FIBA World Cup: Argentina, Spain move on to semifinals

Quarterfinals conclude with USA-France, Boomers-Czechs

The Wednesday quarterfinals at the FIBA World Cup will tip at 7 a.m. Eastern on Wednesday from Dongguan, where Team USA (5-0) takes on France (4-1).

France is coming off a tough 100-98 loss to Australia that cost them the top seed coming out of second-round group play.

Australia (5-0) will face a Czech Republic (3-2) squad that got into the quarterfinals on a scoring-margin tiebreaker over Greece and Brazil and, with Poland’s loss on Tuesday, is the lowest ranked team remaining by FIBA World Ranking at No. 24.

Australia and the Czechs tip at 9 a.m. Eastern Wednesday from Shanghai.

This USA Basketball squad is not as high-powered as some we might remember, but the Americans are still averaging 87.4 points a game while surrendering only 70.2.

They had a major scare in the first round, escaping an upset loss to Turkey in overtime by virtue of the Turks missing four straight free throws in the closing seconds.

But otherwise it’s been convincing victories, even as the offense has sputtered at times.

Team USA is shooting only 44.3 percent for the tournament and hitting just 32.7 percent from 3-point range. But they are gobbling up 47.2 rebounds a game and averaging only 11 turnovers.

Kemba Walker of the Boston Celtics is their leading scorer at 14.6 points per game and he’s also leading the club with 6.0 assists a game. Two other players are averaging double-figures in the tournament: Harrison Barnes of the Kings (11.4 points) and Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz (10.2 points).

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum — who has missed the last three games with a sprained left ankle — will be a game-time decision against France.

Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers is getting 8.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game for the U.S.

France is putting up 89.4 points per game, led by Evan Fournier of the Orlando Magic. He’s getting 20.8 points per game, while Nando De Colo is averaging 16.8 points and a team-high 3.8 assists a night.

Rudy Gobert of the Jazz is putting up 11.0 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 25.4 minutes per game for Les Bleus and is 19-for-26 from the field in the tournament.

France has shot the ball very well all tournament long, hitting 53.4 percent overall and a ridiculously good 47.4 percent from 3-point range.

Here are the results so far for Team USA:

Sept. 1: USA 88, Czech Republic 67
Sept. 3: USA 93, Turkey 92, OT
Sept. 5: USA 98, Japan 45
Sept. 7: USA 69, Greece 53
Sept. 9: USA 89, Brazil 73

And for France:

Sept. 1: France 78, Germany 74
Sept. 3: France 103, Jordan 64
Sept. 5: France 90, Dominican Republic 56
Sept. 7: France 78, Lithuania 75
Sept. 9: Australia 100, France 98

The U.S. is 3-0 against France in FIBA World Cup play, with their last meeting more than a half-century ago, an 81-61 victory in the final round of the tournament in 1963.

In the other quarterfinal Wednesday, the lone 3-2 team takes on unbeaten Australia at Shanghai. The Czech Republic needed only not to lose by more than 12 points on Monday to reach the quarterfinals and accomplished that despite an 84-77 defeat at the hands of Greece.

The Czech Republic averages 83.4 points per game so far and is shooting 48.9 percent overall and 42 percent from 3-point range.

Their leading scorer is Jaromir Bohacik at 17.4 points per game, including 25 in the loss to Greece. But it’s Tomas Satoransky of the Chicago Bulls that makes the Czechs go. He’s averaging 15.2 points, 7.4 assists and 6.0 rebounds in the tournament.

Ondrej Balvin is putting up 10.4 points and 9.4 rebounds a night and is one of five Czechs averaging double figures, along with Vojtech Hruban (11.2 points per game) and Patrik Auda (10.6 points per game).

Australia, meanwhile, is 5-0 after a scintillating comeback win over France on Monday and are led by Patty Mills of the San Antonio Spurs, who is averaging 21.8 points and 4.2 assists per game in the tournament.

Aron Baynes of the Suns is putting up 14.8 points and 6.0 rebounds, while Matthew Dellavedova of the Cleveland Cavaliers is at 10.4 points and a team-high 6.6 assists per game.

Joe Ingles of Utah is doing a little of everything this far, averaging 11.4 points, 6.2 assists, 5.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals and Andrew Bogut is the squads top rebounder at 6.2 per game.

The Boomers average 91.6 points per game, but are turning it over 14.8 times a night — a byproduct of their fast pace. Australia is shooting 52.6 percent overall and 40.8 percent from 3-point range.

This will be the first meeting in FIBA World Cup play between the teams, as it’s the first time the Czech Republic has qualified since the breakup of Czechoslovakia in the 1992.

Results for the Czech Republic thus far:

Sept. 1: USA 88, Czech Republic 67
Sept. 3: Czech Republic 89, Japan 76
Sept. 5: Czech Republic 91, Turkey 76
Sept. 7: Czech Republic 93, Brazil 71
Sept. 9: Greece 84, Czech Republic 77

And for Australia:

Sept. 1: Australia 108, Canada 92
Sept. 3: Australia 81, Senegal 68
Sept. 5: Australia 87, Lithuania 82
Sept. 7: Australia 82, Dominican Republic 76
Sept. 9: Australia 100, France 98

The semifinals will be played Friday in Beijing at 4 a.m. and 8 a.m. Eastern. Thursday’s games in the classification bracket will be at 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. Eastern.