PARIS — Canada’s hopes of advancing in the Paris Olympics were dashed Tuesday as the men’s basketball team fell 82-73 to host France in a closely watched quarterfinal matchup.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Canadian effort with an impressive 27 points. However, his performance couldn’t compensate for the team’s overall shooting woes, as Canada managed to hit just 25 of 66 shots from the floor.
France’s victory was powered by strong performances from Guerschon Yabuselle and Isaia Cordinier, who scored 22 and 20 points, respectively. The host nation’s enthusiastic crowd added to the intense atmosphere, cheering, jeering, and drumming throughout the game.
The game started poorly for Canada, which trailed from the first minute. By halftime, France had built a 16-point lead. Despite Canada’s efforts, France extended their advantage to 19 points before the end of the third quarter.
With this victory, France secured a spot in the semifinals, where they will face Germany on Thursday. The other semifinal will see Serbia take on the winner of the quarterfinal match between Brazil and the United States.
Despite the quarterfinal loss, Canada had an otherwise strong showing in the tournament, going 3-0 in preliminary round play. The team’s performance, highlighted by Gilgeous-Alexander’s standout contributions, indicates a bright future for Canadian basketball on the international stage.
