Canada’s loss to Brazil at FIBA World Cup puts it in must-win situation

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It’s down to win-or-go-home for Canada at the FIBA World Cup. 

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A 69-65 loss to Brazil after Canada had built a 10-point lead at the half means Canada must win Sunday’s game with Spain or its tournament is over. 

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On the other hand, if they do win, they will advance from their group along with the winner of Latvia/Brazil and play one of Germany or Slovenia in their quarter-final matchup. 

The Brazilians dictated the pace and the physicality from the outset on Friday slowing things down and owning the boards with their big bodies and extreme physical play. 

Canadian head coach Jordi Fernandez was critical of his team’s play in this one, but put the blame on the collective, refusing to single out any one player for the loss.

“We are a really good team when we run the floor, when we space the floor, when we touch the paint and we reverse the ball from side to side,” Fernandez said. “I thought we played the right way throughout the tournament and today we didn’t. It’s not just one specific player. It’s all of us as a group, me included. And if we do (all those things) the next game, I like our chances.” 

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Fernandez liked his team’s defensive focus for the most part, but was disappointed in the team’s offence as a whole.

 “When (an opponent) shoots 40% from the field and 19% from three, you should have a chance, but 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. Today was an example with 10 assists to nine turnovers … We didn’t deserve to win, but this is good because it’s adversity for us. We haven’t faced anything like this, and I believe in our guys that they are going to work. They care and we are going to watch film and prepare for Spain. It’s going to be a fun game and we’ll be ready for the next one. 

“It’s not about pointing fingers at any of these guys,” Fernandez reiterated. “These guys have been amazing. They have worked really hard. They have competed at a high level. We have one bad game now. We own it. We’ll watch it. We’ll learn from it. And we are going to come really, really aggressive and ready to fight the next game. That is how life is.”

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This was anyone’s game right into the final minute, but Yago Santos — the diminutive Brazilian point guard with more speed on the floor than any other player — owned the final couple of minutes, getting into the paint and scoring the deciding baskets. 

Santos only had eight points in the game, but also had 10 assists and basically single-handedly dictated the pace of the game.

One-time Raptor Bruno Caboclo had 19 points, 13 rebounds, three blocks and two steals, showing off his much-improved game as the other key cog in Brazil’s arsenal. 

Lu Dort, back after two games off following a collision in the France game Canada began the tournament with, was pivotal for the Canucks in this one at both ends of the floor, but it wasn’t enough in support of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was really Canada’s only source of offence outside of Dort. 

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Gilgeous-Alexander finished the day with 23 points while Dort had 17. No other Canadian made it into double figures in scoring. 

Dort was all about putting this one in the rear-view mirror and focusing on the next task: Spain. 

“We will have to regroup,” Dort said. “We have all played a lot of games and been in those kinds of situations where we really need a win to achieve our goal. So, like I said, we have to have a short memory. Spain is a good team. We played them already, so we have to regroup, watch film and get ready. We have a bigger goal, and we have the right group of guys for that. We’ll all lock in and do it game by game. We’ll be ready for next game.” 

Fernandez did see one silver lining in Friday’s result. 

“We just lost the intensity of the game,” he said. “That’s something that my guys have never lost so far because they have played really, really hard. I think going through it as a group is a really good thing for us — a bunch of young, really good players and it’s our first time here together. We’re not (ready) to go home yet.

“So once again, just a good opportunity to learn from this lack of intensity and physicality at certain points of the game, especially offensively, and move on.” 

mganter@postmedia.com

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