Gasol fuels Spain into World Cup final

Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Fri, 13 Sep 2019 11:02:36 +0000

BEIJING, China (AFP) – NBA champion Marc Gasol saved Spain on Friday as they battled back to beat Australia, 95-88, after a second overtime period and reach the Basketball World Cup final. 

They will face either France – quarterfinal winners over reigning two-time champions the United States – or Argentina in Sunday’s decider in Beijing. The thrilling semi-final was 71-71 at the end of regulation time and the two sides could not be separated at the end of the first overtime.

 Sergio Llull of Spain celebrates against after hitting a clutch basket in their game against Australia. (AFP)

Finally, the 2006 world champions Spain jubilantly emerged after the Boomers appeared to run out of juice.

Gasol, the 34-year-old Toronto Raptors centre, finished with 33 points after stepping up late in the breathtaking game when his country needed him most.

Red-hot Patty Mills was unfortunate to be on the losing side, leading Australia with 34 points.

The Australians, who had never gone beyond the quarter-finals in 11 previous attempts, had the whiff of revenge in their nostrils.

Spain edged the Boomers 89-88 in the bronze-medal match at the Rio 2016 Olympics and the Australians had waited three long years to get their own back.

This semi-final was billed as the Australian offence against the defence of Spain.

San Antonio Spurs livewire Mills has been one of the players of the World Cup in China and his three-pointer midway through the second quarter put Australia 27-22 in front.

The in-form guard pulled off the same trick with 88 seconds left on th
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