Spain wear down Brazil to punch Second Round ticket

JAKARTA (Indonesia) - Spain notched their second win at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 after they wore down Brazil in Group G action to advance to the Second Round.

This was Spain's seventh straight win over Brazil in international competition as their depth and composure drove them to the 96-78 win and into the Second Round.

Turning point: It was still anybody's ballgame as Brazil trailed by just five points entering the final period. However, Spain went on a 15-3 run to take control and produced an entertaining finish. The Spaniards' defense was so tight early in the fourth quarter that Brazil went without a field goal until Tim Soares's hook shot at the 6:36 mark. And, the game went beyond their reach from that point.

TCL Player of the Game: Teenager Juan Nunez wielded his magic in this game. The guard orchestrated Spain's offense in splendid fashion, handing out 5 assists to go along with 13 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals.

Nunez's all-around performance quelled some concerns about Spain's point guard situation, especially with 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup MVP Ricky Rubio missing this edition.

Stats don't lie: Spain's defense was aggressive for most of the game. Coach Sergio Scariolo's side tallied 12 steals with their opponents coughing up 16 turnovers in total. Those, in turn, produced 22 points from turnovers that helped Spain get a double-digit separation late in the game.

Bottom line: Spain's second win enables them to advance to the Second Round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. It was another efficient performance without being at their best, and they will be eyeing three wins from three when they take on Iran in their final group game.

Brazil will have to win against Cote d’Ivoire in their last Group G game to advance in a decisive clash to decide the runners-up spot. Meanwhile, Iran have been eliminated from Second Round contention.

They said: "It's a difficult game for us. We had 16 turnovers, and against Spain, this was too much. They made us work today. We also gave up many offensive rebounds. This game was decided by out turnovers, offensive rebounds, and fouls." - Brazil guard Yago Santos

"We had a lot of turnovers and they had a lot of easy buckets throughout the game. These offensive rebounds and second chances for Spain just made the game so difficult for us." - Brazil coach Gustavo Conti

"I think it was important how we started in the second half. We rebounded better and were more physical. We ran more, and that gave us more improved play." - Spain guard Juan Nunez

"Overall, I think we played a good game. I don't think the final score reflected how tough this game was. They were a good team, physical with talent. We had a great impression of how they were playing so we were more activated. We had some slumps throughout the game, but overall, I feel we were quite fast in reacting to those gray moments, especially defensively." - Spain coach Sergio Scariolo