A particularly brilliant Shai Giljeous-Alexander in the first part of the duel and an RJ Barrett who, after practically vanishing after signing a good start, knew how to come back on time after extra time were the great arguments for Canada to prevail over a Spain that, another once again stood up against one of the favorite teams to win the next World Cup, but, once again, they found themselves outclassed on the scoreboard (80-85).

A great second quarter, both in attack and defense, and the maintenance of good defensive performance in the third, in this case, were not enough to win a victory that would have been a blow to morale for the team led by Sergio Scariolo.

Canada, through a very toned RJ Barrett, left very early by six points on the scoreboard at the start of the duel.

Spain was largely overwhelmed by the talent exhibited by both the Knicks guard and by Shai Giljeous-Alexander who already claimed the attention of the spotlight in the first quarter so that his team would come to treasure a maximum advantage of 9 points (10-19).

Scariolo’s team, again especially entrusted to the contributions of the Hernangómez brothers, knew how to find, despite everything, the way to close the gap, put themselves three points below with a great dunk from Garuba (21-27) and close to a draw with a triple by Rudy who, despite the suspense, was lost in limbo. The little fortune, in addition, would forcefully punish Nickeil Alexander-Walker from beyond the 6.75 line to close the first period with a painful 21-27.

The setback, once again, far from eating away at the morale of the Spaniards, became a stimulus. Scariolo’s team took a step forward defensively, giving up just one point for the Canadians and also putting their batteries in attack to take the lead for the first time on the scoreboard and open a timid three-point gap (31-28) with a partial from 10-1.

With a little more success, the locals could have widened the gap a bit, but they ended up seeing how Canada, led mainly by Shai Giljeous-Alexander and Dwight Powell, managed to bring the game to an exchange of blows in which, in the end, the Spanish would know how to emerge victors.

Thanks, in large part, to the intensity of Juancho Hernangómez and the good hand in the triples of Víctor Claver. Spain knew how to respond perfectly to the Canadian rebellion attempt and ended up going to rest with a partial victory by 23-13 and four points ahead in the light (44-40).

Spain lowered its offensive performance to unsuspected limits at the restart. The defensive intensity of Canada caused him to reach the limit of his possessions over and over again and he could not quite find his way to the basket.

At the defensive level, his performances followed more or less the path marked out in the second quarter. Thus, it is explained that, despite the drop in attack, he managed to reach the end of the quarter one point above on the scoreboard (56-55).

Hand in hand, in this case, with a very intense Santi Aldama under both baskets, a flash from Abalde and a very opportune three-pointer from Rudy Fernández, and no matter how much Canada, more by flashes than by good collective play, came to put themselves for a moment timidly ahead on the scoreboard.

The fourth quarter was largely a carbon copy of the third.. Canada maintained its defensive intensity to unspeakably bother a Spain that, despite everything, managed to score 17 more points thanks, above all, to two well-timed triples by Joel Parra, another shot from beyond the Darío Brizuela’s 6.75 line and the fight between Aldama and Garuba.

The Canadians, with Olynyk and Bell-Haynes as the most prominent, managed to force overtime and even had one last possession to win the game, in the hands of a Shai Giljeous-Alexander whose performance declined with the passing of the minutes, which the Thunder point guard could not transform into the winning shot.

In extra time, with RJ Barrett largely missing in the second half of the duel, returning to his best clothes, Canada would end up taking the game for good, no matter how much Spain tried to resist tooth and nail through good deeds.

From Garuba and Juan Núñez and a great three-pointer from Claver. Those of Scariolo, as against the United States, fell again with honor. In this case, by 80-85, against a team that, like the American, also aspires to win the next World Cup.