After winning seven straight games to work their way into the final mix for a berth at next year’s Rio Olympics, the Canadian men’s basketball team on Friday came up one point short of joining their female counterparts at next summer’s Games.
The Canadians lost to 79-78 to Venezuela, a team they defeated by 20 points in first-round play, in the semifinals of the FIBA Americas Championship Olympic qualifying tournament in Mexico City.
Advancing to the finals would have guaranteed Canada a spot in Rio.
On Saturday, the Canadians won bronze, defeating host Mexico 87-86 when Cory Joseph hit the winning bucket with no time left on the clock.
Mexico, like Canada, needed to get to the final to qualify but lost 78-70 to Argentina.
While Venezuela and Argentina will be in Rio, Canada and Mexico get one more shot at a last-chance qualifying tournament next year.
Earlier this summer, Canada, led by budding National Basketball Association star Andrew Wiggins, won silver at the Pan Am Games in Toronto and hopes for qualifying for Rio were high going to Mexico City.
Canada last appeared in the Olympic tournament in 2000 when they finished seventh in Sidney, Australia.
In nine Olympic appearances, Canada has won only one Olympic medal in basketball–a silver at the 1936 Games in Berlin. Canada finished fourth in 1976 in Montreal and fourth in Los Angeles in 1984.
For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.