Turkey's late surge stuns Australia at FIBA World Cup

Turkey players celebrate a the end of the 2014 FIBA World basketball championships round of 16 match Turkey vs Australia at the Palau Sant Jordi arena in Barcelona on Sept. 7. AFP Photo

Turkey forward Emir Preldzic made his second of two last-minute 3-pointers only 5 seconds from the finish to stun Australia 65-64 at the Basketball World Cup on Sept. 7, sending the reigning silver medalists into the quarterfinals.

Australia was winning by five points with a minute to go when Preldzic struck from long range. And after Australia lost the ball for a shot clock violation, Preldzic let the final seconds wind down before unleashing another 3-pointer under duress to snatch the win in dramatic fashion.

Preldzic and guard Sinan Güler had 16 points each to lead the Turks. San Antonio Spur forward Aron Baynes scored 15 for Australia, which had led by 12 points in the third period.

Turkey will play Lithuania on Sept. 10 after Jonas Valanciunas scored eight of his 22 points in the fourth quarter as Lithuania held on to beat New Zealand 76-71.

Serbia knocks Greece out

In Madrid, guard Bogdan Bogdanovic made four 3-pointers and scored 21 points to help Serbia rout Greece 90-72. Serbia will meet the winner of the other round-of-16 game between South American powers Argentina and Brazil to be played later in Madrid.

Greece needed a wild card invitation to compete in Spain, but it had appeared to re-establish its credentials as a perennial medal contender by winning all five games to claim first place in its group to reach this first knockout round.

But Serbia led throughout except when Greece managed to edge ahead by a point late in the second quarter, and the Greeks imploded in the fourth period, falling behind by as much as 20.

Milwaukee Bucks center Miroslav Raduljica added 16 points for the Serbs, while Milos Teodosic scored 13 more. Guard Nick Calathes paced Greece with 14 points.

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