France's Mathias Lessort tries to shoot as Canada's RJ Barrett defends during a men's basketball game at the Paris Olympics, on Aug. 6.Michael Conroy/The Associated Press
A slow start proved costly for Canada’s men’s basketball team Tuesday.
So costly it ended the squad’s quest for the podium at the Paris Olympics.
After falling behind host France in the first quarter, the Canadians couldn’t catch up and ultimately dropped an 82-73 decision in the quarter-finals.
“They came out the aggressors and they punched us in the mouth,” said guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who posted a game-high 27 points for a Canadian squad that hit just 25 of 66 shots from the floor.
Canada trailed from the first minute of play after Guerschon Yabusele hit a three that drew an exuberant reaction from the enthusiastic home crowd. Moments later, Isaia Cordinier added a dunk that brought fans to their feet.
By the end of the first quarter, the French were up 23-10.
Kelly: Canada gets everything wrong against hosts France as medal hopes slip away
Asked what Canada could have done differently at the beginning of the game, Gilgeous-Alexander was at a loss for words.
“I have no clue,” said the Oklahoma City Thunder star. “We all wanted to win. Obviously it’s no one person, we’re in this together. We don’t know, but we’ll learn from it.”
By early in the third, France had boosted the advantage to 19 points with Cordinier’s fourth three-pointer of the game.
The shooting guard chalked up 20 points on the night, while Yabusele led the French with 22 points and five rebounds.
“France played a hell of a game. Give it to them – they played physical, they played like they’re at home. And they brought that energy from the start,” said Canadian guard Jamal Murray. “We were never able to make enough shots, in my opinion, to kind of take over the way that we wanted to.”
Canada started to claw its way back into the game late in the third quarter.
Gilgeous-Alexander registered nine points across the frame, including two on a play where he stripped Andrew Albicy of the ball and streaked down the court on a fast break.
R.J. Barrett brought Canada within five points midway through the fourth with a thundering dunk.
“We’ve just got to be better,” said Canada’s head coach Jordi Fernandez. “I appreciate my players’ effort. We shot free throws to cut it to one possession. Nobody can say that we didn’t fight. It wasn’t perfect, but I will always support my players.”
For France, Tuesday’s victory was a bit of revenge after Canada thrashed France 95-65 in FIBA World Cup play last August.
“These guys are really good,” said France’s Evan Fournier. “They kicked our ass last year (in the FIBA World Cup). They finished first during the group phase. So, it feels good to beat a good team. But what feels better is that we played our brand of basketball tonight.”
French fans showed their appreciation by cheering and jeering and drumming and jumping all game.
“The crowd was amazing. People that were here, they gave us everything,” Fournier said.
The Detroit Pistons shooting guard noted, though, that a sizable section of seats – apparently reserved for VIPs – sat empty for the entire game, calling it a “(expletive) shame.”
Fernandez said he tried his best to prepare his players for the hostile environment.
“I think that as much as I can I tell them how the crowd is going to be, and how tough it’s going to be, and that the officials are not going to give you a call, and how frustrating it’s going to be. I don’t know if you have kids but I do, and I tell them, `Watch out, because this is going to happen.’ And they don’t until they go through it,” the coach said. “That’s how you learn.”
France will face Germany in the semi-finals on Thursday. The other semi-final will feature Serbia and the winner of a quarter-final tilt between Brazil and the United States.
Tuesday’s result marked Canada’s lone loss of the tournament after it went 3-0 in preliminary round play.
No one thinks they’re going home as they head into a quarter-final matchup, Gilgeous-Alexander said.
“But if you don’t earn it, that’s what happens. You lose,” he said. “That’s what happened tonight.”
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