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Uruguay hand Canada first loss at FIBA Americas championships

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Martin Osimani hit a deep three-pointer with 21 seconds left to lead Uruguay to a 71-69 win over Canada on Saturday at the FIBA Americas basketball tournament.

The Canadians (2-1) rallied from an early deficit but ultimately fell short as they failed to move into a tie with Puerto Rico atop the Group A standings. Canada wraps up preliminary-round play against the host Puerto Ricans on Sunday.

With the game tied 67-67 late, Osimani pulled up several feet in front of the three-point line and hit the shot that put Uruguay back ahead for good. Jermaine Anderson made two free throws with 16 seconds left to cut the lead to one, but Osimani answered by making one of two free throws.

Canada had a chance to tie on its final possession, but Carl English's jumper hit the front rim and bounced away.

Esteban Batista led the way with 18 points and 12 rebounds for Uruguay (2-1), while Osimani added 12 points and nine assists.

Jesse Young had a game-high 20 points and added eight rebounds for Canada, while Miami Heat centre Joel Anthony chipped in with 13 and English had 12.

Long-range shooting was Canada's undoing Saturday. After burying Mexico and the U.S. Virgin Islands with an array of three-pointers earlier in the tournament, the Canadians went just 5-for-22 from beyond the arc against a Uruguayan team that defended the three-point shot well.

Uruguay finished with a 30-29 edge in rebounding.

Things looked promising early on for Canada, with threes by English and Olu Famutimi contributing to an 8-2 run to start the game. But Uruguay responded with a 7-0 run to take the lead, and gradually built on it throughout the quarter.

A Reque Newsome jumper extended Uruguay's lead to seven, and Mauricio Aguiar hit a three on the next possession to give the Uruguayans a 25-16 advantage through one quarter. Batista and Osimari had eight points apiece for Uruguay in the quarter, while Famutimi and Anthony had five each for Canada.

Canada kept things close in the second, with Anthony's tip-in drawing the Canadians to within two late in the quarter. But Gustavo Barrera responded with a late three-pointer to give Uruguay a 36-31 halftime lead.

English's long two-pointer put Canada briefly back in front, but Batista made an easy layup as part of a 9-0 run that saw Uruguay enjoy a 51-47 advantage after three quarters.

Trailing by as many as seven in the fourth quarter, the Canadians stormed out to an 11-0 run highlighted by a Famutimi layup that put Canada back in the lead.

An Aguiar three-pointer moved the Uruguayans back in front 64-63, and they held onto the lead after Young committed a three-point foul on Leandro Garcia, who made all three free throws. Young responded with a thundering dunk to tie the game, setting up the frantic finish.

Earlier Saturday in Group A, Omar Quintero and Anthony Pedroza poured in 17 points apiece as Mexico (1-2) earned an 80-63 win over the U.S. Virgin Islands (0-4).

Later, the Dominican Republic (1-1) battled Venezuela (1-2) while Panama (1-1) faced Argentina (0-2) in Group B action.