Karl-Anthony Towns and the Dominican Republic stayed perfect at the Basketball World Cup, with a trip to the second round in their sights.
Towns and Andres Feliz each scored 24 points, and the Dominican Republic connected on 16 3-pointers in an 87-82 win over Italy in a Group A game at Manila on Sunday.
Feliz had seven of those 3s for the winners (2-0). Towns finished with 11 rebounds and Jean Montero had 12 points, nine assists, six rebounds and three steals.
“Getting the job done,” Towns said. “I think we did a great job and found a way to win. Andres and everybody down the line was amazing. This was a great team win.”
Italy (1-1) led 12-0 to open the game but led only 39-38 at the half — and lost coach Gianmarco Pozzecco to a second-quarter ejection after he picked up his second technical foul.
The game changed entirely in the third; the Dominican Republic outscored Italy 31-17 in those 10 minutes, then held off a rally in the fourth.
Marco Spissu led Italy with 17 points, while Simone Fontecchio scored 13, Giampaolo Ricco had 12 and Achille Polonara added 10.
Italy plays the Philippines to end group play on Tuesday, while the Dominican Republic takes on Angola.
Italy can still advance to the second round with a win on Tuesday, but the players know facing the home team in what will almost surely be an elimination game will be difficult.
“It’s going to be exciting,” Italy’s Luigi Datome said. “It’s going to be a nice atmosphere and all the players like to play in a nice atmosphere.”
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GROUP E
GERMANY 85, AUSTRALIA 82
At Okinawa, Dennis Schroder scored 30 points and added eight assists and Germany (2-0) closed in on a spot in the second round.
Maodo Lo scored 20 for Germany, which trailed by four entering the final quarter but opened it on a 10-0 run.
Australia tied the game twice in the fourth. Both times, Schroder had an immediate answer to reclaim the lead. His basket with 46 seconds left put Germany ahead for good.
Patty Mills, as he did in the first game, led Australia with 21 points, five rebounds and six assists. Matisse Thybulle had 17 for Australia, which was only 9 for 16 from the foul line.
Germany played without Franz Wagner, who sat with an ankle injury.
Australia could need a victory in its final group game against Japan — the home team in the group — on Tuesday to advance. Germany finishes group play against Finland.
GROUP H
CANADA 128, LEBANON 73
At Jakarta, RJ Barrett scored 17 points as Canada overpowered Lebanon to continue its perfect start.
Trae Bell-Haynes added 15 points and eight assists for Canada (2-0), which opened with an impressive 95-65 win over France. Canada set a senior men’s national team record for points — it scored 126 against Jordan at the World Cup four years ago — and set a tournament record with 44 assists.
FIBA began keeping assist records in 1994.
After recording 27 points in his World Cup debut, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 12 points, five rebounds and five assists in 17 minutes. Canada used 11 players and nine reached double figures; the others were Melvin Ejim (13), Kelly Olynyk (12), Zach Edey (12), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (12), Kyle Anderson (10) and Dillon Brooks (10).
Canada shot 71 per cent, and played without Lu Dort, who was held out with soreness. Former NBA player Omari Spellman led Lebanon with 16 points.
Canada plays Latvia on Tuesday in its final group game, while Lebanon faces France.
GROUP D
MONTENEGRO 89, EGYPT 74
At Manila, Nikola Vucevic had 16 points and seven rebounds and Montenegro (2-0) had little trouble with Egypt.
Nikola Ivanovic scored 15 for Montenegro, while Kendrick Perry scored 11 and Vladimir Mihailovic and Dino Radoncic finished with 10 apiece.
Ehab Amin led all scorers with 26 points for Egypt (0-2), while Anas Mahmoud and Patrick Gardner each finished with 13.
A major difference was points off turnovers: Montenegro turned Egypt’s 22 giveaways into 30 points, while Egypt managed 17 points off Montenegro’s 16 turnovers.
Montenegro plays Lithuania on Tuesday, and Egypt will take on Mexico.
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