FIBA Basketball

Canada 95 vs. Uruguay 88

LAS VEGAS (2007 FIBA Americas Championship) - Powered by Jesse Young's game high 22 points, Canada opened quarterfinal action of the FIBA Americas Championship 2007 with a 95-88 victory over Uruguay on Monday afternoon at Thomas & Mack Center.

Trailing by as many as 14 points early in the game, Uruguay fought back to within four points halfway through the fourth quarter.

However Canada's 56 percent field goal shooting and 36 points in the paint ultimately proved too much for the Uruguayan team, which came off a 91-82 victory over Mexico on Sunday.

Canada's defense held Uruguay to 41 percent shooting from the field. Uruguay could not stop the inside tandem of Young, who made 10-of-16 field goals, and teammate Samuel Dalembert, who registered three blocks.

The game's physical nature slightly favored the Canadians, who made 26-of-33 free throws (.790), while Uruguay went 27-of-35 from the charity stripe (.770).

Nicolas Mazzarino and Leandro Garcia Morales each scored 17 points and Esteban Batista scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds for Uruguay in defeat.

David Cooper
USA Basketball