ORLEANS, France (July 19, 2024) - The Canadian Senior Men’s National Team defeated France 85-73 in a pre-Olympics exhibition game at Co’Met Arena in Orleans, France on Friday.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with a game-high 23 points in 28 minutes. He shot 6-for-13 from the floor and 9-for-10 from the free throw line while adding five rebounds, five assists and two steals. RJ Barrett added 21 points as he shot 4-for-8 from the floor and made 10-of-12 free throws. Kelly Olynyk scored 14 points and Andrew Nembhard added 10 points and five assists.

“We are for sure better than we were last summer, we can all feel it,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We’re excited to see where we can take it in the next couple of weeks.”

Guerschon Gabusele led France with 19 points, while Rudy Gobert added 12 points and six rebounds (finishing 6-for-6 from the floor), and Victor Wembanyama added 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the loss.

“They’re good, they’re big,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of France. “They have size. They make you work defensively and offensively. They’re not a team anybody wants to [have to] play. It’s why we came over here, to get a couple of good games in before the Olympics against high-level teams.”

Canada took control early, staying in front for much of the game. A three-pointer from Gilgeous-Alexander moved Canada in front, 5-4, with seven minutes remaining in the opening quarter. The Canadians maintained their lead through the first half and into the third before briefly falling behind by a point, 45-44, after a jumper from Wembanyama with 7:49 remaining in the quarter. Less than 90 seconds later, a pair of free throws from Gilgeous-Alexander had Canada back in front by one. After a three-pointer and then two more free throws from Barrett, Canada was back in the driver's seat.

Both teams shot 45 percent from the floor, and had near identical performances from deep with Canada shooting 9-for-26 from beyond the arc and France finishing 8-for-25 from three. Canada’s offensive attack had France in early foul trouble and the Canadians made their free throws, shooting 86 percent (26-of-30) at the line. In comparison, France made 15-of-20 free throw attempts (75 percent).

Canada held a six-point advantage, 25-19, after the opening quarter as Nembhard scored on back-to-back-to-back possessions before Olynyk connected on a turnaround jumper to close out the quarter.

A three-pointer from Wembanyama brought France within three, 31-28, midway through the second quarter, but Dillon Brooks made a pair of free throws and then drilled a three of his own to extend the advantage to eight points for the Canadians.

Canada went into the half leading by four, 44-40. They stayed in front until a three from Fournier, followed by a jumper from Wembanyama propelled France in front by one in the third quarter. After free throws from Gilgeous-Alexander moved Canada back in front by a point, Barrett scored the next nine points for Canada. Olynyk got in on the action with a layup and then a three of his own to extend Canada’s lead back to nine points and Canada went in the fourth leading by six, 64-58, after Nembhard and Yabusele traded baskets to end the quarter.

Gilgeous-Alexander opened fourth-quarter scoring with a pull-up jumper. After making a free throw, he drained a pull-up three to extend Canada’s advantage to double figures, 71-61 with 7:36 remaining. Gilgeous-Alexander then found Olynyk wide open beyond the arc to extend the lead to 13 points. A stepback jumper for Nembhard made it 76-61 for Canada with 5:07 remaining and Canada went on to victory from there.

Up next, the Canadians will face Puerto Rico in their final pre-Olympics exhibition game in France on Sunday, July 21 at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 p.m. PT.