FIBA World Cup 2014 Results: Scores, Updated Bracket and Day 9 Highlights
The 2014 FIBA World Cup of Basketball has reached the quarterfinals. After weeks of group play and the round of 16, the last eight teams remaining will fight for the chance to advance to the semifinals.
With Lithuania taking on Turkey in the first game of the day and Team USA battling Slovenia, basketball fans understand the caliber of competition at the international level. Even casual NBA fans can’t help but be sucked into the action.
Here are the Day 9 scores and highlights. The full updated tournament bracket can be viewed at FIBA.com.
| Lithuania | 76 | Turkey | 61 |
| Team USA | 119 | Slovenia | 76 |
*Scores via FIBA.com.
Day 9 Results and Highlights
The quarterfinals kicked off with a bang on Tuesday when Lithuania defeated Turkey, 76-61.
Lithuania has been playing well since struggling at times in the group stage and it has paid off with big wins in elimination games. Led by the 19 points from Renaldas Seibutis, 13 points from Martynas Pocius and 12 points from Jonas Valanciunas, the Lithuanians were able to cruise to a decisive victory.
Valanciunas also managed to add 13 rebounds in the game.
For Turkey, it was the lack of depth that killed the team’s chances. Four of the five starters managed to score double-digit points (Kerem Gonlum led the way with 13 points), but the team could only manage six points off the bench.
Team USA was in action against Slovenia in the second game of the day. From the looks of how the game turned out, Lithuania can't be looking forward to playing the Americans with too much enthusiasm in the next round.
The loaded U.S. squad cruised to a 119-76 triumph to steamroll into the semifinals.
USA Basketball noted how balanced the scoring effort was for the victors:
Both Kenneth Faried of the Denver Nuggets and rising New Orleans Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis has double-doubles in points and rebounds. Fox Sports 1's LaChina Robinson was left with quite the impression of the USA's formidable frontcourt duo:
While sharpshooter Klay Thompson came off the bench to lead the USA with 20 points, Derrick Rose did well in scoring 12 points and dishing out a game-high five assists.
ESPN's Mark Jones praised Rose's performance:
USA head coach Mike Krzyzewski had said before this game that he wanted to see the Chicago Bulls franchise cornerstone put on a show, per ESPN.com's Marc Stein:
"I'd like to see [Rose] go off...He's trying to get everyone involved. He looks for his stuff not just fifth sometimes, but sixth or seventh. And we need him to look like he's 1 or 2 when he's out on the court. Look to make plays for people, but try to make plays for yourself, too. He's being very unselfish and trying to be a great teammate. It all comes from a good place. [But] we would like for him to look for his stuff.
"
Rose answered the bell in looking for his own shot and as a distributor, as did the man ahead of him on the USA point guard depth chart in Kyrie Irving. Often criticized for lackluster defense, Irving helped put the clamps on Slovenia, leading all with four steals in the game.
But Irving's seven points in the third quarter helped the USA surge to a 37-22 advantage in that period. The Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star wound up with 12 points, four rebounds and three assists.
With only a 49-42 halftime lead on Tuesday, the USA kicked things into a higher gear that no other FIBA team has. The depth and star power the Americans boast is unparalleled, and will be tough for anyone other than Spain to stop moving forward.
Let’s hope Day 10’s FIBA World Cup matchups are as exciting as Tuesday’s. There should be a little closer competition in those, as Brazil seeks to advance past Serbia, while an intriguing showdown is also on tap between Spain and France.
*Stats via FIBA.com.
