MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — Canada joined France and New Zealand in the semi-finals of an Olympic basketball qualifying tournament in Manila on Wednesday as hosts the Philippines were knocked out.
Cory Joseph, the Toronto Raptors guard, sank three of four pressure-laden free throws in the dying seconds as Canada beat Senegal 58-55, a day after defeating Turkey.
Joseph’s skill killed off a Senegalese rally that saw the Africans get to within a basket, 55-53, with less than 16 seconds left.
“It was a great game if you love defense…. They switched a lot on us which made it very difficult,” Canadian coach Jay Triano told reporters.
Real Madrid forward Maurice Ndour, who led all scorers with 16 points, dropped his fourth three-point bomb on Canada as the shot clock expired to bring Senegal to within two and set up the dramatic finish.
But Joseph was steady on the free-throw line to nullify Senegal’s desperate fouling, aimed at stopping the clock.
The Africans only managed a Clevin Finley Hannah lay-up in reply as the game clock ran out.
Meanwhile New Zealand gave both themselves and France semi-final tickets by dealing an 89-80 mauling of the hosts in Wednesday’s other game.
After an opening-day setback against France, the loss eliminated the Philippines from contention for the lone Rio Games slot on offer in Manila.
The French, ranked fifth in the world, face the Kiwi underdogs on Thursday, with the losers to play Canada in one of Saturday’s semi-finals.
Senegal play Turkey on Thursday in a do-or-die game for a semi-finals berth, with the victors facing the winners of Thursday’s France-New Zealand contest.
Joseph’s 13 points on Wednesday led a balanced Canadian attack, with Milwaukee Bucks guard Ennis Tyler adding 12. Melvin Ejim pitched in with 11, along with eight rebounds.
Australia, Argentina, Brazil, China, Lithuania, Nigeria, Spain, the United States and Venezuela have already qualified for the Rio Olympics men’s basketball tournament next month.
Two other teams will be added from the winners of the other qualifying tournaments now being held in Italy and Serbia.
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