edges pesky Spain to finish 2026 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers undefeated (84 -70)

March 18, 2026

The U.S. Women’s National Team officially punched their ticket to the 2026 FIBA World Cup with an exclamation point, grinding out a hard-fought 84–70 victory over a resilient Spain. The win over the “pesky” Spaniards in their final qualifying match, the Americans finished the tournament with a flawless 5–0 record, proving they remain the gold standard of women’s international basketball.

From the opening tip, Spain’s signature defensive pressure disrupted the U.S. rhythm, leading to eight lead changes and 3 times that both team tied. Spain was led by the interior duo of Megan Gustafson and Raquel Carrera, who each dropped 15 points to keep the contest within striking distance. However, the depth of the U.S. roster eventually wore down the Spanish frontline, building a 12 point lead by the end of the first half and a 14-point margin at the start of the 4th qtr.

The momentum shifted permanently in the third quarter thanks to the explosive play of Kahleah Copper, who finished as the game’s leading scorer with 20 points. Her ability to attack the rim blew the game open, while veteran Kelsey Plum provided much-needed stability with 18 points, including a critical 11–0 solo run that silenced the Spanish bench.

Defensively, Dearica Hamby was the anchor, contributing 14 points and a game-high three steals that fueled the American transition game. Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark—who was ultimately named Tournament MVP—controlled the tempo with seven assists and a highlight-reel block, ensuring the U.S. maintained its composure during Spain’s final fourth-quarter push.

With this undefeated cycle complete, the U.S. now shifts its focus toward the World Cup in Berlin this September. The team’s coach Nate Tibbetts’ squad heads into the main event not just as favorites, but as a battle-tested unit that has proven it can handle the heat when the stakes are highest.

Checkout the game highlights below:

USA Women’s National Team Dominate Puerto Rico in 2026 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers

March 14, 2026

The USA Women’s National Team continued their dominant run in the 2026 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, defeating host nation Puerto Rico 91–48 in San Juan. Playing before a sold-out crowd at “El Choli,” the Americans never trailed, establishing a commanding 46–19 lead by halftime.

Paige Bueckers led the offensive charge with 16 points, while Angel Reese anchored the interior, recording a double-double with 10 points and a record-breaking 13 rebounds. After a double-double game, Caitlin Clark had 8 points and 2 assists with 18:37 playing time.

Despite a gritty defensive effort from Puerto Rico, the USA’s depth and size proved overwhelming. This victory improves Team USA to 2–0 in the tournament as they solidify their path toward the 2026 World Cup.

Here are some game highlights;

Paige Bueckers was named as the Player of the Game

The American’s next game will be on the 15th March against Italy.

USA Women’s National Team dismantles Senegal in their first game of the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament.

March 12, 2026

The USA Women’s National Team dominated Senegal with a 110-46 victory to open the 2026 FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Rhyne Howard led with 21 points, while Caitlin Clark impressed in her senior debut with 17 points and 12 assists, securing Kara Lawson’s first win as head coach.

This is basically the 1992 Dream Team. It’s not a matter of whether they’ll win, but by how much. Their next opponent is Puerto Rico, who will have home-court advantage, but I believe it will be much like the Senegal game. The real test will be their last three games: Italy, New Zealand, and Spain.

Here are some of the game highlights;

USA Women’s National Team: 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Schedule

March 8, 2026

The upcoming 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament will be broadcast by TNT after the network acquired the exclusive U.S. English language broadcast rights to World-Class FIBA Men’s and Women’s Tournaments.

While the Americans have technically already qualified for the World Cup, these matchups against international powerhouses like Spain and Italy serve as a high-stakes proving ground for a squad looking to refine its chemistry before heading to Germany this September 2026.

Below is the full schedule

Date Opponent Time (ET) TV / Streaming
Wed, March 11 Senegal 5:00 PM TruTV / Max
Thu, March 12 Puerto Rico 8:00 PM TruTV / Max
Sat, March 14 Italy 5:00 PM TruTV / Max
Sun, March 15 New Zealand 2:00 PM TruTV / Max
Tue, March 17 Spain 5:00 PM TNT / Max

Aliyah Boston and Sonia Citron out of U.S. roster for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament

March 8, 2026

Both Aliyah Boston (Indian Fever) and Sonia Citron (Washington Mystics) are out of U.S. roster for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament. They will be replaced by Monique Billings (Golden State Valkyries) and Rae Burrell (Los Angeles Sparks).

