Workforce USA guard Austin Reaves. -MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.internet
MANILA, Philippines — Austin Reaves made positive to bounce again from his worst sport for Workforce USA.
Reaves, the crowd-favorite guard, as soon as once more supplied the vitality off the bench as Workforce USA routed Italy, 100-63, to advance to the Fiba World Cup semifinals on Tuesday at Mall of Asia Area.
“You man up. You go watch the movie and also you see the stuff didn’t do good. Clearly, struggled guarding the publish. My brother’s boy had a few good strikes. Tip your hat,” Reaves advised reporters, referring to Lithuania guard Vaidas Kariniauskas.
The Los Angeles Lakers rising star fouled out in Workforce USA’s 110-104 loss to Lithuania final Sunday in a sport the place he was restricted to only seven factors and didn’t get a single rebound and help.
Reaves was additionally taunted by Kariniauskas however he by no means misplaced confidence and acquired again to being his standard productive self with 12 factors, 4 rebounds and three assists.
“On the finish of the day, you by no means lose confidence in what you do as a basketball participant and I don’t know anyone that tries to make me lose confidence, Good luck to them,” he mentioned.
Workforce USA guard Austin Reaves celebrates in opposition to Italy within the Fiba World Cup quarterfinals. -MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.internet
Reaves mentioned the People loosened up their sport and had been in a position to have enjoyable once more to regain their successful methods in time for the ultimate part.
“Anytime you win, it’s a whole lot of enjoyable. You recognize, we performed an excellent model of basketball tonight,” mentioned Reaves, who energized the gang together with his emphatic putback slam. “Clearly, shoutout to the followers. It’s an attractive factor to see for me, it means so much to me and I recognize it.”
“That was our plan from the get-go, to have a whole lot of vitality, a whole lot of effort and , actually go — such as you mentioned — make a press release. Put our greatest foot ahead. We nonetheless have two extra to win and the frequent aim hasn’t modified,” he added.
Workforce USA is making its return to the World Cup semis after a quarterfinal exit within the 2019 version in China.
Going through both Germany or Latvia within the semis on Friday, Reaves believes they’re heading in the right direction.
“There’s at all times factors of enchancment however that is clearly an excellent step in the fitting path, clearly, we acquired two extra to win,” he mentioned. “It’s gonna be a troublesome sport whichever opponent we draw subsequent spherical. However at present was an excellent begin.”
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