On Sunday, Serbia defeated Canada 95-86 in a thrilling match to advance to the gold medal game of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. The game was a back-and-forth affair, with Serbia leading by as many as 11 points in the first half before Canada came back to take a one-point lead in the third quarter. Serbia then pulled away in the fourth quarter, outscoring Canada 24-17 to secure the victory.
Serbia was led by guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, who scored a game-high 28 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field. He also had five rebounds and four assists. Center Nikola Jokic added 23 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for Serbia, while guard Nemanja Bjelica chipped in with 15 points and seven rebounds.
For Canada, guard Cory Joseph led the way with 20 points and six rebounds. Forward Andrew Wiggins added 17 points and seven rebounds, while guard Kyle Wiltjer contributed 14 points and four rebounds.
The win was a big one for Serbia, as it puts them in the gold medal game for the first time since 2002. They will face either Spain or Argentina in the final, with the winner taking home the championship. It will be a tough match for Serbia, but they have shown throughout the tournament that they are capable of competing with the best teams in the world.
For Canada, it was a disappointing end to what had been a promising tournament. They had won their first six games and looked poised to make a deep run in the tournament. However, they were unable to get past Serbia in the semifinals and will now have to settle for a bronze medal game against either Spain or Argentina.
Overall, it was an exciting match between two teams that have been playing at a high level throughout the tournament. Serbia will now have a chance to win their first ever FIBA Basketball World Cup title, while Canada will have to settle for a bronze medal finish.
