Bogdanovic breaks records in another classic performance

MANILA (Philippines) - Bogdan Bogdanovic added another masterclass to his ever-growing list of legendary FIBA World Cup performances, which place him among the very best in the tournament's history. 23 points, 8/12 shooting, 3/4 from three, 4 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 assists. He was, once again, the best player of the game.

Just how superb is "FIBA Bogi"? Here are a few elements to get a legitimate answer.

Serbia came out ready to pounce and grab a spot in the Final, beating Canada 95-86 in Friday's first Semi-Final game. As usual, it was Bogdan Bogdanovic who set new FIBA World Cup records along the way as now he's made the most three-pointers (70) in the competition over the last 30 years.

Bogdanovic set the tempo for the game with two quick assists and one bucket to get Serbia out and running with an early 8-1 lead. Canada forced a couple of lead changes, but it was Serbia's game throughout the 40 minutes, just as it was another classic Bogdan Bogdanovic effort.

Historically speaking, Bogdanovic continued his path towards and by other greats. The Serbian wing surpassed Dirk Nowitzki (425 points) with 427 points scored in FIBA World Cup games. Today was his 11th game with 20 points or more at the World Cup. He now holds the 3rd best tally in the 21st century, only behind Luis Scola (16) - courtside today as a World Cup Global Ambassador - and Dirk Nowitzki (12).

Greetings to Kirk Penney as well! Bogdanovic now is the sole record holder of 24 consecutive games of at least one 3-pointer made in each of the World Cup games he's played in.

And, of course, one cannot conceal the clutch shots. Canada was one run away from a final attempt at clinching a spot in the Final before Bogdan Bogdanovic scored a smooth layup, blocked Dillon Brooks and made a stepback three-pointer... Score was already 91-76.

This is really similar to what he did when he scored 10 points in the fourth quarter of the Semi-Final in 2014 against France. The 22-year-old had 13 points for the whole game as he stepped up when Serbia needed it the most.

Simply put, he's always been heading towards legendary status.

The only question that remains is whether he can add a World Cup trophy to that list of achievements. 

FIBA