Dennis Schroder came through in the clutch to lead Germany over Serbia in the gold medal game at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Manila, Philippines.

Schroder, who had a game-high 28 points in the championship game, was spectacular throughout the tournament, averaging 19.1 points and 6.1 assists en route to winning the FIBA World Cup MVP. The Toronto Raptors point guard headlined a star-studded all-World Cup squad, which included Bogdan Bogdanovic of Serbia, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Canada, Anthony Edwards from the United States, and Slovenia’s Luka Doncic.

Bogdanovic did all he could to push Serbia across the finish line, averaging 19.1 points and shooting 42% from 3-point range. The two-time FIBA World Cup silver medalists could have used reigning NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic, who skipped this year’s World Cup after a taxing NBA season.

Behind Schroder’s steady hand at the point, the Germans passed every test in the tournament as they went undefeated en route to their first World Cup gold medal, besting the bronze medal in 2002 with Dirk Nowitzki as their leading man.

Schroder had plenty of support from a well-constructed roster headed by coach Gordon Herbert. Center Daniel Theis, shooting guard Andreas Obst, and the Wagner brothers, Franz and Moritz Wagner, all played a major role in helping Deutschland reach the top of the podium. Franz Wagner, who made the all-tournament second team, was huge in the gold medal game against Serbia, finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Here are four observations from an incredible two weeks in Manila, Jakarta, and Okinawa.

Steve Kerr makes tactical mistake against Canada

Steve Kerr is a four-time NBA champion as head coach of the Golden State Warriors. It would be hard to question anything he does. But during the bronze medal game against Canada, Kerr decided to use a small-ball unit in the final five minutes and overtime. Kerr took out 6-10 Bobby Portis in favor of guard Josh Hart, who is generously listed at 6-5. Kerr rolled out a finishing lineup of Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, Austin Reaves, Mikal Bridges, and Hart playing center. Bridges was the tallest man on the court for Team USA at 6-6. After Hart fouled in overtime, Kerr went with an ever smaller lineup by inserting 6-0 guard Jalen Brunson.

Playing small ball is a tactic Kerr often uses with the Warriors, with Hart playing the role of Draymond Green as the small-ball 5. However, Josh Hart is no Draymond Green.

The decision proved to be costly as the Americans got punished on the boards by the more physical Canadians. Dwight Powell (6-10, 240), Dillon Brooks (6-6, 225), Lugentz Dort (6-3, 215), RJ Barrett (6-6, 215), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (6-6, 180) were too much to handle as the Canadians dominated the offensive boards and got to several crucial loose balls down the stretch. Behind the superb playmaking of Gilgeous-Alexander (31 points) and improbable 3-point shooting from Brooks (39 points), Canada outlasted the U.S. in overtime, 127-118, to secure its first ever FIBA World Cup medal.

In Kerr’s defense, he didn’t have a lot of options at center. Starting center Jaren Jackson Jr. and his backup Paolo Banchero were both out with an illness. Walker Kessler (7-1, 245) was the last remaining big man on the roster, and he could only muster six points and seven rebounds in 16 minutes of action.

It’s back to the drawing board for Kerr and USA Basketball director Grant Hill after another disappointing World Cup. Team USA has failed to bring home a medal in the last two World Cups, finishing seventh in 2019 and fourth in 2023. Kerr and Hill have a year to retool the roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

USA Basketball definitely needs reinforcements

Team USA came into the World Cup with a roster short on senior international experience and short on big men. Those glaring weaknesses showed up in the meaningful rounds as the Americans lost three of their last four games. The U.S. defense, which had been solid in the showcase games and the first group stage, was shredded for 350 points (116.67 points per game) in losses to Lithuania, Germany, and Canada.

Steve Kerr and his coaching staff, which included Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and L.A. Clippers coach Ty Lue and Gonzaga coach Mark Few, had about a month to fully prepare and get the players familiar with the system. And it showed. The game plan was simple: wear down teams with depth and push the pace to create scoring opportunities. The plan worked against the lesser teams but against experienced squads with NBA-caliber talent, the all-too-simple formula got exposed.

