Karl-Anthony Towns, Dominican Republic advance to second round of World Cup

Karl-Anthony Towns was limited due to foul trouble, but his role in helping the Dominican Republic advance to the second round of the 2023 FIBA World Cup can not be understated.

On Tuesday morning in the Philippines, Towns and the Dominican Republic put their undefeated record on the line in what was their third and final group stage game of the event. After taking care of the Philippines in game one (87-81) and then Italy in game two (87-82), the DR polished off the first round with another victory by beating Angola 75-67. The massive win pushed the Dominican Republic into the second round of the World Cup for the second straight time.

Towns was far more limited on Tuesday than he was in the first two outings. Against the Philippines and Italy, the former Kentucky big man averaged 25 points and 10.5 rebounds across 33 minutes. But against Angola, KAT was dealing with foul trouble — an issue that has caused him fits during his NBA career. Towns saw the floor for just 15 minutes in the win over Angola, finishing with eight points, two rebounds, and one assist in addition to his four fouls.

Although Towns wasn’t on the floor as often as the previous two games, there’s no denying his superstar status within the DR program. He’s a favorite among the fans and is playing for the country that first helped kickstart his basketball career over a decade ago. The Dominican Republic came into the World Cup ranked 23rd, but with a star player leading the charge in Towns, the possibility of earning a medal is very much alive.

“We got the win and Dominican Republic is going crazy right now. We have a special team,” Towns said postgame, according to FIBA. “Everyone counted us out and didn’t think we could be great. But in practice with one of the best coaches in the world with ‘Che’ (Garcia) we believed that we could do something amazing. I think the world is going to notice now. From the bottom of my heart, all of the Dominican Republic needs to send their gratitude and love to Coach Che. Because without him I don’t think any of this is possible.”

KAT really celebrated with the fans 😍🥳#FIBAWC x #WinForDominicana 🇩🇴 pic.twitter.com/wz4X9BlTWc

— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 🏆 (@FIBAWC) August 29, 2023

Also for the Dominican Republic, one-time ‘Cat Eloy Vargas received eight minutes of playing time, chipping in three points and two rebounds, but he also dealt with foul trouble. Vargas has filled in as Towns’ backup in the paint during the DR’s run so far.

SGA, Canada finish group play undefeated

Towns isn’t the only former Kentucky player paving the way for his respective country. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Canada had already locked up a spot in the second round after beating Lebanon on Sunday morning, but they refused to take it easy in the final group stage game against Latvia.

Latvia took control early against Canada on Tuesday morning, leading by as many as 12 points in the first half. But SGA eventually turned it on, especially in the third quarter. He poured in 16 of his 27 points in that frame alone. An 11-0 run from Canada in the fourth period shut the door on Latvia for good, as Gilgeous-Alexander’s squad cruised to a 101-75 victory.

It was a significant win for Canada, which finished 3-0 in group-stage action (with an average winning margin of 37 points) for the first time since 1986. SGA is the country’s undeniable star after he put up per-game averages of 22.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.7 steals in 25.2 minutes. He became the first player ever in event history to post at least 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists in each of his first three World Cup games.

Canada will go as far as Gilgeous-Alexander will lead them, but if he continues to play at this level, a deep tournament run is within their sights. Maybe we’ll see a Towns vs. SGA matchup down the road?

Second-round action of the FIBA World Cup is set to begin on Friday, September 1. Opponents for both the Dominican Republic and Canada will not be known until Wednesday morning’s games are wrapped up. A fourth former Kentucky player, Wenyen Gabriel, can also advance to the second round if South Sudan is able to beat Serbia on Wednesday morning and make it out of the group stage.