Via ESPN;

The pair will replace Aliyah Boston and Sonia Citron, who are no longer able to compete in the tournament that will take place in San Juan. Boston missed the Unrivaled playoffs with what was described as a right lower extremity injury. Citron missed the end of the regular season of Unrivaled with the same injury designation as Boston.

Billings was part of the 2017 USA under-23 national team that was undefeated at the Four Nations Tournament. Burrell will be making her U.S. competitive debut.

Here’s the new 12 player roster for 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament;

  1. Monique Billings
  2. Paige Bueckers
  3. Rae Burrell
  4. Caitlin Clark
  5. Kahleah Copper
  6. Chelsea Gray
  7. Dearica Hamby
  8. Rhyne Howard
  9. Kiki Iriafen
  10. Kelsey Plum
  11. Angel Reese
  12. Jackie Young

2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament will be broadcast by TNT Sports and you can checkout the full schedule here.

USA Basketball Announces Official Roster for 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament this March in Puerto Rico

February 13, 2026

USA Basketball has officially announced the roster for 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament which will be held in Puerto Rico, from March 11-17, 2026.

Here’s the list of the 12 player roster;

  1. Aliyah Boston
  2. Paige Bueckers
  3. Sonia Citron
  4. Caitlin Clark
  5. Kahleah Copper
  6. Chelsea Gray
  7. Dearica Hamby
  8. Rhyne Howard
  9. Kiki Iriafen
  10. Kelsey Plum
  11. Angel Reese
  12. Jackie Young

The roster is a mix of Olympic champions and rising stars, led by 2024 gold medalists Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young, alongside 3×3 bronze winners Dearica Hamby and Rhyne Howard. While veteran Aliyah Boston makes her anticipated return, the roster also features the official senior national team debuts of Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron, Caitlin Clark, Kiki Iriafen, and Angel Reese.

Three-time Olympic and World champion Breanna Stewart will also join the team in Miami for a pre-competition training camp, set for March 7-8.

The coaching staff will be lead by 2025-28 USA Basketball Women’s National Team head coach Kara Lawson (Duke University) with assistant coaches Natalie Nakase (Golden State Valkyries), Nate Tibbetts (Phoenix Mercury) and Stephanie White (Indiana Fever). The 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from March 11-17, 2026.

The U.S. Women’s team play games against Senegal, Puerto Rico, Italy, New Zealand, and Spain.

Game Schedule

  • March 11: vs. Senegal
  • March 12: vs. Puerto Rico
  • March 14: vs. Italy
  • March 15: vs. New Zealand
  • March 17: vs. Spain

Australia Edges China to Win 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, Completes Historic Three-Peat!

August 18, 2025

Australia is once again the FIBA Asia Cup champion after beating China in a down-to-the-wire game last Sunday night at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

After trailing by as many as 15 points in the first half, Australia mounted a comeback led by Xavier Cooks, who finished with 30 points and 9 rebounds. Jaylin Galloway added 23 points and William Hickey contributed 15, including the go-ahead basket late in the fourth quarter.

A missed three-point attempt by China’s Mingxuan Hu at the buzzer sealed the victory for Australia. With the win, the Boomers became just the second team in FIBA Asia Cup history to achieve a “three-peat” and extended their undefeated streak in the tournament to 18 games.

Full Game Highlights

Gilas Advances to FIBA Asia Cup Quarterfinals with Thrilling Win Over Saudi Arabia

August 12, 2025

Gilas Pilipinas secured a spot in the FIBA Asia Cup quarterfinals with a thrilling 95-88 overtime victory against host Saudi Arabia. The game was a tense affair, with Gilas needing a clutch three-pointer from Justin Brownlee in the final seconds of regulation to force the extra period.

Here’s a look back at the clutch three-pointer from Justin Brownlee.

