The pivotal matchup of the opening day of the FIBA World Cup witnessed Canada’s star player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander unstoppable after halftime, leading his team to thrash France 95-65 here on Friday.
Alexander had a disastrous first half, shooting only two of nine, but the All-NBA First Team guard who made his World Cup debut quickly adjusted his attack mode in the second half, notching a game-high 27 points plus 12 rebounds.
“Nobody is perfect. There are always adjustments. New teams propose new challenges,” Alexander said after the game. “Nothing changes. It’s just about putting the ball in the nets.”
Canada finished with four players in double digits, while France could only rely on Evan Fournier on the offensive end, as he shot eight of 19 to tally a team-high 21 points. Rudy Gobert of France scored eight points, while Nicolas Batum had nothing but four rebounds.
The battle between the two heavyweights of Group H started in a way as expected, as both teams showcased their aggressiveness early on. After losing four points in the first quarter, the Canadians began to score consecutive shots with fast breaks, ending the first half 43-40.
The watershed appeared in the early minutes of the third quarter when Alexander was in immense form to bludgeon his opponents with tough layups and shots, garnering 13 points in eight minutes to turn the game into a rout.
Canada will next face Lebanon on Sunday, while France will take on Latvia.
