THE 2023 Fiba World Cup has shown what can happen when 32 of the best basketball countries in the world gather and take on each other.
From Manila to Okinawa to Jakarta, fans have witnessed powerhouse teams run through the competition as expected, underdogs pulling off upsets, and small countries making history - that underline the unpredictability and excitement of games in the global showpiece.
Here are 5 of the most memorable moments of 2023 Fiba World Cup group stage:
Japan emerges as best Asian team
Japan continued to display its rapid growth as a basketball nation.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics host put up a solid 2023 World Cup campaign to earn direct qualification to the Paris Olympics.
The Akatsuki Five treated the home crowd in Okinawa to come-from-behind victories over Finland and Venezuela, then capped their campaign with an 80-71 win over Cape Verde to finish with a 3-2 record and grab the Olympic slot reserved for the best-placed Asian team in the tournament.
The Japanese, coached by American Tom Hovasse, edged Lebanon and Gilas Pilipinas for the automatic Asian spot after leaning on naturalized player Josh Hawkinson, NBA forward Yuta Watanabe, and local aces Yuki Kawamura and Makoto Hiejima.
Lithuania stuns Team USA
Jonas Valanciunas had vowed that Lithuania can give Team USA “hell” and believed his country was “capable” of beating the mighty Americans.
The NBA center walked the talk as the Lithuanians handed Team USA its first loss of the tournament, 110-104, in front of a stunned Mall of Asia Arena crowd on the final day of the group stage on Sunday.
The Lithuanians opened the game by making their first nine three-pointers on the way to an early 21-point lead.
Behind Anthony Edwards, Mikal Bridges, and Jalen Brunson, the Americans, who were already through to the quarterfinal regardless of the result, fought back and cut the deficit to just four points.
But the Lithuanians, led by Vaidas Kariniauskas, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, and their NBA player Valanciunas, refused to budge and held on for the statement win that kept them unbeaten in five games.
Canada eliminates champ Spain
Canada underlined its title credentials after eliminating defending champion Spain, 88-85, in the final game of the group stage on Sunday in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Canadians climbed out of a 12-point hole as they relied on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who dropped 30 points to put an end to the Spaniards’ title-retention bid.
Both powerhouse countries had been expected to go deeper into the tournament.
But Canada’s four-point loss to Brazil and Spain’s five-point defeat at the hands of Latvia on Friday left them with identical 3-1 win-loss cards and locked in a knockout game two nights later, forcing one country to get eliminated early.
Gilas Pilipinas rides Clarkson’s torrid third quarter past China
Gilas Pilipinas saved its best for last in this World Cup as it rolled past China, 96-75, to avoid the embarrassment of a winless campaign for the host country.
Jordan Clarkson brandished his NBA quality, pouring in 24 of his 34 points in the third quarter where he led a virtual one-man run that broke the game wide open and sent the Big Dome crowd into a frenzy.
Rhenz Abando, Dwight Ramos, Kai Sotto also delivered for the Filipino dribblers, who snapped a four-game losing streak and nine matches overall in the tournament, claiming their first World Cup win since 2014 when they also finished the competition on a high with a win over Senegal.
National coach Chot Reyes ended his stint on a high as he announced he was “stepping aside” from his post shortly after the game.
South Sudan books historic Olympic ticket
What’s a better feel-good story than that of South Sudan?
After all, the world’s youngest country wasted little time to prove it already belongs in men’s basketball’s biggest stage.
Gaining independence only in 2011, the South Sudanese embarked on a Cinderella run right in their World Cup debut on the way to booking a historic ticket to the Paris Olympics.
Carlik Jones proved why the Chicago Bulls upgraded his two-way contract to a standard deal as the NBA G League MVP averaged 20.4 points on 48.1-percent shooting, 10.4 assists, 4.8 boards, and 1.2 steals in 30.3 minutes over five games to lead the South Sudanese to a 3-2 record.
Off the court, two former NBA players have led their rise in South Sudan basketball federation president Luol Deng and head coach Royal Ivey.
South Sudan capped its memorable run with a 101-78 win over Angola that enabled the country to clinch a spot in next year’s Olympics for ensuring its place as the best African country in the tournament.
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