SATURDAY night saw the final classification round in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, with Slovenia downing Italy on the penultimate day of action.

After both being eliminated a couple of days ago, the two teams locked horns to try and get the highest seeding. Italy was bested by Team USA, while Slovenia fell to Canada on the same night, removing each side from medal contention. However, with the 2024 Paris Olympic Games less than a year away, the seeding from the World Cup still carried some relevance.

It was a tussle to start the game, with neither side able to truly break away, as Luka Doncic fought tooth-and-nail to break away from Italy. However, the Italians were not going to give up without a fight, moving the ball superbly to take a three-point lead at the first change in an arm wrestle of an opening period in Manilla.

Both sides lifted in the second term with a big emphasis on increasing efficiency on the offensive end. Doncic was once again at the forefront for Slovenia, proving a handful for Italy’s defence as the lead was quickly erased. Slovenia turned a three-point deficit at the first break to a one-point lead at the main change after a decisive second period.

Slovenia’s good work continued into the third term storming out of halftime with a powerful display. The Italians simply could not get the defensive stops required to keep things even, as Slovenia produced an emphatic showing in terms of scoring output. The lead broke out to 10 points at the final change, making life extremely difficult for Italy heading into the last.

In the final quarter of the tournament for both sides, Italy did whatever it could to get back in the contest. Moving the ball with ease, the Italians slowly but surely chipped away at the deficit, getting within a couple of points in the dying stages of the game. However, Italy fell short in crunch time, as Slovenia held on for a four-point triumph.

Doncic was immense for the winning side, showcasing why he is one of the best players in the world with a dominant display. He finished the game with 29 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and three steals, doing as he pleased on both ends to drive his side to victory. For Italy, Marco Spissu was the star of the show, finishing with 22 points in a valiant outing.

It matched Slovenia’s highest finish at a World Cup, as the team ranked seventh, the same placing as 2014.

In the day’s other match, Latvia delivered an emphatic 35-point win over Lithuania to finish the tournament in style.