CANADA DOMINATES SYRIA AT FIBA U19 WORLDS
Last Updated: July 06, 2009
by Tanya Phillipps, basketball.ca
AUCKLAND, New Zealand – Canada’s Junior Men’s National Team controlled the game from the opening tip on Friday, easily beating Syria 99-53 on Day 2 of the FIBA U19 World Championship.
Five Canadians scored in double digits including Tristan Thompson (Brampton, Ont.) and Jordan Baker (Edmonton), who both amassed double-doubles with 13 points and 10 rebounds apiece. Montreal’s Laurent Rivard also scored 13, while Kelly Olynyk (Kamloops, B.C.) posted 10 points and eight rebounds. Tournament scoring leader Mangisto Arop (Edmonton) rounded out the top five with 11 points and four rebounds.
Syria’s Hani Adribe was the team’s top scorer and only player in double digits, with 12 points and five boards.
"It was great to get a win for our team today," said Head Coach Greg Francis. "We came out a little tenative but once we settled down and played our game things went our way. We had 18 assists this game versus our five assists yesterday, much better team game all around. All levels of our game improved today in rebounds and scoring as well."
After a tough loss to Australia on Thursday, Team Canada came out as just that…a team. The game showcased the team’s depth of talent as every single player contributed points for the win. Canada dominated on offence, shooting 49 per cent to Syria’s 34, recording 40 points in the paint vs. Syria’s 24, and averaging 68 per cent from the free throw line. On the boards, the red-and-white out-rebounded its opponent 53 to 27.
Canada got on the board first with a bucket by Arop to start the match. It was a low scoring start as Canada led 12-5 with 3:30 remaining. Syrian guard Tarek Al Jabe collected four points, but Canadian power forward Thompson got the team going with eight points and four rebounds to close out the first 23-13.
In the second period, Canada didn’t score a basket until the eight-minute mark, causing coach Francis to call a time out and regroup. Syria chipped away at the lead, coming to within four points to make it 28-24 with 5:30 remaining, thanks to a couple of baskets by Syrian power forward Hani Adribe. Canada’s Rivard answered with a bucket and a three-pointer followed by an assist to Olynyk to make it 37-29 with just under a minute left and held on to the lead 37-31 at the break.
At the half both countries were shooting only 39 per cent, reflected in the low score, but Canada was far more powerful from the free throw line, averaging 67 per cent to Syria’s 29.
The third quarter was Canada’s best of the tournament thus far. The team came out strongly, going on an 8-2 run led by Jordan Baker and Cory Joseph who both scored three points to give Canada a 43-33 lead. The red-and-white continued to share the ball and play at both ends of the court, leading by 21, 58-37, with just under five minutes left.
Moving the ball, each Canadian player came out and contributed both offensively and defensively to bring it to 66-42 at the two-minute mark. Four Canadians (Baker, Arop, Thompson and Olynyk) amassed double-digit points by the end of the third as the team led 36-11 to bring the score to 73-42 to start the fourth.
Syria’s Adribe continued to try to bring a spark to his team with a quick bucket to start the fourth but Canada was just too much to handle and the deficit too large. Canada led by as many as 36 points with just under five minutes left in the game (83-47) and went on to win easily 99-53, guaranteeing a berth in the second round of the competition.
Canada will play its final game of the preliminary round July 4 against Spain at 5:00 p.m. local time. The game will be broadcast live on www.fibatv.com.
Visit the tournament website at www.newzealand2009.fiba.com to catch the live stats and complete box scores.
Fans are encouraged to send messages to the players on the official Canada Basketball Facebook Fan Page. Click here to join.
AUCKLAND, New Zealand – Canada’s Junior Men’s National Team controlled the game from the opening tip on Friday, easily beating Syria 99-53 on Day 2 of the FIBA U19 World Championship.
Five Canadians scored in double digits including Tristan Thompson (Brampton, Ont.) and Jordan Baker (Edmonton), who both amassed double-doubles with 13 points and 10 rebounds apiece. Montreal’s Laurent Rivard also scored 13, while Kelly Olynyk (Kamloops, B.C.) posted 10 points and eight rebounds. Tournament scoring leader Mangisto Arop (Edmonton) rounded out the top five with 11 points and four rebounds.
Syria’s Hani Adribe was the team’s top scorer and only player in double digits, with 12 points and five boards.
"It was great to get a win for our team today," said Head Coach Greg Francis. "We came out a little tenative but once we settled down and played our game things went our way. We had 18 assists this game versus our five assists yesterday, much better team game all around. All levels of our game improved today in rebounds and scoring as well."
After a tough loss to Australia on Thursday, Team Canada came out as just that…a team. The game showcased the team’s depth of talent as every single player contributed points for the win. Canada dominated on offence, shooting 49 per cent to Syria’s 34, recording 40 points in the paint vs. Syria’s 24, and averaging 68 per cent from the free throw line. On the boards, the red-and-white out-rebounded its opponent 53 to 27.
Canada got on the board first with a bucket by Arop to start the match. It was a low scoring start as Canada led 12-5 with 3:30 remaining. Syrian guard Tarek Al Jabe collected four points, but Canadian power forward Thompson got the team going with eight points and four rebounds to close out the first 23-13.
In the second period, Canada didn’t score a basket until the eight-minute mark, causing coach Francis to call a time out and regroup. Syria chipped away at the lead, coming to within four points to make it 28-24 with 5:30 remaining, thanks to a couple of baskets by Syrian power forward Hani Adribe. Canada’s Rivard answered with a bucket and a three-pointer followed by an assist to Olynyk to make it 37-29 with just under a minute left and held on to the lead 37-31 at the break.
At the half both countries were shooting only 39 per cent, reflected in the low score, but Canada was far more powerful from the free throw line, averaging 67 per cent to Syria’s 29.
The third quarter was Canada’s best of the tournament thus far. The team came out strongly, going on an 8-2 run led by Jordan Baker and Cory Joseph who both scored three points to give Canada a 43-33 lead. The red-and-white continued to share the ball and play at both ends of the court, leading by 21, 58-37, with just under five minutes left.
Moving the ball, each Canadian player came out and contributed both offensively and defensively to bring it to 66-42 at the two-minute mark. Four Canadians (Baker, Arop, Thompson and Olynyk) amassed double-digit points by the end of the third as the team led 36-11 to bring the score to 73-42 to start the fourth.
Syria’s Adribe continued to try to bring a spark to his team with a quick bucket to start the fourth but Canada was just too much to handle and the deficit too large. Canada led by as many as 36 points with just under five minutes left in the game (83-47) and went on to win easily 99-53, guaranteeing a berth in the second round of the competition.
Canada will play its final game of the preliminary round July 4 against Spain at 5:00 p.m. local time. The game will be broadcast live on www.fibatv.com.
Visit the tournament website at www.newzealand2009.fiba.com to catch the live stats and complete box scores.
Fans are encouraged to send messages to the players on the official Canada Basketball Facebook Fan Page. Click here to join.
- Access Hoops
- Clips
- Archives
- Access Hoops
- Clips
- Archives
- Access Hoops
- Clips
- Archives
Mary Campbell - 1929 UBC Team - 2007 Hall of Fame Inductee -
Adobe Flash Plug-in Needed
This website requires a Adobe Flash plug-in. Please download the latest version of the Flash plug-in by clicking here
FIBA World Rankings
Men
...
|
Women
...
|
1. ARGENTINA
2. U.S.A.
3. SPAIN
4. GREECE
5. SERBIA
19. CANADA
2. RUSSIA
3. AUSTRALIA
4. BRAZIL