Next favorite flies Sunday
Ulm duo fools the elite at basketball World Cup
09/02/2023 07:18 am
The big favorites France and Australia are already out of the Basketball World Cup. On a Sunday of finals, either the world champion or a highly regarded NBA star ensemble follows. This also has to do with a spectacular performance by Ulm’s playmaker.
The 1.78 meter small Brazilian became the tallest. With a spectacular basketball performance, Ulm’s champion playmaker Yago dos Santos took his country a giant step towards the quarterfinals – and world champions Spain and the highly traded Canadians on the World Cup abyss. “I wanted to win this match – for me, for my life and for Brazil,” said Yago on Friday evening after the sensational 69:65 about the Canadians, who were peppered with NBA stars.
Yago usually watches professionals like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Dillon Brooks at night in the NBA – in Jakarta he fooled them with two game-winning baskets in the gripping final phase. “Shai is an all star. I spoke to him during the game and said to him: Very good game, enjoy it,” said Yago. The playmaker (eight points and ten assists) and Bruno Caboclo (19 points, 13 rebounds) were largely responsible for the coup as a well-rehearsed duo. Both professionals left the German champion Ratiopharm Ulm this summer after winning the championship.
For Spain and Canada the pressure is now enormous. They are threatened with the same fate that has already befallen the Olympic silver medalists France and Olympic bronze medalists Australia: World Cup elimination before the final round. Only the winner of the direct duel on Sunday (3.30 p.m. / Magentasport) makes it to Manila. The other quarter-final ticket is made beforehand (11.45 a.m.) by the two outsiders Brazil and Latvia. Co-favorites like Serbia and Italy also have to fight for a place in the quarter-finals on the last matchday.