FIBA World Cup 2014 Day 4

FIBA World Cup 2014Day 4 of the FIBA World Cup 2014 saw a full round of action through the groups as each nation in the tournament took to the hardwood to compete. The group’s leaders confirmed their dominance, while the chasing pack jostled for position below. With one eye on the qualification places, the Basketball became even more competitive as fans throughout Spain and across the world were treated to ferocious international hoops action.

Let’s take a look at how the games played out today.

Group A
Host nation Spain stamped its authority on Group A with a comfortable 88-64 victory over European neighbours France. Spain eased to 4-0 at the top of the table, while the French are in the chasing pack in third place with a 2-2 record. The opening exchanges went in favour of the home team as they won the first frame 22-19, before extending through the second quarter to lead 44-34. Les Bleus had no answer for the Spanish as they romped to victory with a 21-16 third and 23-14 fourth period to remain unbeaten. Marc Gasol was key to the Spanish win, hitting down 17 points and taking 6 off the boards, while brother Pau Gasol was good for 15 points. Nicolas Batum and Antoine Diot were the consolation men for France, both hitting 11 points.

Serbia slipped to a second defeat in this year’s FIBA World Cup 2014, dealt by the hands of Brazil, who marched to a 73-81 success. Brazil controlled the game during the first quarter, opening a 16-23 deficit after 10 minutes, and the South American team extended that with a 16-25 second stanza (32-48). Serbia was hot in the third quarter and put 32 points onto the board while holding Brazil to just 12, enough to make it 64-60 in their favour at the last split. However, Brazil had the legs and won the last frame 9-21 to take the game to move to second in the group at 3-1. Serbia joins France in third place with a 2-2 record.

The opening days of the tournament have shown that Iran and Egypt will be fighting for pride in Group A, with neither team good enough to trouble the teams above them. However, Iran won its first game of the World Cup by gunning down the Egyptians 73-88 in Granada, consigning Egypt to last place with a 0-4 record. Iran started the game with a 15-27 first quarter, but Egypt hit back in Q2 with a 26-21 period to put the scoreboard on 41-48 at the midway point. Iran snatched an edgy third quarter 15-16 to extend its lead and cruised through the fourth to win the game.

Group B
Greece continued its fantastic start to the competition by holding on to first place in Group B with a 76-65 win over Croatia. The victory kept the Greeks unblemished record intact (4-0), while pushing Croatia into third with a 2-2 showing. A close first quarter ended with the Greek contingent holding a slender 16-14 lead, meaning it was anybody’s game at the first break. However, the Croatians collapsed in the second frame, losing 20-9 for a halftime score of 36-23. The third quarter proved to be tense as neither team could control the game, Croatia finally stealing the stanza 15-16 (51-39). A far more open fourth saw the baskets reign down, but Croatia could not trouble the deficit enough to win the game.

A one sided encounter in Seville saw Argentina crush Senegal 46-81 to take possession of second place in Group B (3-2), while Senegal slipped to 2-2 in fourth. The Argentine contingent took the lead in the first quarter 15-20, but looked to have more gears to move into. The South Americans moved through the cogs in Q2, scoring 21 while shutting down on defense to concede just 9 points, enough for a 24-41 lead at the long break. Senegal hit back in the third frame to slash the deficit by two points after thirty minutes (38-53). The gulf in class was evident in the fourth as Argentina controlled the floor, sweeping the Africans aside and winning the game. Luis Scola paced the winning effort by sending home 22 points and pulling down 14 rebounds in a fine double-double display.

The Philippines remain rooted to the foot of Group B after a narrow 73-77 loss to fellow strugglers Puerto Rico. The Asian team has now lost all four games at the FIBA World Cup 2014, while Puerto Rico picked up its first positive result. The Philippines took off fast in the first frame, pacing to a 25-13 lead at the opening split. Puerto Rico hit back in a fast paced encounter, winning the second period 19-26 to put the scoreboard on 44-39 as the teams went to the locker room. The Caribbean team extended through the third quarter, breaking the Philippine perimeter often to lead 57-61 after 30 minutes on the hardwood. The game saw some parity in the final throw as the teams locked for 16-16 in the last quarter, but Puerto Rico took the spoils.

Group C
The USA continued its procession like progress through the World Cup by crushing the Dominican Republic 71-106 to top Group C with a 4-0 record. The US has moved serenely through the competition so far, but the team had a good workout from the Dominicans in the first quarter, managing to come away with a 22-25 lead. The tournament favourites found their touch in the second quarter to pour in 31 points for a 41-56 halftime lead. The third quarter proved the game changer as the USA built on their lead, winning the frame 11-25 to lead 52-81 at the final split. In the fourth the team eased through the period to record another comfortable win.

New Zealand recorded its first win by defeating Ukraine 73-61, although the team still sits bottom of the group with a 1-3 record. The Ukraine slipped to third with a 2-2 record, but it was the Europeans who took the early lead, crafting an 18-19 lead after 10 minutes. New Zealand punched back in the second stanza, taking the period 18-11 for a 36-30 halftime score line. A plucky third quarter effort saw New Zealand extend its lead to eight points with the fourth to play, and during the final quarter they punished Ukraine further to take the win. Kirk Penney was the go to guy for the winning team, grabbing 17 points and 7 boards in success.

Turkey have hardly impressed so far in the competition, but find themselves second after downing Finland 77-73 in Bilbao. However, the Turks needed overtime to get the job done against a Finnish team that now sits fifth with a 1-3 record. Finland had the best of the opening 20 minutes, winning the first quarter 10-15 and the second 17-26 for a 27-41 lead at the middle buzzer. Turkey won the third stanza 26-18 before piling a 15-9 fourth on top to tie the game at 68-68 after regulation. In the extra segment Turkey had the momentum to steal the game with a 9-5 run, while Omer Asik can be pleased with his shift, driving the Turks to the win with 22 points and 8 rebounds.

Group D
Slovenia continued to impress in the competition as they defeated Angola 93-87 to go 4-0 at the top of Group D. Angola’s early progress in the tournament has fallen apart and the team now slips to fifth with a 1-3 record after losing three on the spin. The teams were locked through Q1, with traded baskets resulting in a 17-17 score after 10 minutes. The second quarter did little to separate the teams, although Slovenia did open a slender 1 point lead at halftime, leading 44-43. The toing and froing continued during minutes 20 to 30, but Angola managed to win the third 21-23 to lead 65-66 at the last rest. Slovenia responded to the pressure in the last frame to pour in 28 points and maintain its unbeaten start to the World Cup.

Right behind Slovenia in the group is Australia (3-1) after the country defeated Mexico 62-70 in Gran Canaria. The Aussies scraped a lead after a close first quarter, opening a 19-22 advantage at the first buzzer, but Mexico struck back in the second quarter to make it a one point game at halftime (32-33). The third quarter proved the difference as Australia doubled Mexico’s 13 points through the period to lead 45-59 after half hour on court. The Mexicans fought back in the fourth and actually won the stanza, although it was not enough to stop the team losing and slipping to fourth in Group D with a 1-3 record.

Lithuania joined Australia on 3-1 in Group D after a resounding 79-49 win over bottom nation (0-4) South Korea. The opening quarter did not reflect the final result as South Korea outpaced the Europeans through the ten minutes to lead 17-19. The game soon turned in the second quarter as Lithuania found a rhythm at both ends of the floor that the Koreans could not match for the remainder of the game. The score was 39-29 at halftime, but the Lithuanians extended thereafter, taking the third with a stunning 18-4 run, and the fourth 22-16.

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