Dillon Brooks clutch as Canada edges USA for breakthrough bronze in FIBA World Cup
MANILA, Philippines – There is always a first time for everything, especially for Canada.
Canada finally beat USA in the FIBA World Cup and scored a breakthrough bronze medal after eking out a heart-pumping 127-118 overtime win at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, September 10.
Dillion Brooks and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander carried the fight for the medal-hungry Canadians, who got the proverbial monkey off their backs after they lost to the Americans in all of their seven previous World Cup duels.
The victory also marked the first time Canada finished higher than the United States in World Cup history.
Gilgeous-Alexander scattered 7 of his 31 points in the extra period as Canada got the job done after the USA forced overtime off a miraculous four-point play by Mikal Bridges in the waning moments of regulation.
The Americans trailed 107-111 with four seconds left in the fourth quarter before Bridges split his free throws, picked up his own miss, and buried a fallaway three-pointer for the tie, 111-111.
Brooks turned in his best game of the tournament, churning out 39 points on a scintillating 7-of-8 clip from three-point land.
The Scores
Canada 127 – Brooks 39, Gilgeous-Alexander 31, Barrett 23, Olynyk 11, Dort 11, Alexander-Walker 5, Powell 4, Ejim 3, Edey 0, Scrubb 0.
USA 118 –Edwards 24, Reaves 23, Bridges 19, Portis 14, Brunson 13, Hart 10, Haliburton 6, Kessler 6, Johnson 3.
Quarters: 34-25, 58-56, 91-82, 111-111 (reg), 127-118 (OT).
– Rappler.com