Wrap-Up: Final Day of FIBA Group Play

There were some exciting games today (shout-out to Mexico for qualifying for Round of 16 for first time!), but as you'll read below, I grew more and more frustrated watching teams miss opportunities by continuing to force shots. 

Before I get to a summary of the games on the final day of Group play, I have to ask a question to the coaches of all the teams…Why was this the poorest day for shooting the three? Don’t know? Because your players’ legs were gone! Why did you keep doing it when it clearly wasn’t working?! 

Lithuania was one of the only teams whose coach changed the game plan (just in time) to begin driving the ball into the interior. You know I am critical of the NBA, but even those teams have the wherewithal to figure out another way to get the job done rather than continue to force shots. 

Coaches, your players depend on you to change strategy in order to give them a fighting chance. They worked too hard to get here to lose games due to poor coaching. I think playing three games in a row is crazy, but if that is the format, you're given, you have to adapt. You can tell I’m frustrated. Anyway, on to the wrap-up…

GROUP A

• Brazil blasted Egypt 128-65 with Barbosa going for 22 and Varejao for 15. They finished strong at 4-1 in Group play
• Iran gave France all they could handle, but with Heurtel and Lauvergne hitting big baskets, the French prevailed 81-76
• Spain won the Group with a 89-73 win over Serbia. Pau Gasol finished with 20 points and a great defensive game, although the game, overall, was not a great display of basketball. Spain won on the free throw line and much of that was questionable 

Group A Qualifiers:

1. Spain
2. Brazil
3. France
4. Serbia

GROUP B

• Greece won a good game against Argentina 79-71 as Nick Calathes went for 18 and Printezis followed with 15 and did a great defensive job on Luis Scola, who was held to 17
• The Philippines won their first game with a 81-79 win over Senegal
• Croatia handled Puerto Rico 103-82. PR did not show up for the games. They played with no heart or emotion! 

Group B Qualifiers:

1. Greece
2. Croatia
3. Argentina
4. Senegal

GROUP C

• The USA finished Group play at 5-0 with a 95-71 win over the Ukraine. Held to 14 points in the first quarter, the USA ran away in the second half. James Harden played his best game of the tournament with 17 points. The guards, especially Curry, hit the open shots. However, if this team wants to win the whole thing, they had best get interested in the task at hand. So far, all they have done is play street ball, and I think it will take more to beat Spain! 
• Turkey came out to play and put away the Dominican Republic 77-64
• A Finnish team that came with 8,00O fans had a frustrating end to the tournament as they lost their final game to New Zealand 67-65. Down by 12 at the half, they fought and clawed their way back to tie the game, only to have 5 forced shots steal another opportunity away. They deserved a better fate, but between now and 2018 they will learn to engage in the last 3 minutes of basketball. Congrats to Gerald Lee on his 17 points and great play

Group C Qualifiers:

1. USA
2. Turkey
3. Dominican Republic 
4. New Zealand

GROUP D 

• In the game between the top two teams in Group D, Lithuania and Slovenia, it came down to who could play the toughest team defense. Down 60-48 with 8:45 left in the game, Lithuanian coach Jonas Kazlauskas put his team in defensive mode, and they responded by shutting out Slovenia for four minutes until Miha Zupan scored to give Slovenia a 62-60 lead with 4:37 remaining. Darjus Lavrinovic (for Lithuania) then hit a running 15 foot hook to tie it up at 4:19. Lithuania then took advantage of free throws to take a 66-62 lead. After Zupan countered to pull Slovenia within two, Valanciunas made 1-2 at the free throw line to give Lithuania a three point lead. Slovenia missed a three at the buzzer to seal the victory for Lithuania. While both teams missed multiple chances to score in the fourth quarter (Slovenia only scored 2 points, Lithuania 10), Lithuania showed grit down the stretch. After a halftime adjustment, they started banging the ball inside and shooting high percentage shots. At the same time, they tightened their defense so that every time either Dragic brother got the ball, there was a hand in their face
• Looks like Australia rested their starters in their 91-83 loss to Angola in order to avoid playing the USA
• For the first time in team history, Mexico qualified for the Round of 16 by defeating Korea 87-71. They face team USA on Saturday

Group D Qualifiers:

1. Lithuania
2. Slovenia
3. Australia
4. Mexico