Canada's hopes of advancing in the men's basketball competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics were dashed in the quarterfinals, where they faced a determined French team. Despite entering the game as eight-point favorites, Canada was unable to secure a victory, falling 82-73 to France.
First Quarter Struggles
The game got off to a rocky start for Canada, whose offense was stifled by France's staunch defense, limiting them to just 10 points in the first quarter. "We all wanted to win. I don't know why we started out that way, but it does. It hurts us," admitted Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who led Canada with 27 points. By halftime, the deficit had grown to 45-29, and Canada found themselves in a deep hole.
Key Performances
France's success was due in large part to the performance of Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert, though the latter only played for three minutes. Wembanyama contributed seven points, while Guerschon Yabusele led the team with 22 points. Evan Fournier provided a crucial spark off the bench with an additional 15 points.
In contrast, Canada struggled to find consistent scoring beyond Gilgeous-Alexander and RJ Barrett, who added 16 points. No other Canadian player reached double figures, a sore spot in a game where offensive contributions were desperately needed. Jamal Murray’s woes continued, as he scored just seven points on 3 of 13 shooting. Throughout the tournament, Murray averaged 5.6 points and had been shooting just 33.9% from the field, including a dismal 2 for 14 on 3-point attempts.
Turnovers and Team Play
One of the telling statistics of the game was the number of turnovers and assists. Canada finished with 14 assists against 14 turnovers, while France turned the ball over 17 times. Despite France's minor mistakes, it was Canada's lack of cohesion that proved costly. "We didn't match their energy and physicality. Offensively, I thought it was our most selfish game. We didn't share the ball," said head coach Jordi Fernandez, reflecting on what went wrong.
A Tough Return
Canada’s appearance in the Paris Olympics was their first since the 2000 Sydney Games, adding to the weight of their exit. Lu Dort, a forward for Canada, expressed the collective disappointment felt by the team: "It's really disappointing. We had goals to get all the way to the end. When it gets cut short, it's tough and we have to live with it. We have to do whatever it takes to get back in four years."
Initially, there were high hopes for this squad. However, the departure of incoming NBA rookie Zach Edey, who chose to focus on his rookie season with the Memphis Grizzlies, likely affected the team’s depth and interior presence.
As the Canadians process this loss, there’s a clear understanding that changes will be necessary to advance further in future competitions. Despite their hopes being short-lived this time around, the foundational talent is there, with stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way. For now, the team will have to go back to the drawing board, learning from this experience, and aiming to come back stronger in the next Olympic cycle.