By Utkan Şahin / info@eurohoops.net
The 2023 World Cup will begin on August 25th and will be a grand celebration for basketball fans all over the world.
The dull summer is over, the best international teams will face off in a few days and compete for the ultimate trophy. Following this basketball feast will be enjoyable yet challenging, as we will have multiple matches on the same day.
Eurohoops understanding the complexity of the mixed schedule and the difficulty of keeping up with every game has identified the top 10 crucial contests you shouldn’t miss in the first-round groups on your behalf.
Our focus was not only on the entertainment factor but also on the games that could potentially determine the fate of the groups and the tournament.
Watch the upcoming World Cup on the official streaming service of FIBA! Join Courtside 1891 and never miss a second of the action!
If you’re ready, here are the ten matchups from the first-round groups that you shouldn’t miss
Dominican Republic – Philippines (Group A)
Match date and time: August 25th / 14:00 CET
In Group A, expecting Italy to lead the group is not an outrageous prediction, while Angola finishes at the bottom. Consequently, the battle for second place in the group will be between the Dominican Republic and the host country, the Philippines. Moreover, both teams will have an NBA star card in this fight.
While Karl-Anthony Towns returns to the national team after years, the Philippines will have their homegrown player, Jordan Clarkson, on the court. Watching the duel between these two on Friday will be truly enjoyable.
Frankly, Towns’ teammates have the upper hand. The players from the Dominican Republic have more experience and a higher level in the global basketball scene compared to their Filipino counterparts. Therefore, the favorite in the match is the Dominican Republic, but the Philippines is the host with passionate fans who truly love this sport. In a game where Clarkson is in form, the fiery supporters will undoubtedly give their full support for their team to win.
This is a critical match for the battle for second place… Towns or Clarkson? Which one will lead their country into the second-round group?
China – Puerto Rico (Group B)
Match date and time: August 30th / 14:00
In Group B, there’s a situation similar to Group A. Serbia is the clear favorite of the group. It would be surprising for many if they even face difficulty in any match within the group. South Sudan is an athletic team participating in the World Cup for the first time, but they lack experience at this level, making it hard to predict what they will do. As a result, the race for second place will probably be decided between Puerto Rico and China.
Under normal circumstances, Puerto Rico also seems to have the edge in this competition. Unfortunately, Jose Alvarado cannot join the tournament due to an injury, but the other players on their roster outweigh their Chinese counterparts. Moreover, despite losing to the United States significantly in preparation, they played good basketball until the last quarter.
In China, the preparation matches weren’t as impressive, but they are coming to this tournament with a significant addition of a naturalized player. Kyle Anderson, who has played in the NBA for years, was added to the roster as a naturalized player just before the World Cup. With the touch of Coach Aleksandar Djordjevic, can China pull off a surprise against Puerto Rico?
On August 30th, in the final match of the group, we will precisely see the answer to this question.