Brownlee was the hero of the night, finishing with a game-high 29 points. Young guns Kevin Quiambao and AJ Edu also stepped up, scoring 17 points each and hitting key shots in overtime to seal the win. The victory was a hard-fought one, spoiling a stellar 33-point performance by Saudi Arabia’s Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman and 34 points by Mohammed Alsuwailem.

Game High Lights

Gilas will now face two-time defending champion Australia in the quarterfinals this Wednesday at 2:00 in the afternoon, local time.

Source: FIBA

Gilas Pilipinas Stunned by Chinese Taipei in FIBA Asia Cup Opener in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

August 7, 2025

In a stunning turn of events at the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup in Jeddah, Gilas Pilipinas suffered a disappointing 95-87 loss to Chinese Taipei in their opening game. The Philippine national team was on the back foot from the start, trailing by as much as 17 points in the first quarter and struggling to contain a hot-shooting Chinese Taipei squad.

Despite a valiant comeback effort, Gilas couldn’t overcome the early deficit. Justin Brownlee led the charge with 19 points before fouling out in the final minutes, a major blow to the team’s rally. Kevin Quiambao provided a spark off the bench with 17 points, while Scottie Thompson and Dwight Ramos added 12 points apiece, but it wasn’t enough to secure the win. Chinese Taipei’s Chen Ying-Chun was the star of the show, erupting for a game-high 34 points, including six triples, to seal the victory. The loss puts Gilas in a difficult position as they now face a must-win situation against New Zealand in their next match.

Full Game High Lights:

Winners of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024

July 8, 2024

It’s settled, the teams for the coming 2024 Paris Olympics Basketball tournament are now complete that the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament has concluded with 4 teams emerging from each tournament.

Below are winners for each of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament and qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics;

  • For the Greece Tournament, Greece came out on top after Giannis Antetokounmpo led the national team against Luka Doncic and Slovenia national team in the semis then Croatia in the Finals. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a team high of 23 points and 8 rebounds.
  • In the Latvia Tournament, Brazil routs Latvia (94 – 69) displaying a balanced offensive effort, 5 Brazil players scored double-digit points and seven players made at least one or more assists. Bruno Caboclo led the Brazil national team with 21 points and 4 rebounds.
  • In the Puerto Rico leg of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the Puerto Rico National team qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics after defeating the European basketball powerhouse Lithuania. Six foot Jose Alvarado, of the New Orleans Pelicans, led the team with 23 points and 6 rebounds, he also shot 4 of 6 from beyond the arc.
  • And last but not the least, the winner of the Spain Tournament of FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament is none other than the host country, Spain, who defeated Bahamas in front their home crowd. Lorenzo Brown led the Spaniards with 18 points and 4 rebounds. He also shot 4 of 5 (80) from the three-point line.

All four teams will head to Paris to joint their respective Olympic tournament groups.

Brazil defeats Gilas Pilipinas, advances to the Finals of FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024

July 7, 2024

Brazil will advance to the Finals of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 and will be one win away to compete at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. They defeated Gilas Pilipinas in a hard-fought 71-60 victory on Saturday, July 6, 2024.

A dominant third quarter sealed the deal for Brazil. Led by Bruno Caboclo’s double-double (15 points, 11 rebounds) and Lucas Dias’ strong showing (10 points and 9 rebounds), they turned the tide. Brazil tightened their defense, limiting Gilas to just 6 points in the third while exploding for 24 of their own.

Gilas Pilipinas was missing the services of big-man Kai Sotto. Additionally, Justin Brownlee’s, the hero of the first two games, was limited to the just 15 points and 8 rebounds. Brownlee averages 27 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists, prior to the Brazil game.

Brazil will face Latvia in the Finals of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024. The winner of this game will claim one of the four remaining spots for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which begin on July 26th, 2024.

Despite the loss, Gilas Pilipinas can hold their heads high. They will surely have another opportunity to compete on the world stage.

