OLE’! SPAIN-ARGENTINA FINALE
Spain will meet Argentina in Sunday’s FIBA World Cup final.
Marc Gasol notched 33 points as the Spanish, the 2006 champions, emerged with a 95-88 victory in double overtime to set up a title decide with the Argentines who crushed France 80-66.
Turnovers and missed free throws cost the Boomers dearly in Beijing despite 32 points from Patty Mills.
However the veteran guard missed a foul shot at the close of regulation which ended 71-71 which was a golden chance squandered.
And eventually, Sergio Llull hit consecutive threes in an 8-0 run in the second OT that proved the difference.
“Obviously happy with how the team battled, the way the team came back, the way we stuck together through the tough times,” said Gasol. “Obviously happy with the result that that gave us. But the character of the team – how we stuck together – for me means a lot and the shot went down and we won the game. I think Australia played an awesome game. Very tough opponent, very smart, with a lot of options and a physical team but I am very happy for my teammates.”
Ricky Rubio added 19 points and 12 assists with Llull ending on 17 to repeat the result of the 2016 Olympic semi.
The Argentines were dominant in their victory over the French who were unable to repeat the coherence and class of their quarter-final win over the USA.
Luis Scola collected 28 points and 13 rebounds, over-taking Juan Carlos Navarro to become the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer in its knockout rounds.
With Rudy Gobert stifled, a three at the half-time buzzer from Facu Campazzo extended Argentina’s half-time lead to 39-32.
And they surged away, with Les Bleus converting 7/31 from three-point range and shoved back every time they threatened a comeback.
Head days, reflected Scola who is in fifth appearance at these championships.
“This team reminded me of the golden generation in 1999-2000,” he said. Many people looked at me like I was crazy. Today, I am not so crazy. We are in the same place as in 2002.â€
Frank Ntilikna and Evan Fournier hit a team-high 16 points apiece.
Argentina’s extra day’s rest between rounds may have been the difference, France coach Vincent Collet declared. But it did not feel like there had been a hangover from ending the holders hopes.
“Team USA was playing good one-on-one defence but not a lot of help,” he said. “These guys, they were pressuring us every time. Every time somebody gets beaten, somebody comes to close away the basket and force you to do something else.
“I think this team spirit was so much different and we didn’t adjust well to this aggression because we didn’t move the ball enough, we tried too much to beat them. We tried to go through the first and then the second defender which is not possible at this level. We should’ve moved the ball better and we had to shoot better. Since the beginning of the tournament we were good but tonight we were very poor.”
Australia, chasing a first medal in a global competition, will now pursue third place in Sunday’s playoff against France.
Saturday’s 5/6th playoff pits Serbia against the Czech Republic while the USA took seventh at the World Cup by beating Poland 87-74.
Photo: FIBA
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