ST. JOHN’S (FIBA Basketball World Cup Americas Qualifiers 2019) — Canada relentlessly dominated Venezuela with a wide margin, 95-55, and ended in the first place of Group F of the Americas Qualifiers to the FIBA Basketball World Cup in China 2019. Both teams had already secured their ticket to the World Cup in the previous window, which took place during the end of November and the beginning of December of last year.

The North American team had a grandiose good-bye in front of their fans in St. John’s Mile One Centre and left their record at 10-2. Meanwhile, the Venezuelans remained at 9-3.

Canada began their encounter with a 16-3 rally in the first six minutes of the game. From that point on, they never had their triumph compromised by a Venezuelan side that were inefficient in the attack and failed to portray the defensive intensity of their previous presentations.

Power forward Kyle Wiltjer, with 19 points and eight rebounds, led the local offense. Phil Scrubb followed, with 14 points and eight assists. For Venezuela, shooting guard Yohanner Sifontes was the only one that reached the 10 units.

The Canadian defense limited the South Americans to a mere 29% effectiveness rate in field goals (15/65), including 7/30 in three-point shots (23%). The men led by Roy Rana read the game correctly and precisely rotated the ball, achieving 21 assists with just five losses.

This was the first time in the whole Qualifiers that Venezuela’s defense allowed more than 80 points to their opponents.

Canada and Venezuela will be two of the seven Americas representatives in the China stage. United States, Argentina and Brazil have also secured their place; while on Monday, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Uruguay will fight for the two remaining spots.

FIBA