FIBA Under 19 World Championship: Day Two

Brazil-Senegal 72-56
Senegal is willing to overcome yesterday's blowout against Australia: after a good first half leads by five at the break. But in the third quarter Brazil scores 26 points while allowing opponents to score only 3, a three-point play by Abdoulaye Ndoye, and therefore is able to close the game.
Senegal has 13 points and 10 rebounds from Ndoye, while Brazil (almost sure to advance to the next stage) has 14 points and 9 rebounds from Daniel Barbieri.

Canada-Croatia 66-79
The game is balanced for the first three quarters, but Croatia manages to make a decisive run at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Canada struggles from three point range (1/14) and has a bad game from Xavier Rathan-Mayes (2 points, shooting 1/12 from the field), and losing this one means that they must win tomorrow against Korea to advance. Trey Lyles (22 points and 10 rebounds) and Tyler Ennis (25 points) are not enough against Dario Saric (14 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists) and the sharp-shooting duo of Croatia, Jakov Mustapic (21) and Dominik Mavra (17).

Korea-Spain 70-104
It's a one-quarter game before Spain took definitively the lead, shooting 52% from the field and 41% from beyond the arc. Spain has six players scoring in double figures (Dario Brizuela has 20 points and Willy Hernangomez has 14 in 12 minutes), Korea only two (Intae Park has 13, Sangjae Kang has 12).

Australia-Serbia 57-78
Another great defensive effort from Serbia: hold the Aussies to 37% from the field and 14% from three point range, while also outrebounding them 40-28. Good game for Milutinov (16), Jankovic (14 points, 14 rebounds) and Micic (14), while Australia has 14 points from Exum and 21 from Dane Pineau, an AIS recruit that will attend college basketball at Saint Mary's.
Serbia has practically locked the first spot in Group C.

Argentina-Czech Republic 76-55
After the shocking loss against Iran, Argentina reacts with impressive toughness and dominates Czech Republic, starting with a 22-6 run in the second quarter. Gabriel Deck struggles, the top scorer in a balanced team is Rodrigo Haag (13). The hosts instead have only Petr Safarcik scoring in double figures (10), and shoots only 31% from the field and 15% from three point range; another really bad game for Radovan Kouril (8 points, 8 turnovers, shoots 2/13).

Russia-Cote d'Ivoire 78-43
Cote d'Ivoire suffers another blowout, scoring only 15 points in the entire second half while also being outrebounded 49-34. Russia has 22 points from big man Igor Kanygin, while Dalen Traoré (15) is again the top scorer for Cote d'Ivoire.

Lithuania-Iran 81-40
Lithuania wakes up Iran, allowing them to score only 25 points in the first three quarters. The only double-figures scorer in the game is Lukas Lekavicius, while Mashayekhi and Dalirzahan with 7 points are the top scorers for Iran.
Tomorrow two extremely interesting games in Group B: Argentina-Lithuania and Czech Republic-Iran.

USA-China 113-57
Aaron Gordon is the top scorer (17) and rebounder (11) in an USA team that dominates the game: China is outrebounded 53-16 and commits 32 turnovers, while Qi Zhou is a non-factor against the American frontcourt. Guard Shuai Yuan scores 18 points in loss.