NBA to use LED Court at the NBA All-Star 2024

February 9, 2024

NBA just announced that they will be using the recently introduced LED Court by International Basketball Federation (FIBA) last year. The LED court was developed by ASB GlassFloor, that will be used for NBA All-Star 2024 events taking place at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The events includes the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Feb. 16th, and all the events happening on the All-Star Saturday Night on Feb. 17th, consisting of the Skills Challenge, the 3-Point Contest, the “Stephen vs. Sabrina,” the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA 3-Point Challenge and Slam Dunk.

This will be the first time that the NBA will using a different kind of materials for the courts, they previously use a different design of the recently concluded Play-In Tournament but the materials are still wood, compare to the glass and LED that will be use at the NBA All-Star 2024.

The league even published a 22 seconds video showcasing the LED court that they will be using at the NBA All-Star 2024;

The NBA today unveiled the state-of-the-art full video LED court that will be used for #NBAAllStar 2024 events taking place at Lucas Oil Stadium, which include the #RufflesCelebGame (Feb. 16, 7pm/et on ESPN) and #StateFarmSaturday Night (Feb. 17, 8pm/et on TNT), consisting of #KiaSkills, #Starry3PT, “Stephen vs. Sabrina,” the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA 3-Point Challenge and #ATTSlamDunk.

The high-performance, immersive sports floor is designed to enhance the fan experience in-arena and on broadcast through its interactive displays. During each event, visual effects displayed on the court will include the following:

▪️ Design and color changes
▪️ Live replays and other video content
▪️ Real-time game stats
▪️ Location-based player tracking animations
▪️ Interactive games for fans during timeouts
▪️ Immersive animations following key plays and moments

Justin Brownlee cleared to join Gilas Pilipinas Men for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers

February 3, 2024

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) just announced the FIBA has cleared Justin Brownlee to play for Gilas Pilipinas Men in the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers. The basketball governing body also issued Brownlee a Notice of Charge carrying a proposed three (3) month Period of Ineligibility in relation to the anti-doping rule violation that occurred during the 19th Asian Games, which according to SBP retroactive.

Justin Brownlee will be the lone naturalized player for Gilas and will be joining 11 other cager for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers and the upcoming Olympic Qualifying Tournament this July 2024.

Gilas, for their first two games for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers, will face Hong Kong on February 22 at the Tsuen Wan Stadium and Chinese Taipei on February 25 at the PhilSports Arena and tickets for the home game are already available via smtickets.com.

Source: SBP

Gilas Pilipinas to join Georgia and Latvia for the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments

November 28, 2023

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) just release the final Draw results for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2024, it shows that Philippines will be in Group A for the Riga (Latvia) leg. Philippines will join Georgia and Latvia in the group.

Aside from Latvia, Piraeus (Greece), San Juan (Puerto Rico) and Valencia (Spain) are the other host countries for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2024. There will be a total of 24 teams vying for the four available slots for the 2024 Olympic Games, one for each tournaments.

Seven countries have already qualified directly for the 2024 Olympic Games at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023; for Europe, we have Germany and Serbia, then for the Americas, we have Canada and United States, Australia for Oceania, Japan for Asia and South Sudan for Africa. France also qualified since they’re the hosts for this coming Olympic.

It’s still unclear who will play for Gilas and it good that we’ll more than enough time to prepare for the tournament. Games for the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments will be played from July 2 to 7.

Philippines now in the 38th place in latest FIBA World Ranking Men

September 17, 2023

The Philippines (Gilas Pilipinas) moved up two places to number 38 in the latest FIBA World Ranking Men, which was released on September 10th, 2023. This despite a disappointing campaign in the recently concluded 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Gilas Pilipinas finished the World Cup with a 1-4 record, defeating only China in their final game. However, their win was enough to push them up two spots in the rankings and earn a spot in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) or the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

The Philippines is now the eighth-best ranked team in the Asia-Pacific region, behind Australia (4th), New Zealand (21th), Japan (26th), Iran (27th), Lebanon (28th), and China (29th).

You can checkout the full rankings here. To know how the ranking is determine, you can checkout the HOW IT WORKS.

The improvement in the rankings is a sign that Gilas Pilipinas is on the right track. The team has a young and talented core, and they are gaining experience in major international competitions. With the 2024 Paris Olympics just around the corner, Gilas Pilipinas will be looking to continue their improvement and qualify for the Games for the first time since 1972.

