MIAMI (United States) – Canada’s supremacy in the first round of the FIBA World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifiers was evident throughout their six games. The clearest example was that they ended up being the only team to advance undefeated to the second round, while also dominating the most important offensive categories.

The North Americans finished at the top in points per game with 102.5 (the only team in all regions averaging north of 100 points) and led in three-point accuracy (46.3%), free throw percentage (76.5%) and assists per game (23.2, tied with Mexico).

During the third window, played through July 4th, Canada put their firepower on display and reached new heights, with Nick Nurse at the helm and the contributions of many of their NBA stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, his cousin Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kelly Olynyk, Dwight Powell and others.

In their win against Virgin Islands, Canada scored 113 points, the most for a team in the Americas during the last window; in fact, Canada is responsible for three of the five occasions where a team scored more than 110 points in a FIBA 2023 World Cup Qualifiers game, including all regions.

And in the same game against ISV, Nurse’s guys shot 57.7% from the floor, the best field goal percentage for a team in the Americas during these Qualifiers.

Moreover, they were the only team in the Americas to win both of their games during the last window by double-digit margins, triumphing in both by more than 20 points.

At the player level, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s performance was superlative. The Oklahoma City Thunder point guard scored 56 points during the window, more than any other player in the Americas, and in the game against Dominican Republic, he became the first player to notch at least 30 points (32), five or more rebounds (5) and at least five assists (5) in a FIBA Americas Qualifiers game.

His showing catapulted the 23-year-old Toronto native to the top of the Most Outstanding Players of Day 1 and to become part of the third window’s First Team.

Kassius Robertson, the team’s other point guard, also had a very special window. He drained eight three-pointers against Virgin Islands, the most for a player in the history of FIBA World Cup Americas Qualifiers – and he did it while coming off the bench and in just 20 minutes of action.

After such collective and individual performances, Canada moves on to the second round as arguably the scariest team and a very strong candidate to clinch one of the seven spots available for the 2023 FIBA World Cup to be played in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.

FIBA