FIBA Americas: Canada tripped up by Argentina in opener
Raptors' Luis Scola leads Argentine attack with 35 points
Luis Scola gave Canada's talented but inexperienced basketball team a lesson on just how hard it is to qualify for the Olympic Games.
The veteran power forward scored 35 points and added a game-high 13 rebounds to lead Argentina to a 94-87 win over Canada on Tuesday at the 2015 FIBA Americas basketball championship in Mexico City.
The Toronto Raptors, who signed Scola after last season, must have been thrilled watching the 35-year-old dominate the court like he was 10 years younger. Scola bullied his way to rebounds, created turnovers and was accurate from two-point range. He had two steals and two assists while shooting 57 per cent form the floor.
Canada falls 94-87 to Argentina in the first game of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAAmericas2015?src=hash">#FIBAAmericas2015</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/22wiggins">@22wiggins</a> with 13 points. Stats: <a href="http://t.co/uooPSHnBw5">http://t.co/uooPSHnBw5</a>
—@CanBballThe only flaws in Scola's game were his 64 per cent average from the free-throw line and his accuracy from behind the arc. He shot 0-of-3 from three-point range, including two glaring air-balls.
Point guard Nicolas Laprovittola added 20 points and four assists for Argentina, which opened with a 91-86 win over Puerto Rico on Monday.
Minnesota Timberwolves teammates Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett led Canada with 13 points each, with Boston centre Kelly Olynyk adding 10 rebounds and Raptors point guard Cory Joseph dishing out seven assists.
I think tomorrow, we just got to bring it, bring lots of energy. Keep doing what we've been doing the past two weeks; playing together, playing as one, moving the ball.- Canada centre Kelly Olynyk
Canada (0-1) will try to get back on track to qualify for the 2016 Olympics when it faces Cuba on Wednesday. The top two teams in Mexico City qualify for the Rio Games.
"I think tomorrow, we just got to bring it, bring lots of energy," said Canada centre Kelly Olynyk. "Keep doing what we've been doing the past two weeks; playing together, playing as one, moving the ball. When we do that kind of stuff, the ball goes in the basket."
The Canadians came into the qualifying tournament with high expectations, loaded with NBA talent and coming off a win at the exhibition Tuto Marchand Cup in Puerto Rico. But Argentina has the international pedigree, winning medals at seven consecutive FIBA Americans tournaments, including gold in 2011 behind a tournament-leading 21.4 points per game from Scola.
Argentina has appeared at four of the last five Games, winning gold in 2004 and bronze in 2008.
Canada kept it close against Argentina through most of the game, but a 29-point second quarter, with 15 coming from Scola, proved to be the difference.
"It's a good experience for us. I thought they controlled the game, the point guards controlled the game," said Canada head coach Jay Triano. "It's not the outcome we wanted, we beat them the last two times we played them. They were more up to the task than we were today."