Final Standings of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023

September 11, 2023

After 16 days and 92 games, below are the final standings of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023;

  1. Germany (qualified for Paris 2024 as the best-ranked team from Europe, FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Champions)
  2. Serbia (qualified for Paris 2024 as one of the top two ranked teams from Europe)
  3. Canada (qualified for Paris 2024 as the best-ranked team from Americas)
  4. USA (qualified for Paris 2024 as one of the top two ranked teams from Americas)
  5. Latvia (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  6. Lithuania (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  7. Slovenia(qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  8. Italy (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  9. Spain (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  10. Australia (qualified for Paris 2024 as the best-ranked team from Oceania)
  11. Montenegro (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  12. Puerto Rico (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  13. Brazil (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  14. Dominican Republic (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  15. Greece (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  16. Georgia (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  17. South Sudan (qualified for Paris 2024 as the best-ranked team from Africa)
  18. France (qualified for Paris 2024 as hosts)
  19. Japan (qualified for Paris 2024 as the best-ranked team from Asia)
  20. Egypt (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  21. Finland (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  22. New Zealand (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  23. Lebanon (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  24. Philippines (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  25. Mexico (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  26. Angola (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  27. Cote d’Ivoire (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  28. Cape Verde
  29. China
  30. Venezuela
  31. Iran
  32. Jordan

Gilas will still have a chance to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics but it will a much harder path than winning in the FIBA Basketball World Cup. Germany defeated Serbia 83-77 in the final to win their first-ever FIBA Basketball World Cup title. Canada defeated the United States 127-118 in overtime to win the bronze medal.

With democratization of Basketball, it appears that United States is no longer the basketball powerhouse it used to be, the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 tournament proved that and Noah Lyles’s statement regarding being the “World Champion” may have been justified.

The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 was a thrilling tournament, with many memorable moments. Germany’s victory was a major upset, but they played a near-perfect game and deserved to win. Congratulations to Germany on their first-ever FIBA Basketball World Cup title!

Germany Makes History, Wins First-Ever FIBA World Cup 2023 Title

September 11, 2023

Germany made history on Sunday, September 10, 2023, by defeating Serbia 83-77 to win the FIBA World Cup 2023 in Manila, Philippines. It was Germany’s first-ever title in the tournament, and it came after a thrilling and hard-fought game against an undermanned but tough Serbian team.

The game was close throughout, with neither team able to pull away until mid-3rd qtr. Germany led by as many as five points early in the third quarter, but Serbia tied the game at 51 with 6:52 to play in the quarter. The two teams traded baskets down the stretch but the Germans started pull away and eventually built a 12-pts lead with a 13-2 run in the third quarter in front of 12,022 fans at the Mall of Asia Arena.

That’s when Dennis Schroder and Franz Wagner took over for Germany. The duo scored 47 of Germany’s 83 points, including the final two free-throw of Schroder that basically sealed the game for the team. Schroder finished with 28 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal, while Franz Wagner scored 19 points, 7 rebs, 2 assist and 4 steals.

Germany’s victory was a major upset, as Serbia was the defending champion and had been the top-ranked team in the world for most of the year. However, Germany played a near-perfect game, shooting 49.1% from the field and 31.8% from three-point range. The Germans also outrebounded Serbia 35-29 and outscored Serbia’s bench 46-15.

The victory is a major step forward for German basketball. The team has been steadily improving in recent years, and this victory is a sign that they are a force to be reckoned with on the international stage.

The victory also caps a remarkable year for Germany. After placing 3rd place in the 2022 EuroBasket, and they are now the reigning world champions. Germany is quickly becoming one of the top basketball teams in the world, and they will be a force to be reckoned with in future tournaments.

FIBA World Cup 2023 Finals Bracket is Set

September 9, 2023

With Germany’s win, this is the Finals Bracket for the FIBA World Cup 2023;

Finals will be between Germany and Serbia, while the battle for 3rd will be between USA and Canada. Serbia defeated Canada (95 – 86), Bogdan Bogdanavic is the best player in the game with 23 pts, 4 rebs, 3 assists and 3 steals. For Canada, it was RJ Barrett with 23 pts and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 15 pts and 9 assists.

As for the USA – Germany team (113 – 111), Anthony is the U.S. top scorer with 23 points and 8 rebounds, followed by Austin Reaves with 21 pts. For the Germans, Franz Wagner added 22 points for Germany, and Andreas Obst led all scorers with 24 points.

Both USA and Canada are the favorites to face in the finals but it looks like their European counterpart have other plans.

FIBA World Cup 2023 Finals will on Sunday, Sept. 10th at the MOA Arena.

Finals
Serbia vs Germany – 16:30 local time

3rd Place game
USA vs Canada – 20:40 local time.

Germany upsets Team USA in FIBA World Cup 2023 Semifinal (113 – 111)

September 9, 2023

The United States men’s basketball team was stunned by Germany in the semifinals of the FIBA World Cup on Friday night, losing 113-111. The loss is a major upset, as the US was the overwhelming favorite to win the tournament.

The US got off to a slow start, trailing by as many as 10 points in the first half. However, they rallied to take a 60-59 lead into halftime. Germany came out strong in the third quarter, outscoring the US 35-24 to take a 94-84 lead. The US made a late comeback attempt, but they could not get any closer than 106 -108.

Anthony Edwards led the way for the US with 23 points and 8 rebounds, followed by Austin Reaves with 21 pts. For the Germans, Franz Wagner added 22 points for Germany, and Andreas Obst led all scorers with 24 points. Dennis Schroder, who have been best player in the roster, chipped-in 17 pts and 9 assists.

The loss is a major disappointment for the US, who have won the World Cup four times in the past five tournaments. It is also a setback for the development of the US men’s basketball program, which has been struggling in recent years.

The US will now play Canada in the bronze medal game on Sunday. Germany will play Serbia in the championship game.

Here’s the latest bracket for the Semis of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023

September 7, 2023
Here’s the latest bracket for the Semis of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023

Now that Quarter-Finals (QF) is done and we have now have a clear picture on who will compete for the semifinals of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and which is worth watching.

Team USA versus the Germans
The game will be this Friday, 8th of Sept at the MOA arena. Team USA advanced to the Semis after defeating ITALY in the most convincing manner (100 – 63). The Americans needed a strong win against the Italians after being handed by their only loss in the tournament by Lithuania. On the other side, Germany barely escape Latvia in the QF but remain to the one of the few undefeated team in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.

Dennis Schroder and Franz Wagner, who are both NBA veterans, are the top performers of the team on points, rebounds and assists.

For Team USA, their top performers are Anthony Edwards, Mikal Bridges and Tyrese Haliburton and we cannot disregard the fact anyone in the team can explode and carry team to the finals, just like what Mikal Bridges did against Italy in the QF, where in scored a team high of 24 points and 6 rebounds.

Serbia versus Canada
The game will this Friday, 8th of Sept 16:45 local time at the MOA Arena. Serbia took care of the business by eliminating Lithuania and bringing them back down from cloud 9, after defeating USA in the last game of the second round.

Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nikola Milutinov are the top performer of Serbia. Bogdanovic is the top scorer in their game against Lithuania, chipping-in 21 pts with 4 rebs, while Nikola Milutinov is the towering presence in the middle and top rounder of the team.

For team Canada, we may very well call this Team B of NBA in FIBA, since 7 of the 12 players in the roster are playing in the NBA. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the best player, leading in all stats; 25 pts/game, 7.2 rebs/game and 5 assists per game.

The winners for each game will face in the finals, while the two losing team will play for the 3rd place. Finals of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 is scheduled on Saturday, Sept 10th at the MOA Arena.

Full schedule of the Quarter, Semis, Finals and Classification Games of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023

September 4, 2023

Now that the 1st and second round is done, here the remaining games for the of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. Qualified teams who played in Japan and Indonesia will be travelling to the Philippines, since all QF, SF and Finals games will be played at the MOA Arena.

