It’s time to introduce a new name to the list of champions. Germany clinched their first-ever FIBA Basketball World Cup title in 2023, triumphing in a closely contested final against Serbia in front of 12,022 enthusiastic fans at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila.
The final score: 83-77.
This victory marked Germany’s second appearance on the podium, with their previous bronze medal win in Indianapolis in 2002.
Serbia, on the other hand, finished as the runners-up for the second time in the last three World Cups, having lost the final to the United States in 2014.
The game featured an action-packed first half, with the score tied at 47-47 after 20 minutes of fast-paced basketball.
However, in the second half, Germany took advantage of an injury to their key defender, Ognjen Dobric, who rolled his ankle and couldn’t return to the game.
This allowed Germany to find their offensive rhythm while relying on Johannes Voigtmann to defend Nikola Milutinov one-on-one, a strategy that paid off as Serbia’s offense struggled.
Germany surged to a 64-53 lead with 2:18 remaining in the third quarter.
Serbia, though, didn’t give up easily. Aleksa Avramovic led an energetic comeback, narrowing the gap to 71-64 with 7:22 to go. When he sank a corner three-pointer to make it 73-69, the arena erupted with excitement.
Germany seemed poised to maintain their lead, thanks to Voigtmann’s three-pointer from the left corner.
However, Avramovic continued to fuel Serbia’s hopes, scoring six consecutive points to bring his team within a single possession at 78-75 with 1:21 left in the game.
Marko Guduric had an opportunity to tie the game from the right corner after a steal by Bogdan Bogdanovic but missed the shot, allowing Germany to regain a two-possession lead.
With a score of 79-77, coach Gordie Herbert entrusted the ball to their superstar, Dennis Schroder, who delivered when it mattered most, hitting a clutch layup to make it 81-77 with 21.4 seconds remaining.
There was no turning back after that, as Serbia turned the ball over, and Schroder sealed the final score from the free-throw line.
Both Dennis Schroder and Bogdan Bogdanovic stepped up to the plate, going head-to-head and accepting full responsibility for the final result.
In the end, it was Schroder who emerged as the hero, delivering an outstanding performance with 28 points, including the crucial game-winning shots.
Watch the game highlights between Germany and Serbia in the Final of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023:
