Germany clinch first FIBA World Cup title by defeating Serbia

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BASKETBALL Germany clinch first FIBA World Cup title by defeating Serbia

Festus Chuma 19:01 - 10.09.2023

Germany clinched their first-ever FIBA Basketball World Cup title in a nail-biting final against Serbia at Manila's Mall of Asia Arena.

Germany took home their first-ever FIBA Basketball World Cup title, narrowly defeating Serbia with a gripping 83-77 final score on Sunday.

The Mall of Asia Arena in Manila hosted 12,022 spectators who witnessed history unfold, with the energy reaching fever pitch levels, especially during the intense final moments of the game.

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Germany, who had a taste of the podium in 2002 when they grabbed bronze in Indianapolis. this time set their sights higher and they delivered. 

Serbia, still bearing the memory of their loss to the US in 2014's World Cup Final, displayed passion and resilience throughout, but it wasn't enough to quench Germany's fiery pursuit.

The initial half saw no shortage of excitement as both  teams maintained aggressive offensive plays, leading to a score of 47-all by halftime. 

However, Serbia's momentum took a hit post-halftime, with key defender Ognjen Dobric suffering an ankle injury, rendering him unable to return to the court.

Germany did not hesitate and they seized the opportunity, taking control of the game both offensively and defensively. They entrusted Johannes Voigtmann with the colossal task of handling Nikola Milutinov one-on-one. 

The strategic move yielded dividends as Serbia's offense struggled, resulting in Germany pulling ahead with a significant 64-53 lead, just a couple of minutes before the third quarter's end.

But Serbia, ever resilient, was not prepared to go down without a fight. Fueled by Aleksa Avramovic's sheer brilliance, they staged a remarkable comeback, narrowing the gap to 71-64 with over seven minutes remaining.

 The Mall of Asia Arena nearly shook off its foundation when Avramovic drained a corner three-pointer, further reducing Germany's lead to 73-69.

Germany looked poised to regain their dominance after Voigtmann replicated Avramovic's effort from the opposite corner.

 But the Serbians, led by the undaunted Avramovic, kept the dream alive. With a string of six points, Serbia was back in the game, trailing by just a mere three points at 78-75.

However, in a twist of fate, Marko Guduric, presented with a golden opportunity to level the scores, missed his shot following a stellar steal by Bogdan Bogdanovic. 

The match's turning point came when, with just over twenty seconds left, coach Gordie Herbert entrusted the ball to their superstar, Dennis Schroder, who failed to disappoint, nailing a clutch layup, solidifying Germany's lead at 81-77.

Serbia's final hopes of a comeback were crushed when they lost possession, and Schroder, not one to falter under pressure, settled the final score with confidence from the line.

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