Because the U.S. couldn’t create enough ball pressure against Germany and Canada, it left the team exposed on the back end. Starting U.S. center Jaren Jackson Jr. struggled staying on the court, averaging almost just as many fouls per game (2.7) as rebounds (2.9). The lack of rebounding from Jackson Jr. summed up Team USA’s troubles on defense. During the weighty moments in the semifinals and bronze medal game, the U.S. couldn’t get enough stops.

The quick fix would be to bring in the A Team. Kerr and Hill could convince Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Kevin Durant to rejoin Team USA. LeBron James and Anthony Davis have also expressed interest in rejoining the program in time for the Paris Olympics. Draymond and AD will certainly help fix the problems on defense.

NBA teams should look at Aleksa Avramovic, Andreas Obst, Arturs Zagars

After making the all-tournament second team, Latvia’s Arturs Zagars is reportedly generating interest from NBA teams. The 23-year-old point guard led Latvia to a fifth-place finish in the nation’s first World Cup appearance and set a tournament record 17 assists in Latvia’s game against Lithuania. Zagars, who averaged 12.4 points and 7.4 assists in 25 minutes a game, has played professionally in Europe since 2017, but injuries have derailed his career. After showing he can compete against the best in FIBA, he should be given a shot in the NBA.

Germany’s Andreas Obst is an absolute sniper. He delivered the dagger 3-point shot that sunk the U.S. in the semifinals and propelled Germany to the finals. The 27-year-old Obst, who currently competes in the Bundesliga and EuroLeague for Bayern Munich, is regarded as one of the best shooters in Europe. He certainly didn’t disappoint at the World Cup, making 44.7% of his 3-point shots. Any NBA team would love to have a shooting guard who makes nearly 45% of his 3-balls.

Serbia leaned on Atlanta Hawks standout Bogdan Bogdanovic for much of the tournament, but the team would have not have reached the finals without Aleksa Avramovic. Avramovic’s physical defense played a role in holding Okahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to just 15 points and 4-of-8 shooting from the field in Serbia’s win over Canada in the semifinals. In the finals against Germany, it was Avramovic’s offense that kept the Serbians in the game as he finished with a team-high 21 points, including 3-for-7 shooting from 3-point range. Avramovic, who plays professionally in Europe for Partizan Mozzart Bet, may not be viewed as an NBA starting guard, but he could potentially be a solid rotational player.

Basketball-crazed Filipinos embrace NBA stars

The FIBA World Cup games were held at three venues: Okinawa, Jakarta, and Manila.

With all due respect to the fans who attended games in Jakarta and Okinawa, the vibe from the games held at Philippine Arena, Araneta Coliseum, and Mall of Asia Arena was different. You could feel the passion and the love that Filipinos have for the game of basketball.

A record crowd of 38,115 filled Philippine Arena for the Aug. 25 opener between host nation Philippines and the Dominican Republic – easily the biggest crowd to see a World Cup game. The previous attendance record was 32,616, set in 1994 at SkyDome in Toronto.

Team USA played all their games at Mall of Asia Arena. The coaches and players were given the rock star treatment. The Americans were showered with adoration, especially fan favorite Austin Reaves. The L.A. Lakers guard generated the loudest cheers each time he made a play. “It’s special to me,” Reaves told BasketNews. “I knew coming out here, there’s a lot of Lakers fans which is lovely, and I love that, and I appreciate that.”

Filipino-American Jordan Clarkson represented his mother’s native country at the World Cup. After four tough losses in group stage, Clarkson gifted Filipino fans with an unforgettable performance for Gilas Pilipinas in a 96-75 win over China. The Utah Jazz guard exploded for 34 points, including a 24-point outburst in the third quarter where he splashed four straight 3-pointers that had the whole arena shaking. Clarkson credited the energy from the raucous crowd at the famed Araneta Coliseum — site of “The Thrilla in Manila” in 1975 — for boosting him and his Gilas teammates.

“When you start hearing that, as loud as it was, it’s kind of hard to calm me down at that time,” Clarkson told reporters. “I stayed hot. The crowd was just amazing. There was so much energy in there and we just really wanted to gift them with a win.”

The United States senior men’s national team enters the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup with the weight of the world on its shoulder.

Being the hunted is a familiar position for Team USA after being so dominant for nearly 20 years. But the rest of the world is catching up, and winning a gold medal is no longer a sure bet.

The 58-game winning streak for the Americans in FIBA and Olympic competition came to a crashing halt in 2019 when the Gregg Popovich-coached squad — headlined by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown — finished seventh at the World Cup held in China. It was the worst finish by an American squad in an Olympic or World Cup tournament, and it was the first time the U.S. failed to medal in basketball’s biggest international stage since the 2002 debacle in Indianapolis. We still haven’t forgiven George Karl for that mess.

Popovich did find some redemption in the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo as he coached the U.S. — led by Kevin Durant and Draymond Green — to a gold medal.

Durant and Green are sitting out this year’s World Cup. The 12-man unit USA Basketball is sending to the Philippines — which co-hosts this year’s tournament with Japan and Singapore — is untested and doesn’t have a single All-NBA performer.

“For us, we have a lot of young guys this year, so we all feel like we have something to prove,” point guard Tyrese Haliburton told ESPN’s Kendra Andrews during the NBA summer league in Vegas.

Haliburton is one of the many new faces on Team USA that may be short on name recognition and international experience but loaded with promise. Haliburton (Indiana Pacers) is one of three players on the national team who earned NBA All-Star nods this past year. The other two were shooting guard Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves) and forward-center Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies).

The rest of the squad includes Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic), Mikal Bridges (Brooklyn Nets), Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Josh Hart (New York Knicks), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans), Cameron Johnson (Brooklyn Nets), Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz), Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks) and Austin Reaves (L.A. Lakers).

“I don’t think the expectations are what they usually are for USA Basketball, but that’s not changing for us guys who are playing,” Haliburton said. “We are really excited to get to it.

“It’s gonna be a lot of fun,” he added. “A lot of guys are around the same age as me.”

Even though expectations are a bit muted this time around, Haliburton said it doesn’t change the primary objective: bring home the gold and reestablish American dominance.

“All the young guys feel like we have something to prove on the national level and obviously on the world level as well,” Haliburton said.

Following the Tokyo Games, USA Basketball underwent a period of transition.

Grant Hill, the former Duke standout and No. 3 overall pick in the 1994 draft by the Detroit Pistons, took over for Jerry Colangelo as managing director of the U.S. senior men’s national team. Steve Kerr, the four-time NBA championship coach of the Golden State Warriors, took the baton from Popovich as the head coach. Erik Spoelstra (Miami Heat), Ty Lue (L.A. Clippers) and Mark Few (Gonzaga) round out Kerr’s coaching staff.

Kerr is tasked with leading a group that is about as raw as they come in terms of international competition. Portis, 28, is the oldest player on the roster while Banchero, 20, is the youngest American to compete at a FIBA World Cup event since Dwight Howard in 2006. The average age on Team USA is 24, and the team is desperately searching for an alpha dog to take charge.

Kerr started with the combination of Brunson, Edwards, Bridges, Ingram, and Jackson Jr. in the exhibition game against Puerto Rico on Aug. 7 in Las Vegas. Barring injuries or a major surprise in camp, this will likely be the starting lineup for Team USA when it arrives in Manila to take on New Zealand in its World Cup opener on Aug. 26.

After what assistant coach Spoelstra described as a “sloppy” first half that kept the game close, the U.S. overwhelmed Puerto Rico in the second half en route to a dominant 117-74 victory in the first of five USA Basketball showcase games in preparation for the World Cup.

Brunson is the steady hand Kerr needs to run point, and he’s also emerged in training camp as the vocal leader. Haliburton came off the bench in the win over Puerto Rico and looked comfortable in that role. He may be better suited to be the secondary playmaker, with his ability to push the pace on the second unit.

Jackson Jr. is the clear starting center and there’s a huge gap between him and his backups Portis, Banchero, and Kessler. Jackson Jr.’s ability to impact the game on both ends is what makes him an invaluable piece.

The surprise of training camp has been Reaves.

