The 2019 China Basketball World Cup experienced an authentic earthquake with the elimination of the United States against France (89-79) in the quarterfinals of the tournament, where Australia beat the Czech Republic 82-70.
In this way, the duels of the semis on Friday were configured: Argentina will face France and Spain will have Australia as a rival.
Spain and France also got a ticket for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic tournament this Wednesday, thanks to the fall of the Czechs, since this World Cup granted a place, in the case of Europeans, to the two teams from that continent that arrived the most. away in the competition.
But beyond that, the news of the day at the World Cup in China was the elimination of the United States, current triple Olympic champion and double world champion, who crashed against the French 89-79.
It was a historic success for the Bleus, who had never beaten the Americans in competition, who attended this event in China-2019 with significant absences.
For the US team it is a blow and the first defeat in the tournament since the fall in the semifinals of the World Cup in Japan-2006 against Greece.
In the World Cup preparation, the United States had already shown signs of vulnerability by falling 98-94 against Australia in Melbourne, in the first setback of a 100% NBA team since 2006.
The United States had already been on the verge of a defeat in the first phase of this tournament against Turkey (93-92).
Despite 29 points and 6 rebounds from Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz), the US team, led by the legendary Gregg Popovich, failed to keep up with the pace set by France, which had four players who played in the NBA last season.
The leaders of the French were Jazz center Rudy Gobert (21 points, 16 rebounds) and Orlando Magic guard Evan Fournier (22 points, 4 assists).
«From the beginning of the competition we have said that we came here to win. We made a big mistake in 2014 after the game against Spain (victory in the World Cup quarter-finals followed by a loss to Serbia in the semi-finals). We don’t want it to happen again, “Fournier warned, thinking of continuing on the right track against Argentina, which qualified on Tuesday after beating Serbia, another of the great favorites, 97-87.
– Final thrill –
The match was exciting almost to the end. The French came to dominate by up to ten points in the third quarter, before seeing ‘Team USA’ overtake them to seven points ahead with eight minutes to go (72-65).
That’s where the last French reaction began, against a United States team that suddenly lost effectiveness, scoring just three points in the last five minutes.
Thinking about the match against the Argentines, the French coach, Vincent Collet, said he was aware of their difficulty.
«Paradoxically, it may be a more complicated match than tonight. We have to prepare as well as possible and we have little time, “he said.
For its part, in Australia’s victory over the Czech Republic (82-70), the figure was Patty Mills, with 24 points, four rebounds and six assists.
The best of the Czechs was Patrik Auda, with 21 points, but the adventure of his team, one of the revelations of the tournament, could not continue until the semifinals.
The World Cup in China rests on Thursday and the activity will resume on Friday with the two semifinals in Beijing, the first will be the Spain-Australia (8:00 GMT) and then the Argentina-France (12h00 GMT) will be played. AFP