Serbia advanced to the FIBA Basketball World Cup final after defeating Canada 95-86 on Friday in Manila by imposing their will in the paint and commanding the boards.
Five Serbian players reached double figures, headed by Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, who finished with 23 points, four rebounds, and three assists.
The dominating defense of the Balkan nation drove Canada into turnovers, limiting their North American counterparts to 15 points in the first quarter and 39 points at the half.
Serbia led at the halftime break 52-39 and never trailed again.
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Canada's leading scorer, passer, and rebounder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, was held scoreless in the first 15 minutes due to tight coverage and foul trouble. He ended with 15 points, two rebounds, and nine assists, falling far below his tournament average of 25 points per game.
Serbia was defeated 129-92 by the United States in the 2014 tournament final in Madrid, Spain. The Balkan country was eliminated in the quarter-finals of the 2019 tournament in China.
The United States will face Germany in the final at 12:40 GMT on Friday.
On Sunday in Manila, the 19th edition of FIBA's quadrennial flagship tournament will conclude with the crowning of a new champion.
