Thursday 30 August 2007

Canada's Task is Clear: Beat Puerto Rico and Advance

DENHAM BROWN gets to the rim in yesterday's victory by Canada over Mexico. With a victory today over Puerto Rico (8:30 PM ET on the SCORE), Canada will clinch a spot in the FIBA Americas Olympic qualifying semi-final round.

Although many scenarios including finishing as high as third place and as low as sixth place still exist for Canada, one thing is clear: with a victory today over an improving Puerto Rico side, a team Canada defeated in overtime two weeks ago in San Juan during the Tuto Marchand Continental Cup, Canada will advance to Saturday's FIBA Americas Olympic qualifier semi-finals. The potential to finish as high as third and avoid what is likely to be a semi-final round meeting with the powerful, first place Americans (they still have to beat Argentina today) remained a possibility after Argentina rallied from a double-digit, second half deficit to defeat Brazil. With a victory over Puerto Rico and a Uruguay victory over Brazil, Canada would finish third at 4-3 and Brazil would finish fifth and be eliminated from this tournament (Uruguay would with the tie-breaker against Brazil). Even with a loss by 11 points or less, Canada would still win a three-way tiebreaker with Puerto Rico and Uruguay and advance to the semi's, however they would finish fourth and play the first place team, likely to be the USA, in the semi-finals.

1. USA 6/0
2. Argentina 6/0
3. Brazil 3/3
4. Canada 3/3
5. Puerto Rico 2/4
6. Uruguay 2/4
7. Mexico 1/5
8. Venezuela 1/5

Matthew Sekeres' article on yesterday's victory and the semi-final possibilities that exist going into today's final day of the quarter-final round Win over Mexico may not be enough Sekeres also has a piece on Canada's Carl English English lets his play do the talking

Mike Ganter has a couple of solid pieces in this morning's Toronto Sun including a report from yesterday's win over Mexico Canadians Bounce Back and a nice article on Vancouver's 6'10" Levon Kendall, who keyed Canada's game-deciding run in yesterday's game Kendall shakes his casual mode

The Toronto Star picked up a Canadian Press report of yesterday's game Canada beats Mexico and Doug Smith previews today's game along with his take on the possibilities for Canada's finish Showdown with Puerto Rico looming large for Canada

The Globe and Mail's article on the game this morning Balanced scoring leads Canada to win over Mexico

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