TORONTO — Canada’s U23 men’s national team rallied to beat the United States 69-67 to improve to 2-0 at the GLOBL JAM International Basketball Show on Wednesday.
Marcus Carr led Canada with 14 points and Emmanuel Miller had 13 points and 10 rebounds. A three-point play by Miller gave Canada a one-point lead with 1:30 remaining after Canada trailed by eight points earlier in the fourth.
Carr followed Miller’s three-point play with a 3-pointer of his own to extend Canada’s lead to four with 53 seconds remaining. Carr would seal the win by making it a two-possession game with a pair of free throws with four seconds left.
The victory came in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Mattamy Athletic Center with NBA players Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Scottie Barnes in the front row. Also sitting courtside were the mothers of Miller and Carr.
“It’s unbelievable,” Miller said. “All these greater players on our home soil? To be able to defend home court, that’s all. My mother means everything to me. She is my backbone. She is everything. She has supported me throughout my life and I will do the same for her. Playing in front of her on this home court means a lot.”
Keyonte George led the Americans with 19 points and Jalen Bridges had 13.
The Canadians came back to win the game, overcoming a tough third quarter in which the team had just one field goal in the final 5:31 of the quarter as the USA took a six-run lead into the fourth.
Like Miller, Carr was thrilled to be able to put on a show in front of his loved ones.
“My family doesn’t really get a lot of opportunities to come out and see me play, so to play in front of them, to play in front of my extended family, to have that Sportsnet broadcast all over the country, just huge to have that opportunity. I am very grateful,” he said.
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Canada struck first in the final frame when Quincy Guerrier hit a huge 3-pointer to cut the deficit to three points, but the USA quickly responded as Bridges went on a 5-0 run of her own to give the Americans the lead. an eight-point lead, their largest of the game, with 7:26 remaining.
Credit Team Canada head coach Nathaniel Mitchell for a game plan that didn’t involve panic in the fourth.
“Just stay calm, collected and smooth,” Miller said of the team’s mindset. “Follow the game plan and execute it. And that’s what we did.”
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In a game that featured many lead changes and ties, the Canadians had the edge, getting to the line where they made 28 of 38 attempts. By comparison, the USA made just 13 of 16 free throw attempts. The USA attempted 13 more field goals than Canada, but the hosts outshot the visitors 54-39.
The Canadiens led 18-16 after the first quarter, but were outscored 19-13 in the second to enter halftime trailing by four, 35-31. The first half was a rough affair with both teams shooting just 29 percent from the floor.
Canada faces Italy on Thursday at 9:00 PM ET / 6:00 PM PT on Sportsnet 360. The Americans face Brazil on Thursday at 2:00 PM ET / 11:00 AM PT on Sportsnet.
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