SA hindi malilimutang FIBA World Cup 2023 sa Manila, tinanghal ang Germany na kampeon sa kauna-umahang pagkakataon.

Sa pangunguna ng NBA duo na sina Dennis Schroder at Franz Wagner, pinayuko ng Germany ang Serbia, 83-77, sa kanilang naging kapanapanabik na sagupaan sa harap ng 12,022 fans sa Mall of Asia Arena sa Pasay City.

Umiskor si Toronto Raptors guard Schroder ng 28 points, habang nagdagdag si Orlando Magic mainstay Wagner ng 19 points para sa panalo ng world No. 11 Germany laban sa Seibia.

Ito ang kauna-unahang World Cup para sa Germany — gayundin kina Schroder at Wagner — at nakamit nila ito pati na ang prestihiyosong Dr. James Naismith Trophy na hindi nakslsdàp ng pagkatalo sa kanilang walong laro — lima sa Okinawa, Japan at tatlo sa Manila

“It’s an unbelievable group. And it’s unbelievable going 8-0,” pahayag ni Schroder, na nahirang din bilang TISSOT Most Valuable Play bukod pa sa pagiging miyembro ng Mythical Team.

“In Germany, people are starting to recognize what we’re doing for our country. We want our respect as well,” paliwanag ni Schroder, na may average na 19.1 points at 6.1 assists bawat laro.

“It’s a little bit of a surreal moment. It’s like I told the players. It’s a tremendous group of players, but we were a team first. Guys cared about each other and they challenged each other,” pahayag naman ni Germany coach Gordie Herbert, na unang humawak sa team nung 2021.

Ang Germany, na nanalo na dati ng bronze medal sa 2002 edition na ginanap sa Indianapolis, ay nanalo laban sa Japan, 81-63, Australia, 85-82, at Finland, 101-75, sa first round, at Georgia, 100-73, at Slovenia, 100-71, sa second round sa Okinawa.

Sa Manila, pinabagsak ng Germay ang Latvia, 81-79, sa quarterfinals; United States, 113-111, sa semis; at Serbia.

Matindi din ang kontribusyon ng supporting cast ng Germany.

Nag-ambag sina Johannes Voigtmann ng 12 points at game-high eight rebounds; Moritz Wagner ng eight points at four rebounds; at Andreas Obst at Isaac Bonga ng tig seven points.

Namuno sa Serbia sina Aleksa Avramovic, na may 21 points at Bogdan Bogdanovic, na may 17 points,five assists at three rebounds.

“We made great success. Our heads are up. We know that we made our country happy and put a smile on them,” pahayag ni ni Avramovic.

“This is already past, and our next goal is to go the Olympic Games and make better success than this.Germany, they have been playing amazing,” dagdag pa niya

Ang Serbia, na naglaro sa.World Cup na hindi kasama ang two-time NBA MVP na si Nikola Jokic, ay pumangalawa sa United States sa 2014 edition sa Spain , at pumang-lima nung 2019 edition sa China.

The scores:

Germany (83) – Schroder 28, F. Wagner 19, Voigtmann 12, M. Wagner 8, Obst 7, Bonga 7, Theis 2, Thiemann 0, Lo 0
Serbia (77) – Avramovic 21, Bogdanovic 17, Petrusev 10, N. Jovic 9, Marinkovic 9, Guduris 4, S. Jovic 3, Milutinov 2, Davidovac 2, Dobric 0
Quarterscores: 23-26, 47-47, 69-57, 83-77.