Serbia cruised to an 87-61 upset win over Australia in the men’s basketball semifinals to secure a date against the United States in the gold medal game.
The rout was on in the first quarter as Serbia’s tough defense stifled Australia from the jump. The Boomers scored just five points in the first quarter and followed with nine in the second. Serbia led by 21 heading into the main break.
The Serbians received a huge performance from Milos Teodosic, who finished with 22 points, two rebounds, five assists and a steal. Stefan Markovic added 14 points on a perfect 5-for-5 from the field.
The Aussies were hampered by poor shooting all night long, averaging 33.3% on attempts from the floor, including an atrocious 12.9% from deep. Patty Mills, who was averaging 21.5 points prior to the game, scored just 13, including 1-for-9 from three-point range. Matthew Dellavedova and Andrew Bogut combined for seven points.
Australia was favored to win the game, setting up a rematch with the U.S. in the final, but Serbia had other plans. Now it will be the United States and Serbia in the gold medal game, while Spain and Australia will battle for bronze.
The Serbians are guaranteed to win a medal in their first appearance in the men’s basketball tournament since becoming an independent nation.