Shai Gilgeous-Alexander advances Canada in FIBA World Cup; Towns and Dominican Republic eliminated

The FIBA World Cup wrapped up the second round of group play on Sunday and former Kentucky star, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, willed his team to a huge win over the top-ranked team in the world, Spain, eliminating the reigning FIBA World Cup champs from the tournament, and advancing Team Canada to the elimination bracket portion of the tournament.

Gilgeous-Alexander put up 30 points and seven assists in his team’s 88-85 victory over the Spaniards. A Canada loss would have knocked them out of the World Cup, but they live to play another day.

The fighting Maple Leaves faced a 10-point deficit at the half but started the 3rd quarter on a 17-4 run against the defending World Cup champions. Spain seized back control and with under a minute left, the game was tied at 80. That is when SGA put his entire country on his shoulders and went to work.

After a series of crossovers with 40 seconds left, SGA hit a step-back jumper to give Canada a lead they would not relinquish.

SHAI 🥶#FIBAWC x #WinForCanada pic.twitter.com/cG33AZFD0R

— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 🏆 (@FIBAWC) September 3, 2023

Gilgeous-Alexander led all players in scoring with 30 and got there on an efficient 7-12 from the field, including 2-3 from behind the arc. He also had a game-high three steals.

Canada now qualifies for the final phase of the tournament and will compete for a World Cup medal. They will face Slovenia in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Team USA took their first loss of the tournament today and now the bracket is setting up for a potential United States versus Canada championship if both teams win out. With no former Kentucky players on Team USA this tournament, who are you rooting for in that scenario?

Serbia eliminates Karl-Anthony Towns and the Dominican Republic

Just before Shai Gilgous-Alexander’s triumph and just after South Sudan and Wenyen Gabriel punched their first-ever ticket to the Olympics, Karl-Anthony Towns and the Dominican Republic fell to Team Serbia 112-79, eliminating them from the FIBA World Cup. Towns led his team to three wins to begin the tournament, but the DR dropped their next two, including Sunday’s 33-point drubbing to Serbia.

Serbia jumped out to a big first-quarter lead and never looked back. Towns led all scorers with 25 points and he grabbed seven rebounds, but he also had seven turnovers and couldn’t quite get his team rolling.

Teammate and fellow Kentucky alum, Eloy Vargas, played seven minutes, had a single rebound, and committed three personal fouls.

Despite the loss, it was an overall solid showing for the Dominican Republic on the world stage, as they have not exactly been an international powerhouse on the hardwood historically. It was also great to see KAT don the jersey of his native country for the first time since he was a teenager.

If as many NBA stars (or more) play in the Olympics as they did in the World Cup, Paris 2024 is shaping up to be quite the tournament.