ISTANBUL, Turkey (June 30, 2024) - Canada’s U17 Men’s National Team rallied to come back from behind and beat Egypt, going up 2-0 in group play at the FIBA U17 Men’s Basketball World Cup.

Canada's slow start saw them open the first quarter down double-digits. Miles Sadler led the way throughout the game and was in double-digits halfway through the second quarter.

Sadler finished with 30 points, seven assists, and three steals. He knocked down crucial buckets and found his teammates on the floor, with Jordan Charles and Maxime Meyer helping keep Canada within one point at the end of the third quarter.

When asked how he led this team to the win, Sadler said, “Mainly by talking and being vocal on the court…knowing that we are a team, I need my guys to feel at their best and be encouraged to play the game. They responded well, and that really pushed us to win today. Their energy also made me play well and made me comfortable while I was on the court with such a close game.”

Maxime Meyer finished behind Sadler with 12 points and five rebounds. He often found himself in the right spots to grab the ball and help Canada take advantage of each possession.

“The exhibition games in Spain prepared us for that moment,” head coach Chris Cheng said. “We have been down before and learned what we needed to do to climb back. Credit to the players for sticking with the plan.”

The game remained close until the last couple of minutes, with Quinten Ethier and Kole Grandison securing important buckets for Canada down the stretch.

At 55-51, Canada began to pull away, and Jordan Charles drew a foul to give Canada the 57-51 lead. They quickly put some stops together, going up 70-63.

Stefan Ilic recorded a clutch block in the last few minutes of play, allowing Miles Sadler to get his 30th point of the game on the other end of the floor.

Canada will now face Australia in the final game of group play. Both teams are 2-0 this week and will try to win their group as they advance to the round of 16 later this week.

Canada vs. Australia will be played on Tuesday, July 2, at 10:30 a.m. ET / 7:30 a.m. PT. Fans can watch the game live on FIBA's YouTube channel.

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