That was a huge performance. One of the biggest wins in program history for the SMNT, full stop.
Aside from the fact Canada was taking on one of the top contenders to win the FIBA World Cup, there was another added layer of importance. The results from the group stage play carry over to the 2nd round, where Canada (should they advance) would face off against the top 2 teams from Group G (Group G (Spain, Brazil, Iran, Ivory Coast). The tournament bracket is so confusing (even for me), so if that explanation didn’t make sense, you can check out Blake Murphy’s excellent preview piece laying out Canada’s path to the finals.
Canada’s defense was exceptional today. The POA defense with Brooks, Dort and NAW was suffocating in the 3rd and the rim protection held up just enough. In the 3rd quarter, Canada held France to just 8(!) points. What a defensive clinic from the SMNT!
I had a live game thread on Twitter, covering the game with all of my most reactionary takes. That 3rd quarter was the most euphoric stretch of Canada Basketball I have ever witnessed.
The boxscore can be found here:
And the Raptors Republic coverage doesn’t stop here. Alex Adams, host of the We CAN Ball Podcast has released a post-game reaction pod live from Jakarta!
