Team USA Falls Short Again, Settles for Bronze in World Semifinals
September 8, 2023
MANILA, Philippines — Despite assembling a strong roster and devising a game plan, Team USA’s bet on overcoming their size differential has failed once again. In a hard-fought match, Germany utilized their height advantage to defeat the Americans 113-111 in the world semifinals on Friday.
This loss denies Team USA the opportunity to secure the gold for a second consecutive time in the event. Instead, they will now compete for the bronze medal against Canada on Sunday at 4:45 a.m. ET, airing on ESPN2. Canada, who lost to Serbia in the day’s other semifinal, will also be aiming to salvage a medal.
Throughout the game, Team USA displayed spirit and aggression but struggled against Germany’s size. The Germans capitalized on their advantageous positioning, grabbing 16 offensive rebounds and converting them into 25 second-chance points. In contrast, Team USA managed only 8 second-chance points.
Germany’s point guard Dennis Schroder proved to be a vital weapon with his skilled ball handling and passing ability. Combined with his team’s height advantage, it resulted in a continuous flow of high-percentage shots for Germany.
Despite a valiant comeback attempt in the final two minutes, Team USA fell just short. An Andreas Obst three-pointer extinguished their hopes of victory. The Americans also faced mismatches on defensive switches and struggled to contain Germany’s perimeter shooting, as the Germans nailed 13 of 30 three-pointers.
Germany finished the game shooting an impressive 58% overall and accumulating 50 points in the paint. Alongside Schroder, German NBA big men Franz Wagner and Daniel Theis dominated, contributing 22 and 21 points respectively to their team’s victory.
Team USA coach Steve Kerr had opted for a small lineup throughout the tournament, starting with Josh Hart at power forward and Jaren Jackson Jr. at center. Even as he made adjustments as the tournament progressed, bringing Paolo Banchero in as a backup big man, the decision to exclude true center Walker Kessler from the rotation ultimately hindered their ability to address the size issue.
While Team USA had achieved victories with their chosen lineup under certain circumstances, the margin for error in this matchup proved to be insurmountable. Despite an advantageous draw in terms of travel and opponents, the size disadvantage proved too significant.
Brandon Ingram, who missed the game due to an upper respiratory illness, was Team USA’s first absence in the tournament due to injury or illness.
Anthony Edwards led Team USA in scoring with 23 points, followed by Mikal Bridges who contributed 17 points.
As the Americans head into the bronze medal match against Canada, they will be determined to end their World Cup campaign on a high note. However, it will undoubtedly be a bittersweet outcome for a team that had set their sights on securing another gold medal.