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Today's round of matches concluded the First Round of the 2019 World Cup, and there is plenty to look forward to as the tournament moves on to the next stage. A Serbia team led by Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nikola Jokic have more than matched their lofty expectations through three games, and look set to pose a huge threat to the normally dominant Team USA.
Meanwhile, Poland has excelled following a lengthy absence away from the World Cup, and Venezuela has reached the second round for the first time in the nation's history. Nevertheless, before we turn our attention towards the Second Round of the tournament, here we will take a look at the top 5 individual performances from Day 6 of the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
#5 Cory Joseph - Canada
Entering Game 3, the Canadians had endured a miserable tournament, although Nick Nurse’s team managed to regroup to record a first World Cup win in 17 years. During the win over Senegal, a number of the Canadian roster delivered their best individual performances of the tournament but Cory Joseph was the driving force as he poured in 11 third-quarter points.
In total, Joseph managed 24 points in 29 minutes and connected with more than 50% of his efforts from the field. The Sacramento Kings star also connected with three of his five efforts from downtown and came away with three assists and two rebounds.
After securing a first win since beating Venezuela back at the 2002 World Cup, Nurse has stated his intent to recruit Canada’s biggest NBA talents to his roster, although there is no doubting that Joseph still has a key role to play after an impressive showing in China.
#4 Corey Webster
New Zealand needed to defeat Greece to advance to the second round of the World Cup, although the team fell just short - ensuring an early exit for just the second time in the history of the nation. However, the Tall Blacks offensive skills were once again on show as the team reached 97 points.
Corey Webster scored 21 in the first half alone and once again recorded a game-high of 31 points. The 30-year-old has excelled at the tournament, and his perimeter shooting was once again on show as he connected with seven of his twelve three-point attempts during an excellent offensive performance.
Webster also led his team with two steals, and the New Zealand Breakers man ends the tournament averaging 25 points while shooting more than 50% from the field.
#3 Giannis Antetokounmpo - Greece
Entering Game 3, Giannis Antetokounmpo had yet to demonstrate the MVP form that NBA fans have grown accustomed to. Nevertheless, the Milwaukee Bucks star finally delivered as he led his Greece team with 24 points as they overcame New Zealand.
Antetokounmpo took just 10 shots, but was constantly fouled throughout the game and made 15 trips to the free-throw line. He connected with 11 of them, and also knocked down 1 of his 3 attempts from beyond the arc to record his highest point’s tally of the tournament so far.
Antetokounmpo also led his team in rebounds with nine, and only Kostas Sloukas bettered his tally of six assists. The Greek’s next face the United States, and Antetokounmpo appears to have hit form at the perfect time.
#2 Jaylen Brown - USA
Team USA needed its fair share of luck to overcome Turkey in Game 2, and the narrow victory heightened concerns over a lack of quality on the roster. However, Gregg Popovich’s men answered their critics in Game 3 by crushing Japan by a scoreline of 98-45.
There were plenty of excellent performances as four players reached double figures, although Jaylen Brown was the pick of the bunch as he posted 20 points in just 22 minutes on the court. The Boston Celtics star shot 60% from the field and also knocked down two three-pointers on the way to recording his highest points haul in a USA jersey.
He also finished the game with seven rebounds and came up with two blocks during an impressive all-around performance. Brown has benefited from Team USA’s historic number of withdrawals, and the 22-year-old will be hopeful of taking his standout performance into the next round of the competition.
#1 Aron Baynes - Australia
In the build-up to the World Cup, Australia became the first team to defeat the USA since 2006, although many ruled out the prospect of the Boomers contending in China. However, the nation has replied to their doubters by starting with a 3-0 record for the first time in history. The Boomers managed to overcome Lithuania to maintain their perfect start, and while Patty Mills was once again impressive, Aron Baynes enjoyed the finest performance of his international career.
The Phoenix Suns star scored 21 points while shooting just over 50% from the field. Baynes also connected with three 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 13 rebounds. Six were offensive boards, and the veteran also came up with a block. The Australian’s appear a real threat, and Baynes has successfully shown his ability to make major contributions at both ends of the court.
