Day 6 of the FIBA Basketball World Cup represented the final day of the First Round Group Stage of the tournament. The final two countries – Czech Republic and Greece – have locked in a spot in the Secound Round Group Stage.
If you missed any of the action, we have you covered below with scores and highlights from each contest!
Canada 82, Senegal 60
Canada picked up a much-needed first win to give them a slight edge heading into the Classification Round, where they'll have a chance to give themselves the opportunity of competing in the Olympics in 2020.
It was the Cory Joseph show in a contest between two 0-2 teams. Joseph scored a game-hgih 24 points shooting 9-for-17 (52.9%) from the field and 3-for-5 (60%) from long range.
Canada got other help from bigs Melvin Ejim (11 points, 8 rebounds) and Khem Birch (6 points, 10 rebounds) to contribute to the domination of Senegal. Canada out-rebounded Senegal 47-32 and forced 18 turnovers in the contest.
🇨🇦☝ Canada get their first win, stay alive for a spot in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments #FIBAOQT.#FIBAWC #CanadaGotGame @CanBball pic.twitter.com/XoPM4N94sa
— Basketball World Cup (@FIBAWC) September 5, 2019
Brazil 84, Montenegro 73
Brazil advances to the Second Round unscathed with a perfect 3-0 record after defeating Montenegro.
Marcelinho Huertas was the team's leading scorer with 16 points and six assists but big man Cristiano Felicio played a key role in keeping his country in the win column. The Chicago Bulls centre went 7-for-7 from the field for 14 points while grabbing eight rebounds (five offensive).
Derek Needham had a double-double of 16 points and 10 assists for Montenegro but the story of the game for them was star centre Nikola Vucevic only playing 13 minutes, scoring eight points to go with six boards in limiting playing time.
If I had a dime for every @Huertas09's perfect assist I have witnessed I would be rich 💰. #FIBAWC #BRAMNE@basquetebrasil 🇧🇷
— Basketball World Cup (@FIBAWC) September 5, 2019
📽 https://t.co/U6RPjx3FuZ pic.twitter.com/kNu9vcwgWL
Czech Republic 91, Turkey 76
In a contest where the winner advances to the Second Round, Czech Republich took care of business versus Turkey to move on.
Czech Republic put on a passing clinic with 26 assists leading to four different players scoring 15-plus points. Vojtech Hruban had a team-high 18 points on an efficient 8-for-12 (66.7%) clip from the field and Ondrej Balvín's double-double of 17 points and 11 boards played a big role for the Czechs as well.
Czech Republic shot 59% from the field and 41.2% from beyond the arc. Turkey got a big game out of Cleveland Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman who scored 24 points, but forward Ersan Ilyasova couldn't match his production he had versus the United States. In a must-win game, Ilyasova went 0-for-9 from the field and 0-for-4 from 3-point range with just six points.
.@satoransky sends it up... 🏀, @OBalvin SLAMS it down! 💥@ceskybasketbal 🇨🇿#CzechRepublicGotGame #FIBAWC #TURCZE
— Basketball World Cup (@FIBAWC) September 5, 2019
🎥 https://t.co/U6RPjx3FuZ pic.twitter.com/4Us4HqHeLw
Germany 96, Jordan 62
Germany took out its frustrations from failing to advance to the Second Round on Jordan, handing them a 34-point loss ahead of the Classification Round.
NBA players Maxi Kleber and Dennis Schroder took over in this one to make sure their country didn't enter the next stage of the tournament winless. Kleber scored a team-high 18 points with three 3-pointers and Schroder notched a double-double of 10 points and 11 assists.
Ahmad Al Dwairi had a solid 17 points and eight rebounds for Jordan but they could not keep up with Germany offensively, shooting 36.7% from the field.
