Sports Stunner: Germany Upsets USA in Basketball

Team USA had been "overwhelming" favorites to win this year's FIBA Basketball World Cup, per CNN. But after being upset by Germany on Friday, they'll have to settle for playing in the bronze-medal game Sunday against Canada. Germany defeated the US 113-111 in the Philippines, marking the first German win over America since NBA stars started playing for the team in 1992, notes the Washington Post. In fact, most of the previous six games between the two teams in Olympic or World Cup competition resulted in US blowouts, per the AP.

"We knew the task at hand, and that was to go win," US guard Austin Reaves said after the game. "And we didn't do that." Team USA trailed by 10 points midway through the final quarter, but their comeback fell just short. In the view of Brian Windhorst at ESPN, the American team was simply too short. The team had gambled its talent would overcome height differences against rivals, and that wager "failed," writes Windhorst. Anthony Edwards led the US with 23 points, while Andreas Obst had 24 for Germany. The latter team plays Serbia on Sunday for the gold medal. (More Team USA stories.)