The quarterfinals at the 2014 FIBA World Cup are now set after an exciting second day in the Round of 16. A stunner in Barcelona and an upset in Madrid highlighted the action, but we’ll begin with the most significant result of the day. Here’s the updated bracket.
2014 FIBA World Cup results: Brazil finally defeats Argentina, Turkey stuns Australia
The great Argentinian Golden Generation may have played its last game, as Brazil took control in the second half to move on to the quarterfinals. Elsewhere, Turkey advanced in dramatic fashion and Serbia upset Greece.
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Brazil 85, Argentina 65
Argentina’s Golden Generation may have played its final game. Luis Scola and company led for most of the first half, but Brazil took control with a run late in the third quarter, turning a three-point halftime deficit into a double-digit lead. Argentina tried responding in the fourth quarter, but Brazil was on too much of a roll and eventually pulled away. Brazil scored 52 points in the second half after just 33 in the first half.
That Brazil ended Argentina’s run is especially painful. The two have battled for South American supremacy for years, with Brazil rising after Argentina took the world by storm in 2002 and 2004. Legendary coach Ruben Magnano, who led Argentina to gold in the 2004 Olympics, switched to Brazil in 2010, adding fuel to the rivalry.
To this point, Argentina maintained the upper hand, eliminating Brazil in the 2010 FIBA World Championships and in a tense quarterfinal at the 2012 Olympics. But Argentina’s ranks have become too depleted. Manu Ginobili and Carlos Delfino sat out this cycle due to injury, and several young players failed to fill the void. Scola, 37-year-old Pablo Prigioni, soon-to-be 35-year-old Andres Nocioni and 35-year-old Walter Hermann tried their best, but they couldn’t carry the rest of the group.
If this is it for the remaining members of the Golden Generation, they will be remembered as a group that changed international basketball. Before they burst onto the scene, it looked like nobody could beat the United States. By doing so twice, Argentina showed other countries that the gap between the U.S. and the rest of the world wasn’t as wide as many initially thought.
Turkey 65, Australia 64
Emir Preldzic squared up against his defender on the left wing and stepped back to swish a three-pointer with five seconds left, giving Turkey a dramatic victory over Australia.
Preldzic finished with 16 points and helped Turkey advance to face Lithuania in the quarterfinal round despite some obvious flaws and a come-from-behind win. Australia outrebounded Turkey by 14, but had shooting woes from the field and free throw line, where it missed 9 of 19 shots. Aron Baynes led Australia with 15 points, while Matthew Dellavedova added 13 and five assists.
Serbia 90, Greece 72
Greece's perfect group stage apparently didn't mean much, and neither did Serbia's 2-3 record in a difficult Group A. Suns draft pick Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting in the victory, and Miroslav Raduljica added 16 points and six rebounds. Grizzlies point guard Nick Calathes led Greece with 14 points, while Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo scored seven.
Lithuania 76, New Zealand 71
Toronto Raptors big man Jonas Valanciunas finally had the breakout international performance his country was seeking, scoring 22 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. He went 8-for-11 from the floor and hit six free throws while getting help from Rockets forward Donatas Motiejunas, who scored eight points and added eight more rebounds. Corey Webster led New Zealand with 26 points in the losing effort.
See More:
