The US national team said losing a game at the FIBA Basketball World Cup was quite the wake-up call. It brought a renewed focus, an extra level of commitment, even some promises to one another that things would change.
On Tuesday night, the US turned words into actions and handed Italy their worst loss in a global tournament — the World Cup or the Olympics — in nearly 55 years.
Mikal Bridges scored 24 points, Tyrese Haliburton added 18 on six three-pointers and the US was airtight defensively on the way to a 100-63 win in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Photo: AFP
“It’s been a five-week journey for this group, and there’s five more days. That’s how we look at it,” US coach Steve Kerr said. “We’re the horse turning back to the barn. The horse starts picking up pace when it’s near the barn, and that’s what’s happening right now. Our guys are sensing this is the end of the journey and the energy picked up tonight — the pace, the force. They know what’s ahead. They know what the goal is.”
Gold is the goal, and the US can reach the gold-medal game if they win tomorrow in a semi-final against Germany who yesterday beat Latvia 81-79.
The medal games are on Sunday.
The last time Italy lost a game this badly in a tournament of this level was on Oct. 14, 1968, when the US beat them 100-61 during the Olympics in Mexico City.
The Italians shot 31 percent on Tuesday and were just 7 of 38 (18 percent) from three-point range.
Let that show the level of improvement from the US: Lithuania started nine for nine on three-pointers in what became a stunning victory over the US on Sunday. Italy did not make nine three-pointers during the entire game on Tuesday.
“We just felt that energy from the jump,” Bridges said. “Everybody felt it.”
It was 46-24 to the US by halftime, with Austin Reaves providing the exclamation point courtesy of a follow-slam that had his teammates out of their seats. The margin was that big despite Anthony Edwards — the team’s leading scorer entering the game, averaging just more than 20 points in the first five games of the World Cup — not even getting on the scoresheet until the first possession of the third quarter.
His heroics were not needed. Not much on the offensive end was. The defensive effort — which was shredded for 110 points in a six-point loss to Lithuania — seemed like the best of the summer from the US.
“Everything stayed the same,” US point guard Jalen Brunson said. “It’s just, our approach had to be a little better.”
Reaves finished with 12 for the US, who improved to 10-1 overall this summer. Simone Fontecchio led Italy (4-2) with 18 points.
“They played very good basketball,” Italy forward Luigi Datome said. “They created very good shots and they made them.”
It was the quarter-final round where it all went wrong for the US at the World Cup four years ago in China. A loss to France in the round-of-eight eliminated the US from medal contention and started a free-fall all the way to seventh place, the worst finish ever by a US team in a major men’s international event.
That will not happen this time, and now their formula is clear: lock in on defense, go-go-go on offense and dare opponents to win playing the US’ preferred way.
“We were ready,” Bridges said. “And we’re going to stay ready until we get out of here.”
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