Serbia player loses kidney at FIBA World Cup

MANILA  -- Serbia's Borisa Simanic has undergone surgery to remove a kidney after being injured at the Basketball World Cup.

Simanic had an operation in a Manila hospital after being hit by a South Sudan player's elbow during a pool game on August 30.

Complications arising from the operation meant he had to have further surgery on September 3, when one of his kidneys was removed, the team said Monday.

Serbian team doctor Dragan Radovanovic said that they "expect and wish that after this operation, the postoperative course will go smoothly".

The incident occurred near the end of Serbia's first-round game against South Sudan, when Simanic was defending opposition player Nuni Omot under the Serbia basket.

Omot caught Simanic with an elbow, causing Simanic to scream in pain and immediately wheel away.

The 25-year-old Simanic plays for Zaragoza in Spain.

In a statement, the South Sudan Basketball Federation called the incident "unintentional and unfortunate." 

The player involved in the play, Nuni Omot, said he was "deeply saddened by the news of Simanic's injuries."

"As a sportsman, I firsthand understand the severity of his situation, and I am deeply sorry that this happened. No player should have to go through that. I pray for Simanic's recovery and speedy return to the court," said Omot, who was not called for a foul on the play.

The South Sudan federation said that Omot has been subjected to racism and harassment due to the incident.

"We condemn any sort of racism directed towards the player. Basketball is a sport that is recognized to bring people together rather than be used as a tool of prejudice," the federation said.

Serbia went on to advance to the semifinals of the World Cup after routing Lithuania, 87-68, on Tuesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

South Sudan, meanwhile, is headed to the Olympic Games in Paris next year after finishing as the highest-ranked African team in the tournament. 

Agence France-Presse

Coach urges China to play smarter after missing Olympic basketball spot

China head coach Aleksandar Djordjevic said his team need to play smarter after missing out on an Olympic qualifying spot at the Basketball World Cup with a fourth defeat Saturday.

China slumped to a 96-75 loss to the Philippines in Manila to bring an end to a disastrous tournament for the basketball-obsessed nation.

By the time their game had ended, Japan had already claimed the one Asian qualifying spot for the Paris Games available at the World Cup.

Japan beat Cape Verde 80-71 in Okinawa for their third win to finish the tournament as Asia's highest-placed team.

China managed only one win from five games and Djordjevic said his team's "loss of focus and concentration" was to blame against the Philippines, after being outscored 34-11 in the third quarter.

"Once you're tired, once the difficulties start, you have to use your head -- our head was not used in the proper way tonight in the second half," he said.

"Basketball is a game for thinkers. You must think in every possession, you must understand what is happening on both sides of the floor."

Djordjevic said he would not quit as head coach and would lead the team at the Asian Games in Hangzhou later this month.

He said the team "must learn from this" and vowed to pick largely the same group of players.

"Everybody brings responsibility, the head coach is the first one," he said.

"That's how it happens. It's sport, we've got to try to get better every day, that's our job."

Four spots for the 12-team Paris Olympics will still be up for grabs at next year's qualifying tournament.

Agence France-Presse