MANILA, Philippines — The USA men’s basketball team faced their most challenging opponent yet in Montenegro last Thursday, who they managed to escape from in a thrilling fourth quarter to remain undefeated in the FIBA World Cup tournament.
Led by Nikola Vucevic’s dominant 18 points and 16 rebounds, the Montenegrins’s height and physicality kept the Americans vulnerable throughout the game. Team USA may have had an answer for their opponent with their depth and firepower, but what was clear in their most recent game is that this round of the tournament won’t be a breeze like the first group phase was.