FIBA Flashback: Barrett Shines as Canada Conquer the USA
In the absence of both the men's and women's FIBA Under-17 World Cups, originally to be held this summer, we take a look back at some of Canada's most memorable moments from past editions of FIBAs premiere international youth tournaments.
One game that will live on long in memories is the semi-final of the 2017 Under-19 World Cup where Team Canada took on their eternal opponents and basketball powerhouse, the United States of America.
Up to this point in the tournament, Canada has been steady but unspectacular. Their only mis-step had been a group stage loss to Spain, but quickly put that behind them, blowing past Angola and France in their first two knockout games to set up a quarter-final clash with their biggest nemeses.
At the same time the USA had been sticking to the script: breezing past all of their opponents, their smallest margin of victory so far had been 22 against Germany in the quarter-final.
Going into the semi-final against the Canadians they were hoping this trend would not continue, while Canada, not willing to have come so close and so far, were going to have to cause an upset.
Tipping off on July 8th in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, Canada prevented early attempts at a breakaway from USA and put up seven successive points which brought them from down five to up by two.
This slender lead was then erased by the Americans, but after RJ Barrett twice put Canada back in front, the USA ended the first quarter with a 9-0 run, with Canada now trailing by six.
PJ Washington and Payton Pritchard combined to give a double-digit lead to USA shortly after resumption of the game. Barrett responded with four in a row, which started an 8-0 unanswered run from Canada. An and-one play from Barrett midway through the second quarter tied the game.
Three lead changes followed, each time coming from beyond the arc, with Barrett and USA's Amidou Bamba both trying to make the leads of their respective teams stand. With the game tied in the final minute of the half, Barrett drew a foul on a three-point attempt and went to the line. After making each free-throw, Canada ended the first half in the lead, 45 points to 42.
There was no let-up from Barrett in the second half, which he opened with a dunk. Abu Kigab followed with a three as Canada protected their lead until four minutes in, when a Cameron Reddish layup for the USA was followed by another from Immanuel Quickley, which put them back up by a point.
Jordan Henry and Barrett responded by restoring Canada's lead, which reached six points. Barrett and Carsen Edwards both ended the third quarter with five unanswered points each, but Canada had the advantage, leading 66-59.
When play resumed in the fourth, Kigab and Grant Shepherd combined to give Canada a ten-point lead. The USA kept threatening but couldn't find enough shot opportunities or generate any rhythm. A further unbroken streak of five points from Canada was followed by a 4-0 run from USA, but a three from Danilo Djurcic restored the Canadians' double-digit lead and Nate Darling added to that with 2:30 left on the clock.
It was now do or die for the USA: Austin Wiley and Hamidou Diallo could only fine one scoring chance each and with Canada holding on to possession as long as they could, slowing their opponents down, the American objective was getting further and further away from them.
In the last seconds Noah Kirkwood made it a double-digit game with a layup and Shepherd ended proceedings with a dunk. At the final buzzer Washington and Wiley both had double-doubles, but they and the whole American team were disappointed.
A jubilant Canada saw 14 points from Kigab and 13 from Darling off the bench. RJ Barrett was outstanding with a highly impressive showing, consisting of 38 points and 13 total rebounds in the victory.
Canada had a victory to be proud of: they had beaten the USA - and convincingly, by a final score of 99 to 87. Bolstered by this victory, they carried on this form in the final against Italy. Barrett had another double-double, this time 18 points and 12 rebounds, as Canada defeated the Italians 79-60 to capture their first Under-19 World title.
The win over Italy had won Canada the title, but the game that preceded that would be the most memorable they played in the whole tournament.