QUARTER FINALS

September 5 – 2 Games
MOA Arena (Philippines)
Lithuania vs Serbia – 16:45 local time (Game #82)
Italy vs USA – 20:40 local time (Game #81)

September 6 – 2 Games
MOA Arena (Philippines)
Germany vs Latvia – 16:45 local time (Game #83)
Canada vs Slovenia – 20:30 local time (Game #84)

September 7 – 2 Games
MOA Arena (Philippines)
Loser QF 81 (ITA v USA) vs Loser QF 83 (GER v LAT) – Time TBC (Game #85)
Loser QF 82 (LTU v SRB) vs Loser QF 84 (CAN v SLO) – Time TBC (Game #86)

September 8 – 2 Games
MOA Arena (Philippines)
Winner QF 81 (ITA v USA) vs Winner QF 83 (GER v LAT) – Time TBC (Game #87)
Winner QF 82 (LTU v SRB) vs Winner QF 84 (CAN v SLO) – Time TBC (Game #88)

September 9 – 2 Games
MOA Arena (Philippines)
Loser CL 5-8 85: L QF 81 v L QF 83 vs Loser CL 5-8 86: L QF 82 v L QF 84 – Time TBC (Game #89 – Class. Games 7-8)
Winner CL 5-8 85: L QF 81 v L QF 83 vs Winner CL 5-8 86: L QF 82 v L QF 84 – Time TBC (Game #90 – Class. Games 5-6)

September 10 – 2 Games
MOA Arena (Philippines)
Loser SF 87: W QF 81 v W QF 83 vs Loser SF 88: W QF 82 v W QF 84 – (Game #91 – 3rd Place Game)
Winner SF 87: W QF 81 v W QF 83 vs Winner SF 88: W QF 82 v W QF 84 – (Game #92 – Championship)

Source: FIBA, FIBA Games

Team USA Suffers First Loss of FIBA World Cup 2023 to Lithuania

September 4, 2023

Team USA’s unbeaten run at the FIBA World Cup 2023, winning their first five games of the tournament, came to an end on Sunday 3rd of September, when they lost to Lithuania in a thrilling encounter. The final score was 110-104 in favor of Lithuania and in front of 11,349 fans.

The game was played at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines, and saw Lithuania, who played a physical and aggressive game, take control early on. The Lithuanias built a 19 pts lead (12 – 31) in the first qtr and ended the first half with a comfortable 17 pts lead (37 – 54). The Americans led by Anthony Edwards tried to staged a come back but could not get closer than 4 pts (85 -89) with 4:45 mins remaining in the game. Anthony Edwards scored 34 pts and 2 assists, Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges both scored 14 pts but where in effective in the closing period of the game. The trio are the only American player to score in double figures.

Compared to the Team USA, Lithuania played a more balanced game with 7 players in double figures. The team is lead by Vaidas Kariniauskas with 15 pts, followed by Mindaugas Kuzminskas and Jonas Valanciunas, who scored 14 pts and 12 pts, respectively. Valanciunas also grabbed 7 rebs with his 2 blocks.

Lithuania killed the Americans in the second chance points category, making 17 pts against 2 pts from Team USA, 61 – 38 point off the bench. They also shot 52.8% from the field and 56% from three-point range, compare to 37.9% in the 3-pts by the Americans.

The loss is a wake-up call for Team USA, which is still considered the favorite to win the tournament. However, they will need to play better if they want to avoid further upsets.
Despite the loss, Team USA still advanced to the quarterfinals of the FIBA World Cup and are qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics. They will face Italy on Tuesday, while the Lithuania will face Serbia, who are 4 – 1 in the tournament.

Game Highlights

Another loss by Gilas Pilipinas to Angola in FIBA World Cup 2023 Qualifiers (70-80)

August 29, 2023

The Philippines men’s national basketball team, Gilas Pilipinas, lost to Angola, 80-70, in their FIBA World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers game on Sunday, August 27th at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. This defeat left Gilas Pilipinas winless in Group A of the tournament.

Gilas Pilipinas had a strong start to the game, taking a 19-12 lead after the first quarter. However, Angola responded with a strong second quarter, outscoring Gilas Pilipinas 24-14 to take a 36-33 lead at halftime.

