EuroBasket 2013: Serbia beats Italy, earns World Cup bid

Serbia took down Italy in EuroBasket 2013 Saturday evening, 76-64, clinching the last available spot out of Europe in the 2014 FIBA World Cup.

Led by Nenad Krstic, who scored 17, and Nemanja Bjelica, who had 12 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, Serbia had a wire-to-wire victory, and Italy never really threatened. Nemanja Nedovic, dubbed the “European Derrick Rose” and the Warriors’ first-round pick this year, also put in 12 points with four assists and hit 2/5 from deep.

Recently-signed Detroit Piston Luigi Datome had 19 points and shot 4-6 from three-point range, but Italy couldn’t overcome a lousy shooting performance by Marco Belinelli (3-13) and lost without ever having a lead in the game.

With the victory, Serbia joins Spain, France, Slovenia, Croatia, Lithuania and Ukraine as European teams that qualify for the World Cup.

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