By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
MANILA, Philippines – Playing inspired basketball for 40 minutes of action, Serbia is back in the FIBA World Cup final.
Despite missing NBA champion Nikola Jokic and starting point guard Vasilje Micic, the Serbs beat ambitious Canada 95-86 with Bogdan Bogdanovic scoring 23 points and Ognen Dobric proving to be the x-factor with 16.
Nikola Milutinov dominated the paint with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Marko Guduric added 12 points, and Aleksa Avramovic scored 10 and had some key defensive plays.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 points and dished 10 assists for Canada but due to early foul trouble couldn’t be a real factor, RJ Barret had 23 but they were not enough and Dillon Brooks added 16 as Canada was dominated in the boards with 21 rebounds, compared to Serbia’s 33.
Controlling the paint
Serbia started the game wanting to feed Milutinov and to score inside. The plan worked even if Milutinov didn’t get more than two shots early on, but with everyone going to the basket Serbia managed to get a 21-13 lead.
Meanwhile, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was in the bench with two fouls already and no points after six minutes of action.
Canada tried a small line-up and a zone defense but didn’t change things much and Serbia closed the first period leading 23-15.
The Serbs got for the first time a ten-point lead (33-23) with Bogdanovic having 13 points already and admirable focus on defense.
Canada tried – and partially succeeded – to play faster, Milutinov dominated the paint, Dobric added key points and Serbia got a 15-point advantage (52-37). while Gilgeous-Alexander got his third foul.
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With a breakaway dunk at the end of the first half by RJ Barrett, Canada went into to locker room trailing by 13 (52-39).
The Canadians tried to turn things around and made it a seven-point game (57-50) midway through the third period but couldn’t do much else with the quarter ending with Serbia up by 12 (75-63).
Thanks to a three by Guduric Serbia led with 80-63 at the start of the last period and the game was over.
PHOTO CREDIT: FIBA