His inclusion on the squad raised a few eyebrows. But after a solid debut wearing the USA colors, those doubts were put to rest. Kerr called Reaves “a connector” and “enhances any lineup that he plays with.”

“He fits in wherever we put him. That’s the beauty of Austin,” Kerr told reporters about the L.A. Lakers guard, whose efficiency from 3-point range (40%) and effective play-making are two vital skills he can bring to the table. Reaves is a solid compliment to Edwards, who is more of a volume shooter and slasher.

Throughout the showcase games, it is becoming clear that Reaves is one of the five indispensable players on the squad. It’s a list that includes Brunson, Edwards, Jackson Jr., and Bridges. This is Reaves’ freshman season on the FIBA stage and he’s soaking in every moment.

“I didn’t play much AAU growing up, so I don’t really know many of [my USA Basketball teammates],” Reaves told Fox Sports. “But this is a cool opportunity for me to play with a bunch of guys that are really talented. A bunch of good guys, honestly.”

One position this squad has plenty of depth is at the wing. Bridges is the ideal 3-and-D forward while Ingram, who is more for a natural small forward, is the ideal 4-man in the world of FIBA. Johnson can play either forward position and Hart — the third member of the Villanova Boys on the squad — will bring plenty of hustle off the bench.

The exhibition game against Puerto Rico wasn’t much of a game, but it did give us a sense of what style of play Kerr wants this group will run. It’s the same pace-and-space philosophy Kerr employs as headmaster of the Warriors. He wants his point guards to push the pace and he wants ball movement and man movement off the ball.

Kerr is one of the brightest minds in basketball. He and his outstanding coaching staff will figure out how to make this untested group play the right way and compete for gold.

Point guard Kemba Walker (USA) defended by Ricky Rubio (Spain) during an exhibition game in Anaheim, Calif. (Getty Images)

Ever since Jerry Colangelo took over USA Basketball as the program’s managing director, the U.S. men’s senior national team has completely dominated the competition, winning three Olympic gold medals and two FIBA World Cup gold medals.

For more than a decade, Colangelo and head coach Mike Krzyzewski have helmed the top basketball program in the world from the youth program all the way up to the senior men’s team. The only blemish on their impeccable record was a stunning loss to Greece at the 2006 World Cup in Tokyo.

Coach K racked up a mind-boggling 75-1 FIBA record. That’s a .987 winning percentage. He had a perfect record in Olympic competition and ended his run in style by leading Team USA to a gold medal in the 2014 World Cup in Spain. When Coach K finally stepped aside, the torched was passed to San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.

Popovich’s NBA record is nothing to sneeze at — winning five championships in 20 years — but he has some work to do to catch up to Coach K as USA Basketball’s new caretaker. And the last time Popovich was part of Team USA, it didn’t go so well. He was on Larry Brown’s coaching staff during the 2004 Olympics where the U.S. settled for bronze and finished with a pedestrian 5-3 tournament record. That U.S. squad had Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire.

Popovich will have some reinforcements, however. He’ll have Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr to lean on. It’s kinda nice to have a three-time NBA coaching champ as a lead assistant. Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce and Villanova coach Jay Wright round out the coaching staff.

Pop and USA Basketball will have a huge challenge ahead in the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China, which runs from Aug. 31 through Sept. 15. The United States is still the betting favorite to win gold, but it will be sending its weakest NBA-led roster since the 2002 world championships when it failed to win a medal and suffered stunning losses to Argentina and Yugoslavia. It has been almost two decades since the U.S. entered a FIBA competition not having the best player in the tournament. Arguably the three best players on Popovich’s squad are Kemba Walker, Donovan Mitchell and Khris Middleton. Only Walker and Middleton have been named to All-Star teams, and Walker is the only one to make an All-NBA team (third team in 2019).

The gap between USAB and the rest of the world appears to be closing, and there are several contenders eager to knock off the Americans.

Here are the five teams that could dethrone Team USA in China.