Angola continued to control the game with their defense in the second half, and they extended their lead to as many as 16 points in the fourth quarter with 3:39 remaining in the game. Gilas Pilipinas made a late comeback attempt, but they could not get closer than 5 points but there was only 1:12 remaining in the game.

Gilas Pilipinas had a chance to clinch their first FIBA World Cup win in nearly a decade, but they were unable to overcome Angola’s strong defense. The game was expected to be a dream celebration for Gilas Pilipinas in front of a wild, sold-out crowd, but it turned into a nightmare.

Jordan Clarkson led Gilas Pilipinas with 21 points, 3 rebs and 7 assists, but he shot just 7-of-22 from the field and -14 in the plus/minus column. Kai Sotto added 8 points and 6 rebounds, and Dwight Ramos had 8 points.

On the Angola side, Gerson Goncalves led team with 17 points and 6 rebs, and Gerson Domingos added 15 points and 7 assists. Bruno Fernando, who had an emphatic dunk against Clarkson early in the game, added 14 points and 7 rebounds.

You can checkout the Statsheet of Gilas Pilipinas below;

This game was crucial for Gilas Pilipinas as they were looking to advance to the next round of the tournament. Unfortunately, they were unable to secure a win against Angola. Despite this setback, Gilas Pilipinas remained determined to bounce back in their next game against Italy.

Gilas Pilipinas Falls to Dominican Republic in FIBA World Cup 2023 Opener (87-81)

August 26, 2023

Gilas Pilipinas fell to the Dominican Republic, 87-81, in their opening game of the FIBA World Cup 2023 at the Philippines Arena in Bulacan on Friday, August 25, 2023.

It was a close game in first three quarters of the game, the Philippines got off to a hot start, falling behind Dominican Republic by 4 pts at the end of first quarter. Gilas made a run in the 2nd qtr that ended in a deadlock at 42 – 42.

The Dominican Republic ended the 3rd qtr leading by 2 behind the dominant game of Jean Montero and Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored a team high 26 points and 10 rebs.

The Philippines tried to rally in the last qtr but a late run by the Dominican Republic and Jordan Clarkson fouling out in the final quarter denied the Philippines an upset in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Clarkson finished with 28 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists before fouling out. The final score was 87-81 in favor of the Dominican Republic.

Junmar Fajardo led the Pinoys with 16 pts and 7 rebs, followed by Dwight Ramos with 13 pts, 6 rebs and two assists.

The loss was a tough one for Gilas Pilipinas, since Gilas was right there to take win, but they will have a chance to bounce back when they face Angola on Sunday, Aug 27, 2023 at the Arena Coliseum.

The Scores
Dominican Republic 87 – Towns 26, Liz 18. Feliz 12, Delgado 6, Montero 6, Figueroa 5, Peña 5, Vargas 5, Mendoza 2, Quiñones 2, Solano 0.

Philippines 81 – Clarkson 28, Fajardo 16, Ramos 13, Edu 7, Pogoy 6, Thompson 5, Abando 2, Aguilar 2, Ravena 2, Malonzo 0, Sotto 0.

Quarters: 22-18, 42-42, 66-64, 87-81.

SBP official announce the 12-man roster of Gilas Pilipinas for the 2023 FIBA World Cup

August 24, 2023
SBP official announce the 12-man roster of Gilas Pilipinas for the 2023 FIBA World Cup

It’s official, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) announce the final 12-man roster of Gilas Pilipinas that will compete for the Group A of 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Bellow is the full text of SBP’s official announcement;

This is the official 12-man lineup of Gilas Pilipinas Men for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023:

  • Rhenz Abando
  • Japeth Aguilar
  • Jordan Clarkson
  • AJ Edu
  • June Mar Fajardo
  • Jamie Malonzo
  • CJ Perez
  • Roger Pogoy
  • Dwight Ramos
  • Kiefer Ravena
  • Kai Sotto
  • Scottie Thompson

Coaches:

  • Vincent “Chot” Reyes (head coach)
  • Tim Cone (assistant coach)
  • Jong Uichico (assistant coach)

SBP also made the announcement in X, formerly twitter.