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31 August, 2019
15 September
7 Joe Ingles (AUS)
07/09/2019
Review
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Australia, France punch their tickets to the Quarter-Finals of the World Cup

BEIJING (China) - Two more teams advanced to the Quarter-Finals of the FIBA Basketball World Cup  with Australia and France confirming their entries and joining Poland, Argentina, Spain and Serbia in the Final Round of the competition.

Australia eked out a close 82-76 decision over the Dominican Republic to remain unbeaten in four games while France survived a thrilling 78-75 victory over Lithuania that came down to the wire.

After leading for most of the game, France had to stave off a furious rally from their European rivals which even saw Lithuania taking a 72-70 lead with 3:10 left. Nando De Colo delivered the finishing touch for France with a clutch game-winning basket.


Australia and France will face each other to dispute the top spot in Group L for a better placing in the Quarter-Finals bracket.

The only remaining group with tickets up for grabs is Group K, with Czech Republic opening it up for everyone with a massive 93-71 victory against the previously unbeaten Brazil to tie their fallen foes in the standings with an identical 3-1 win-loss cards.


Meanwhile, the much-anticipated matchup between defending champions USA and the Giannis Antetekounmpo-led Greece provided an entertaining affair with the defending World Cup champions taking a 69-53 victory. 

In the Classification Round 17-32, New Zealand dominated a Rui Hachimura-less Japan to the tune of a 111-81 win and get their second win of the tournament, while Turkey bounced back from a mediocre start to beat Montenegro, 79-74.

Both the Tall Blacks and 12 Giant Men sport 2-2 records and will play it out among themselves for the top spot of Group O.

In Group P action, Canada overpowered a hapless Jordan side with a 126-71 victory and tied Serbia for most assists in a game with 37, the highest total since the 1994 World Cup while Germany outclassed Senegal 89-78, setting up a battle for top honors win the group with Canada.

FIBA