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In its final showing of this year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup, Team USA had its recent string of coming up short continued, this time falling to a new foe.
Team USA was ousted by Canada, 127-118, in overtime Sunday, Sept. 10 from the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila in the third place game of the tournament. As a result of the outcome, Canada was awarded the bronze medal while the Americans will return to the states without any hardware.
For the second straight year, the country has failed to medal.
The 127 points given up marks the most ever allowed by a Team USA bunch. In fact, the team set a new mark in back-to-back games with 113 and 127 points coughed up. Moreover, new marks were set in all three of the U.S.’s losses this summer.
Through eight games played, the red, white and blue went 5-3 including closing the stretch with back-to-back losses and three Ls in the country’s last four outings.
Canadian guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shined in overtime scoring the first five points of the five-minute extra period. He’d go on to score the first seven points for Canada.
The dagger came in the form of a made three-pointer from forward RJ Barrett off an assist from Gilgeous-Alexander, his 12th of the game. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 31 points, 12 assists, six rebounds, a steal and a block.
Three straight turnovers from Team USA took away any chance to regain any momentum as Canada went on its game-sealing run. The final turnover came immediately after a timeout as reserve guard Austin Reaves stepped out of bounds on a made three.
The U.S. finished with 14 turnovers, two more than Canada.
Even with the loss, the Americans had to stage a feverous comeback in the fourth quarter that saw the country battle back from double-digits down.
After being down 10 points early in the fourth quarter, the U.S. went on a 10-0 run out of a timeout to tie the game at 94 apiece. Prior to, Canada built a 12-point lead in the first quarter on the way to losing the frame, 34-25.
Those 34 points surrendered in the first 10 minutes of play marks the most first quarter points ever allowed by the red, white and blue for a second straight game.
Forward Mikal Bridges was fouled on a three-point attempt that he still got to fall with less than four minutes left in regulation. He’d miss the free throw but still put his country up two with his made field goal.
Now with his team down four, Bridges would make one of his two free throw attempts with the second attempt clanking against the rim on purpose. He would corral his own miss and race to the corner for the game-tying three with 0.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Bridges recorded 19 points on 50% shooting to go along with nine rebounds and four assists.
Canada forward Dillon Brooks was the biggest culprit for the Team USA loss, erupting for 39 points with seven made threes. Following his performance, he was awarded the game’s Most Valuable Player award.
Guard Anthony Edwards led the United States in scoring with 24 points, followed by 23 points from Reaves. As a result of Reaves’ night, coupled with 14 points from fellow reserve Bobby Portis, Team USA’s bench outscored Canada’s bench, 46-19.
Guard Jalen Brunson and forward Josh Hart rounded out the double-figure scorers with 13 and 10 points respectively.