.@MaxiKleber went for 18PTS to fuel @DBB_Basketball to their 1st W in Group G! #GERJOR #DeutschlandGotGame
— Basketball World Cup (@FIBAWC) September 5, 2019
📊 https://t.co/G69freeyPI pic.twitter.com/UnvY10mym0
Australia 87, Lithuania 82
In a battle between two undefeated teams, Australia passed yet another test against a basketball powerhouse by earning a close win over Lithuania.
Both teams advance to the Second Round regardless, but Australia emerged as the winners of Group H with a 3-0 record.
Aron Baynes had a monster game for the Boomers with a double-double of 21 points and 13 rebounds while playing a key role in holding Lithuania's star centre Jonas Valanciunas to just seven points and seven boards.
Other major Aussie contributions came from Joe Ingles' eight assists and Nic Kay, Matthew Dellavedova and Jock Landale scoring in double figures, but Patty Mills' hot hand took this team to the next level.
Mills scored 23 points and knocked down the dagger that sealed Australia's victory.
Patrick. Sammy. Mills.
— Basketball World Cup (@FIBAWC) September 5, 2019
Definition of clutch! 😲😵
📽 https://t.co/U6RPjwM4Dr
#LTUAUS #FIBAWC #AustraliaGotGame @Patty_Mills pic.twitter.com/zbNcua1prt
This team continues to ride the wave after stunning Team USA in exhibition play and looks to continue to carry that momentum throughout the tournament.
Greece 103, New Zealand 97
In the second "survive and advance" game of the day, New Zealand gave Greece all they could handle.
Nonetheless, Giannis Antetokounmpo assured Greece would move on to the Second Round – the reigning NBA MVP went for 24 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two steals after receiving some hefty criticism for his performance in their loss to Brazil.
It was an absolute shootout between The Greek Freak and New Zealand's gunner Corey Webster, who has put on a scoring clinic this World Cup. Webster went for 31 points on insanely efficient shooting – the Tall Blacks guard was 11-for-18 from the field and 7-for-12 from deep to keep his country close.
🎥The full tape of @Giannis_An34's doings tonight is Freak-ish 😤! #FIBAWC #HellasGotGame@HellenicBF 🇬🇷 @Bucks pic.twitter.com/kSnwlao6g1
— Basketball World Cup (@FIBAWC) September 5, 2019
Next up for Greece: the United States to start the Second Round.
United States 98, Japan 45
The United States were under fire after nearly dropping a First Round contest versus Turkey – they bounced back to send a message against Japan.
Team USA never let Japan anywhere near them in this one, starting the contest on a 13-0 run. They finished the contest with a 54-point win to improve to 3-0 and move on to the Second Round where they'll kick things off with the highly anticipated matchup versus Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece.
In this contest, Jaylen Brown responded well after a poor showing versus Turkey for a team-high 20 points to go with seven rebounds. He also threw down two highlight reel dunks that sent the Shanghai crowd into a frenzy.
Kemba Walker (15 points, 8 assists), Harrison Barnes (14 points) and Donovan Mitchell (10 points, 6 assists) also stepped up big for the red, white and blue.
3⃣-0⃣ & top of Group E
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) September 5, 2019
📽️ Highlights from the 98-45 victory over Japan in Shanghai 👇[via @espn x @FIBAWC]
🇺🇸 #USAGotGame pic.twitter.com/ujeAvu0l9p
France 90, Dominican Republic 56
The winner of this one took home Group G, but both teams will advance to the Second Round regardless.
With the way France played you would have thought it was a life or death situation to move on, handling D.R. with ease.
It was a team effort from the French with every player on the team scoring and four players scoring in double figures. They shot a blistering 57.4% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc while holding Dominican Republic to 27.9% and 25.9%, respectively, and forcing 21 turnovers.
France moves on with a perfect 3-0 record, winning Group G.
🇫🇷 @FRABasketball remain perfect in Group G after their W vs @FedombalRD 🇩🇴! #DOMFRA #FranceGotGame
— Basketball World Cup (@FIBAWC) September 5, 2019
📊 https://t.co/jMriow6NJW pic.twitter.com/MCwp3Qcc9I