Canada's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander faces off against France in the men's basketball quarterfinals at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The game takes place on Tuesday, August 6, 2024. Photo by Darren Calabrese/COC.
Canada's dreams of winning their first Olympic medal in men's basketball came to a sudden halt after a tough loss to host nation France in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Despite an undefeated run in the group stage, Canada struggled to find their rhythm against France, eventually losing 82-73. France's aggressive defence and the energetic crowd at Bercy Arena in Paris appeared to unsettle the Canadian team. Early on, Canada missed shots and made forced passes, looking out of sync for the first time in the tournament.
France dominated the first quarter, establishing a 13-point lead, which extended to 19 points as the second half began. Canada managed to narrow the gap to five points but couldn't sustain the momentum to overtake France.
With 1:46 left in the game, and Canada trailing by seven, France's Evan Fournier made a deep three-pointer after his team secured two offensive rebounds, effectively sealing the game. France's strategic play took 50 seconds off the clock during this crucial possession, making a Canadian comeback almost impossible.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, reflecting on the game, said, "They came out the aggressors. They punched us in the mouth." His words encapsulated the physical and mental challenge Canada faced against a determined French team.
This quarterfinal loss was reminiscent of Canada's last appearance in the Olympics 24 years ago in Sydney, where they were also eliminated by France. Back then, a young Steve Nash led the team, which faced a similar fate, being outscored early and unable to recover.
Canada missed the next five Olympic Games in men's basketball until their return this year, only to experience a repeat of history.
France's strategy involved exploiting their size advantage. Victor Wembanyama, Guerschon Yabusele, and Mathias Lessort repeatedly posted up against smaller Canadian defenders, drawing fouls and finding open shooters when the defence collapsed.
Gilgeous-Alexander, Canada's 26-year-old star point guard, provided a glimmer of hope in the second quarter. He drove into the lane, hit mid-range jumpers, and sank a three-pointer, scoring 11 straight points to reduce the deficit to 10. However, France responded with an 8-2 run to end the first half, leading by 16 at halftime.
Free throw disparity was a significant factor, with France attempting 25 free throws to Canada’s eight in the first half. "We knew that the home crowd would help," said head coach Jordi Fernandez. "There was a big free throw disparity that didn’t help either."
Canada's performance improved in the second half. Gilgeous-Alexander continued to score, drawing fouls and making free throws. Contributions from Khem Birch and Trey Lyles helped counter France’s size advantage. RJ Barrett scored five quick points at the start of the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to six.
With just over two minutes left, Lu Dort’s steal and layup cut the lead to five, igniting hopes for a comeback. "We kept fighting and kept coming," Fernandez said. "When you’re shooting free throws to cut it to (four points), that means, where I come from, that means ‘fight’."
Despite their efforts, Canada couldn't overcome France’s lead. Late in the game, France secured crucial offensive rebounds, allowing Fournier to hit two decisive three-pointers. Canada’s shooting woes continued as they made only 38% of their shots and 24% from three-point range.
"Offensively I thought it was our most selfish game," said Fernandez. "For us, it’s always been playing with pace, touching the paint, and reversing the basketball. That’s what we’ve done for the most part, but not in the game you have to win to stay in the tournament."
Gilgeous-Alexander led Canada with 27 points on 9-for-19 shooting, while Barrett added 16 points. The rest of the team struggled offensively, combining for a 27% shooting percentage. Canada finishes their first Olympic Games in 24 years in fifth place.
"They played better than us. They played harder than us," said Gilgeous-Alexander post-game. "That’s what happens when you let teams get out to a good start."
Reflecting on the slow start, he added, "Honestly, I have no clue. We all wanted to win – I don’t know why we started like that, but we did."
