QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES — The Canadian men’s National team’s quest for FIBA World Cup gold fell short on Friday afternoon, as a magnificent output from Serbia’s Bogdan Bogdanovic propelled his team to a nine-point victory, 95-86.
Canada, who was impacted by foul trouble all game, could not get a consistent rhythm going, and everytime they seemed to get momentum, it was thwarted by Serbia.
Foul trouble struck Canada very early on, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander whistled for his second foul at the 3:27 mark of the first quarter, just as Canada was in the midst of a 12-4 scoring run after trailing 8-1.
Dwight Powell picked up his second foul attempting to block a shot, and Dillon Brooks, with 2:17 to go, picked up his second foul. With two starters, Gilgeous-Alexander and Powell, going to the bench, Canada went on a dry spell, being outscored 11-0 from the 4:35 mark (after Brooks hit a tough fall away jumper in the lane), all the way until 59.4 seconds remained on the quarter clock. Olynyk hit two free throws, for Canada’s 14th and 15th points of the game, and a missed shot at the buzzer by RJ Barrett kept the score 23-15 after one quarter.
While, in the second quarter, it looked like the Canadians would get close and take the lead, Serbia kept their opponents at bay, aided by second foul calls on Nickeil Alexander-Walker, with still 6:07 to go in the opening half, and Olynyk, just one minute and 20 seconds later. Bogdanovic scored five points in that span, crafty with a spinning layup and then dialing in from long distance for a triple. Then, in one of the most important moments of the entire contest, Gilgeous-Alexander committed his third foul with 42 seconds remaining, on a reach-in. Canada head coach Jordi Fernandez was called for a technical foul, and the three free-throws put Serbia ahead comfortably, by 15, 52-37.
Serbia took a 52-39 lead into the halftime, and shot a blistering 64 percent from the field in the first half. Canada, meanwhile, shot just 42 percent, and managed just 12 points in the paint to Serbia’s 22. Bogdanovic scored 15 points in the first half.
Serbia’s Nikola Milutinov played a big part in that points in the paint discrepancy all game, as the seven foot center scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the contest.
The mismatch on the interior, as well as Canada’s continued foul trouble (Brooks picked up his fourth foul with 6:53 remaining in the third and Olynyk with 5:43 remaining in the quarter after a Nikola Jovic driving layup), affected them in the second half. Canada got the deficit to seven, 61-53, when Gilgeous-Alexander hit a baseline jumper, but a three-point play from Milutinov shortly after extended the lead to 10, 68-58, and a corner triple from Vanja Marinkovic, his only three-pointer of the game, gave Serbia a 75-62 lead and they took a 75-63 advantage into the fourth.
Canada was unable to get any rhythm in the fourth. Getting the game to as close as 10 after Barrett free throws, Bogdanovic scored on a smooth euro step layup and then a wing three, extending the lead to 15, 91-76. Brooks converted on a three-point play with 3:49 to go, but Canada, who forced a shot clock violation on the ensuing defensive possession, could not connect on two attempts from downtown by Alexander-Walker and Brooks. Dejan Davidovac scored on a transition layup, and Bogdanovic hit a left-hand layup to expand the lead to 16, 95-79. Fernandez called a timeout, and emptied the bench with 1:28 remaining.
The final result was undoubtedly the most disappointing for the Canadians during this tournament, who had high hopes of at least getting to the Gold Medal game. In the end, though, Serbia was just too much, to the tune of 62 percent from the field and a solid 45 percent from three-point range. Bogdanovic led with 23 points on 8-for-12 shooting, while Ognjen Dobric, like Milutinov, finished with 16. Marko Guduric added 12 in just 12 minutes of action.
“I’m so happy that we won tonight,” Bogdanovic told reporters after the game. “Unbelievable win. Thank you to our fans, this is for them.”
Serbia outrebounded Canada 33-22, and outscored them in the paint 46-32, both of which have been an issue all tournament for a Canadian team that lacks a steady inside presence. Barrett led Canada with 23 points on 8-of-14, while Brooks scored 16 points on 5-of-12. Gilgeous-Alexander, taking just eight shots, scored 15 points and Alexander-Walker scored 10. For the game, Canada shot 48 percent from the field, and made 10-of-27 three-point attempts.
Although the finish was indeed a letdown, the loss pales in comparison to the United States’ 113-111 defeat at the hands of Germany on Friday, which happened in the second semifinal game. The United States are always favorites in international tournaments, and, for them, the loss only heightens the notion that they need to bring their best to international play.
So, in the end, the anticipated matchup will happen, with an all-North America game on Sunday. Only it will be for Bronze, not Gold, and will get the early 4:45 am eastern time slot.
If it is any consolation, Sunday’s contest will be, for a lot of fans, the most anticipated matchup of the tournament, despite the lower prize. It will be a matchup ripe with some star power, and the heaviest NBA talent showcase possible in this tournament.
In spite of it being for Bronze, Sunday morning should be appointment viewing for any basketball fan.
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