Germany stunned the United States, 113-111, in the semifinals of the FIBA World Cup on Friday night in Manila.
The United States, perennial gold medal favorites in this men’s tournament, was done in by a porous perimeter defense and a lack of rebounding. Germany was led by guard Andreas Obst, who scored 24 points, and forward Franz Wagner, who added 22 points, en route to the biggest basketball win in German history.
Germany repeatedly pummeled the United States in the paint, exploiting the United States’ choice to play with smaller lineups. Germany grabbed 12 offensive rebounds, compared with seven for the United States.