Crew USA guard Austin Reaves celebrates towards Italy within the Fiba World Cup quarterfinals. -MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.web
MANILA, Philippines—With nobody boxing him out, Crew USA guard Austin Reaves properly ran towards the rim and soared for a putback dunk off a Tyrese Haliburton miss that obtained the Mall of Asia crowd on its ft.
Reaves had been ready for that actual second ever since the US’ first recreation within the Fiba World Cup right here.
The observe up dunk lastly occurred on Tuesday with 44 seconds left within the second quarter of Crew USA’s 100-63 romp of Italy within the quarterfinal spherical.
OH MY GOODNESS AUSTIN REAVES
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“It mainly modified the entire recreation, I didn’t know if we had been going to drag it out ’til then,” mentioned Reaves, whose dunk made it a 24-point recreation, in jest.
“However realistically, I used to be messing round with my guys the opposite day, I’ve been making an attempt to get one this complete time. I virtually obtained one earlier than however I would like the ball to bounce completely for me to go get it.”
His timing was excellent nevertheless it was additionally about effort.
“Like I’ve mentioned, I’ve tried to get a few these on this match however the ball hadn’t bounced the proper means nevertheless it’s all actually about effort to go and attempt to get the rebound,” mentioned the Los Angeles Lakers rising star.
“Thank goodness, it got here off the proper means for me to have the ability to dunk it.”
Reaves completed with 12 factors, 4 rebounds and three assists in shut to twenty minutes.
“I’m not blessed with Ant’s athletic skill so I’ve to have a number of issues go in my path,” he mentioned, referring to his teammate Anthony Edwards.
Coming off a surprising loss towards Lithuania on Sunday, 110-104, Reaves and Crew USA bounced again large time to advance to the semifinals the place a matchup towards Germany or Latvia awaits.
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