Greece – Giannis “The Greek Freak” Antetokounmpo and Hellas could be the ones to watch in the tournament. Greece enters the tournament as the No. 8 team, but they have the No. 1 player. Giannis is the reigning NBA most valuable player, and he’s coming off a season where he averaged career highs in points (27.7), rebounds (12.5) and assists (5.9). But being MVP comes with a price. The Greek Freak will have a big target on his back. The 24-year-old basketball superstar will try to prove to the world that he deserves to be called the “best player on the planet.” Giannis will be a matchup nightmare for Team USA or for any team in the tournament. Joining Giannis on the squad is his older brother, Thanasis. Thanasis, a 27-year-old forward, was recently signed by the Bucks. When Giannis is not running point, former University of Florida standout Nick Calathes will handle ball-handling duties. Veteran center Ioannis Bourousis is a bit long in the tooth (36) but he can still clog up the middle. Greece goes as Giannis goes. They will go as far as its superstar can take them.

Serbia – If Giannis is arguably the best player in the tournament then Serbia boasts the second-best player in Nikola Jokic. The Denver Nuggets All-Star center leads a loaded Serbia squad looking to avenge the loss to the U.S. in the 2014 gold-medal game. Serbia is massive up front, with Jokic (7-0), Philadelphia 76ers center Boban Marjanovic (7-3) and Miroslav Raduljica (7-0), who had stints with the Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves. The 24-year-old Jokic is coming off a sensational season for the Nuggets, averaging nearly a triple-double during the NBA regular season (20.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists).

Kevin Durant defends a young Nikola Jokic during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. (Getty Images)

Jokic, who was only a teenager the last time he played in the World Cup, presents a matchup problem for any team in this year’s tournament. He can destroy defenses with his post-up and passing skills, and has a tremendous feel for the game. But Jokic is not a one-man show. Serbia possesses a boatload of snipers: Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nemanja Bjelica. Bogdanovic made 134 3-pointers for the Sacramento Kings last season. His Kings teammate, Bjelica, is a 40 percent shooter from behind the arc as a stretch 4. Teodosic, who had an up-and-down season with the L.A. Clippers, remains one of the top guards in FIBA when he’s fit. Serbian national team head coach Aleksandar “Sasha” Djordjevic made it clear that his team is ready for Team USA. “If we meet, may God help them,” he said. Shots fired.

Spain – The Spaniards are ranked No. 2 in the world. Their core group may be a bit older but they’re still very formidable. Guards Ricky Rubio and Sergio Llull can give teams fits on both ends of the court, with their dribble penetration and pesky defense. Rubio is well known around NBA circles, but Llull is a bit of a mystery. The 31-year-old guard has spent his entire career in Europe playing for Real Madrid, winning the EuroLeague title in 2015 and 2018, and MVP in 2017. Most scouts believe Llull can start for most NBA teams, and the Houston Rockets bought his draft rights. Marc Gasol is the anchor of Team Spain. He won’t have his brother, Pau, beside him so the 34-year-0ld skilled big man will have center stage all to himself. Shooting guard Rudy Fernandez has played in more than 200 international games for Spain, and even though he’s past his prime (34) he can still stretch the floor with his 3-point range and can get hot in a hurry. Center Willy Hernangómez, 25, is one of Spain’s younger players and head coach Sergio Scariolo may lean on the Charlotte Hornets big man to log heavy minutes at center or power forward to keep Marc Gasol fresh. The last time a non-U.S. team won the World Cup was 2006 when Spain, led by the Gasol brothers, hoisted the trophy.

France – The Stifle Tower, Rudy Gobert, anchors a veteran French national team coming off its best World Cup performance. Les Bleus enter the tournament ranked No. 3 in the world, and Gobert likes where they are grouped with Dominican Republic, Jordan and Germany. “We want to have a great run and show that France is one of the best national teams in the world. This is going to be a great competition, we are all very excited to go to China and compete on the world stage and we will be ready to give our best,” said the 7-1 Utah Jazz big man, the reigning NBA defensive player of the year. Orlando Magic guard Evan Fournier gives France a versatile perimeter scorer, while New York Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina provides France with a rock-solid perimeter defender. Nic Batum, one of the holdovers from the French team that took home the bronze medal at the 2014 World Cup, can play multiple positions and isn’t afraid of the big stage.

