Brazil dealt Canada its first loss, 69-65, to keep its quarterfinals hopes alive in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 on Friday evening at the Indonesia Arena in Jakarta.
With the win, the Cariocas created a logjam in Group L, moving up to a 3-1 record. The Road Warriors, Latvia, and Spain, meanwhile, all hold identical 3-1 slates heading into the final day of the second stage on Sunday.
Back-to-back by Yago Santos, a steal by Georginho De Paula after a turnover by OKC guard Lu Dort, and two free-throws by Gui Santos sealed Brazil’s win, holding a six-point lead with 26 seconds left, 66-60.
Prior to Yago Santos’ second layup conversion, the Cariocas’ defense forced the Road Warriors to commit a crucial 24 second shot-clock violation after disturbing OKC All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s go-ahead three-point attempt.
Brazil completed a successful heist after absorbing Canada’s 17-6 finishing first-half blow that propelled the Road Warriors to maintain separation from the Cariocas until the payoff period, ending the third frame trailing by seven, 45-52.
Despite tallying the same amount of turnovers at nine, the Cariocas converted 17 points off the Road Warriors’ miscues compared to the latter’s four lone points. This proved to be crucial in the last minute of the match where Canada committed two errors from Dort and Gilgeous-Alexander.
Brazil also notched its 23rd-ever win against the Road Warriors, elevating its head-to-head count to a 9-22 card in both Olympic and FIBA play.
“It was a good game as far as the strategy that we had. Once we did the job, scouting report, as a coaching staff, we decided upon the strategy to slow down the pace of the game. That’s what we did, it’s a little bit unorthodox for us to do that… Great job by the players for executing it,” said Cariocas head coach Gustavo Conti through an interpreter.
Former NBA talent Bruno Caboclo kept Brazil’s World Cup stint in play with a double-double of 19 points and 13 rebounds to go along with two steals and three blocks, while Yago Santos’ late-game heroics propelled him to eight points and a game-high ten assists.
OKC’s Gilgeous-Alexander and Dort scored 40 of the Road Warriors’ 65 points, posting 23 and 17-point performances, respectively. Utah Jazz forward Kelly Olynyk chipped in nine points and seven rebounds, while Dallas Mavericks big man Dwight Powell contributed five points and six rebounds.
New York Knicks guard RJ Barrett, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Houston Rockets forward Dillion Brooks were offensive non-factors in Canada’s loss, combining for only nine points as a trio.
With quarterfinals berths on the line, both teams will be back in action on Sunday. Canada looks to seal their ticket to the quarterfinals in Manila against Spain, while the Cariocas aim to do the same against Latvia in the earlier match. (Ernest Martin Tuazon)
The Scores:
Brazil (69) – Caboclo 19, G. Santos 10, Y. Santos 8, Dias 8, Y. Santos 8, De Paula 6, Benite 6, Meindl 5, Soares 5, Huertas 2, Felicio 0
Canada (65) – Gilgeous-Alexander 23, Dort 17, Olynyk 9, Powell 5, Barrett 4, Alexander-Walker 3, Brooks 2, Scrubb 2
Quarterscores: 16-13, 27-37, 45-52, 69-65
