USA rides on blistering second quarter run to blow out Greece

Austin Reaves posted a modern-day Team USA record-setting all-around game. FIBA

By Mon Anthony L. Valmoria

PASAY CITY—A night after medal rivals France bowed out of the FIBA World Cup, USA made sure they would not suffer the same fate.

Team USA rode on a blistering second-quarter run to upend Greece, 109-81, in their second game of Group C's FIBA World Cup run at the Mall of Asia Arena.

It was an all-around effort by the Americans led by fan-favorite Austin Reaves 15 points followed by Anthony Edwards' 13 points. Team captain Jalen Brunson shot 5/5 from the field en route to scoring 13 points himself.

Despite Team USA's blowout victory, it was not the case early on. Greece brought in the work early, attacking the paint against the much smaller USA team. Starting center Georgios Papagiannis, who stands at 7'3, feasted as he had 11 of Greece's 19 points in the first quarter.

However, that was as long as Greece could sustain with Team USA going with their vaunted second unit in the second quarter. Reaves together with Tyrese Haliburton and Josh Hart unlocked USA's transition game capped by a 15-1 run in the second quarter that virtually ended the game. 

Papagiannis only managed two points in the second half to finish with 17 points, leading the Greeks' losing cause.

With their win, USA advances to the next round with a 2-0 record, having a game to spare vs winless Jordan on Wednesday.

On the other hand, Greece goes into a winner-take-all match with New Zealand on the same day for the last and final spot to the next stage in Group C.

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