Australia – Despite not having 76ers superstar Ben Simmons, who decided to skip the World Cup and get ready for the NBA season, the Boomers remain strong contenders to medal. When teams play Australia, they better bring their hard hats because the Aussies play basketball like it’s rugby. The Boomers are tough and rugged. Patty Mills and Matthew Dellavedova are both scrappy guards who can knock down big shots. Mills was part of the Aussie unit that gave Team USA scare in the 2012 Olympics. Even at age 31, Mills is still one of the quickest guards in the world. Dellavedova became a cult favorite in Cleveland for the way he defended Steph Curry in the 2015 NBA Finals. Veteran centers Aron Baynes (32) and Andrew Bogut (34) bring a good mix of physicality and skill. Baynes is a solid defender who can knock down threes. Bogut, who has been battling injuries the past few seasons, can still anchor the middle of a defense and his leadership is a huge asset for Australia. Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles isn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with anyone. Just ask Paul George.

Beards are trending in Spain, as players are ditching their razors and letting their facial hair grow. Houston Rockets All-Star and USA Basketball veteran James Harden has plenty of competition for the title of best beard at the World Cup.

Fear these impressive beards!

Something happened to Sergio Rodriguez when he left the New York Knicks in 2010 and signed with the Euroleague’s Real Madrid. Seems like the Spanish point guard has not shaved since he left New York. Spain’s whole roster is full of bearded wonders, including Pau and Marc Gasol. Pau used to play for the Grizzlies, while Marc currently plays for the Grizzlies. But neither one is grizzly enough to compete with teammate Rodriguez.

New Zealand forward Casey Frank’s beard gets more attention than his skills on the court. If you’ve seen Frank play, you’ll know what we’re talking about. Frank played college ball at Northern Arizona, but when he went undrafted in 1999 he took his talents overseas, and eventually landing in New Zealand.

Greece’s Kostas Kaimakoglou is a rugged power forward who doesn’t shy away from contact. With the extra padding on his chin, he can definitely absorb more contact.

Serbia center Miroslav Raduljica is a dead ringer for Major League Baseball pitcher Brian Wilson. We could have had the entire Serbian men’s national team on this list, but we had to trim the list to five. Center Rasko Katic, who didn’t make the cut, and his teammate Raduljica (pictured above) are the leaders of Serbia’s Beard Brigade.

Harden is easily the most recognizable player on this list, thanks to some really clever commercials in which he pokes fun at his famous facial hair. Harden’s beard (@HardenBeard) even has its own account on Twitter, with almost 17,000 followers.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

(Photos courtesy FIBA.com)

Philippines swingman Gabe Norwood throws down a dunk against Argentina at the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain. (Screenshot/YouTube)

The Philippines fell to Argentina, 85-81, in a hard-fought FIBA World Cup game in Sevilla, Spain, but Gilas Pilipinas swingman Gabe Norwood provided one of the game’s highlights.

With a little over three minutes left in the first quarter, Gilas point guard Jayson William picked up a loose ball and fed a streaking Norwood on the left wing for a monster slam over Argentina forward Luis Scola. It wasn’t a clean “poster dunk” since Scola appears to be moving out of the way instead of challenging the shot. It was still an electrifying slam: Watch the play:

Norwood’s dunk was part of a big early run by the Filipinos in the opening quarter, as they took a 25-22 lead in an emotionally packed first quarter.  Norwood, who is mostly known for his defense, has been one of the stalwarts for a Philippines squad that could easily be 2-1 instead of 0-3. It lost in overtime to Croatia, 81-78, in the opener and fell to Greece, 82-70, on Day 2.

Norwood, 29, played college ball at George Mason from 2003-07 before getting drafted in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) in 2008 by Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. Norwood was the PBA slam dunk champion in 2009, and PBA defensive player of the year in 2010. He is the brother of Denver Broncos wide receiver Jordan Norwood.

The Philippines gave the favored Argentines all it could handle in Day 3 of Group B pool play that went down to the wire, thanks to the 3-point shooting of Gilas guard Jimmy Alapag. In the end, Scola and Argentina made enough big plays down the stretch to escape with a four-point win.