Marcus Carr led Canada with 14 points and Emmanuel Miller had 13 points and 10 rebounds. A three-point play by Miller gave Canada a one-point lead with 1:30 remaining after Canada had trailed by eight points earlier in the quarter. Carr followed Miller’s three-point play with a 3-pointer of his own to extend Canada’s lead to four with 53 seconds remaining. Carr would go on to seal the victory by making it a two-possession game with a pair of free throws with four seconds left. The victory came in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Mattamy Athletic Center with NBA players Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Scottie Barnes in the front row. Also sitting in the yard were Miller’s and Carr’s mothers. “It’s amazing,” Miller said. “All these great players, on our soil? Being able to defend the home field is everything. My mom means everything to me. It’s my backbone. It’s everything. She has supported me throughout my life and I will do the same for her. Playing in front of her on this court means a lot.” Leading the Americans was Keyonte George with 19 points, while Jalen Bridges had 13. The Canadians came back to win the game, overcoming a tough third quarter where the team had just one field goal in the final 5:31 of the quarter as the USA led by six in the fourth. Like Miller, Carr was thrilled to be able to perform in front of his loved ones. “My family doesn’t get a lot of opportunities to come out and see me play, so to play in front of them, to play in front of my extended family, to have that broadcast on Sportsnet all over the country, it’s just huge to have that the chance. I am very grateful,” he said. [brightcove videoID=6309228110112 playerID=JCdte3tMv height=360 width=640] Canada struck first in the final frame as Quincy Guerrier hit a huge 3-pointer to cut the deficit to three points, but the USA was quick to answer as Bridges went on a 5-0 run of his own to give the Americans a lead. eight-point lead, their largest of the game, with 7:26 left. Credit Team Canada coach Nathaniel Mitchell for a game that didn’t involve panic in the quarter. “Just stay calm, focused and smooth,” Miller said of the team’s mentality. “Follow the game plan and run the stretch. And that’s what we did.” [brightcove videoID=6309228105112 playerID=JCdte3tMv height=360 width=640] In a game that saw a lot of turnovers and ties, the Canadians had the advantage going to the line where they made 28 of 38 attempts. By comparison, the USA made just 13 of 16 free throw attempts. The USA attempted 13 more field goals than Canada, but the home team outscored the visitors 54-39. The Canadians led 18-16 after the first quarter, but were outscored 19-13 in the second to go into halftime up by four, 35-31. The first half was a scrappy affair with both teams shooting just 29 percent from the floor. Canada faces Italy on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on Sportsnet 360. The Americans meet Brazil on Thursday at 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT on Sportsnet.
