PARIS –
Canada’s men’s basketball team is out of the Paris Olympics after losing 82-73 to host France in the quarterfinals Tuesday.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put up 27 points for a Canada side that hit just 25 of 66 shots from the floor.
France got 22 points from Guerschon Yabuselle and 20 from Isaia Cordinier in front of an enthusiastic crowd that cheered and jeered and jumped and drummed for much of the game.
Canada trailed from the first minute of play and couldn’t catch up to a French team that led by 16 points heading into halftime and boosted its advantage to 19 before the end of the third.
France will face Germany in the semifinals on Thursday. The other semifinal will feature Serbia and the winner of a quarterfinal 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.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2024