An ugly loss to Brazil has put Canada’s men’s basketball team back in a familiar spot.
Canada lost 69-65 against its Americas region rival on Friday in Jakarta, Indonesia, setting up a do-or-die tilt with Spain on Sunday for a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals.
A loss to Spain, the reigning world champion, could also relegate Canada back to a last-chance qualifying tournament for the 2024 Olympics — a scenario it hoped to avoid after three blowout wins in the first round.
During its Olympic drought, which dates to 2000, Canada has often found itself in these critical games — think of Venezuela in 2015, or France in 2016, or the Czech Republic on home court in 2021 — and has repeatedly come up short.
WATCH | Canada falls to Brazil:
‘I’m confident they’ll do well at FIBA World Cup’: Former Canadian men’s basketball coach Jay Triano
12 days ago
Duration 1:11
Former Canadian men’s basketball coach Jay Triano expresses his thoughts on the Canadian Men’s basketball team. He believes the team has the squad to go far at the FIBA World Cup and qualify for the Olympics.
Like in those past losses, Canada carried a roster seemingly capable of beating any opponent.
This Canadian team was supposed to be different, but Friday’s stunning loss to Brazil is reminiscent of prior defeats — including a surprising lack of togetherness for a team that set a World Cup record with 44 assists just two games ago.
“Offensively, we were not willing to do anything for each other. Space the floor, move the ball, move bodies. And when you play like that it’s really hard to win,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said.
WATCH | Ex-coach Triano confident in 2023 Team Canada:
Canada defeats Latvia to win FIBA World Cup group for 1st time
4 days ago
Duration 2:26
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 points and RJ Barrett added 22 points, as Canada used a strong second-half surge to beat Latvia 101-75 and finish atop Group H at the FIBA World Cup with a perfect 3-0 record.
Rock fight
Instead, Brazil set its pace from the tip, slowing Canada’s previously blazing offence and creating a rock fight.
Canada, which had turned dreary starts into runaway victories previously, was unable to pull that trick this time.
The Canadians held a 12-point lead late in the third quarter, but Brazil chipped away with a methodical 13-0 run to set up a tight finish.
In the fourth quarter, Canada was outscored 24-13 and unable to put together consecutive productive offensive possessions as Brazil’s size and rebounding proved overwhelming.
A critical out-of-bounds call put the ball back in Canadian hands with under two minutes remaining, where Luguentz Dort drew a shooting foul but made just one free throw to tie the game at 60.
After Brazil’s Yago Santos made a basket to build a two-point lead, Dort had a three-pointer disallowed due to a shot-clock violation.
Yago then added another layup, putting Brazil up four points with under 30 seconds to go, and Canada was unable to complete the comeback.
YAGO ????????<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAWC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#FIBAWC</a> x <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinForBrasil?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#WinForBrasil</a> <a href=”https://t.co/XOBlTCmqmA”>pic.twitter.com/XOBlTCmqmA</a>
Fernandez mentioned Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who led the team with 23 points, in addition to Kelly Olynyk, Dwight Powell, Dillon Brooks and himself as among those who must be better against Spain.
“It’s not about pointing any of these guys. These guys have been amazing. They’ve worked really hard, they’ve competed at a high level. We’ve had one bad game right now. We own it, we watch it, we learn from it and we’re going to come really, really, really aggressive and ready to fight the next game,” Fernandez said.
Final opportunity
Now, Canada has one last opportunity to prove this iteration of the team is unlike past squads. The range of possibilities against Spain is wide: lose, and Canada is out of the World Cup, with Olympic hopes extinguished as well. Win, and with help in other games, Canada could book its spot in the 2024 Olympics.
Canada must finish top two among Americas teams at the World Cup to qualify for Paris. The U.S., at 4-0, seems likely to take one spot with its place in the quarters wrapped up. But Puerto Rico’s 92-87 upset of the Dominican Republic on Friday, combined with Brazil’s win, leaves the remaining four teams in the region at 3-1. They could all theoretically reach the quarterfinals; they could all also be eliminated.
When it began training camp exactly one month ago in Toronto, Fernandez, GM Rowan Barrett and multiple players spoke about the team’s chemistry and commitment to each other.
“It’s not about any individual. It’s about us. … I’m going to be there for you either if I have to hold you accountable or if I have to help you. So if we can be perceived that way, with the talent that you guys see here, we’re going to be really good,” Fernandez said in Toronto.
Over five exhibition games and three World Cup matches, Canada played into Fernandez’s vision.
One of those tune-up wins came against Spain in overtime — one of those technically meaningless wins that showed Canada it truly could compete with anyone.
Spain’s golden generation is in the rearview mirror — there are no longer any Gasols on the roster — but it remains the type of tight-knit European team that excels in these tournaments.
Like Canada, it suffered an upset loss on Friday, falling 74-69 against Latvia.
And so Canada will must meet its first adversity of the tournament head-on.
“We haven’t faced anything like this and I believe in our guys that they’re gonna work, they care. We’re gonna watch film and we’re gonna prepare for Spain. It’s gonna be a fun game,” Fernandez said.
Canada will need to carry that belief into Sunday, when this team will ultimately show just how different it is.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
