TORONTO, Ont. (July 13, 2023) - Canada’s U23 Men’s National Team fell to Team USA 93-69 at Mattamy Athletic Centre on Thursday. With the loss, Team Canada fell to 1-1 at GLOBL Jam. Team USA is being represented by Kentucky Men’s Basketball at GLOBL Jam. 

Antonio Reeves led Team USA with 23 points on 10-for-15 shooting, including 3-for-6 from beyond the arc in a dominant victory for the new-look Wildcats. Justin Edwards had 16 points and Reed Sheppard added 14 points while Robert Dillingham led the team with a game-high nine assists to just one turnover as the team finished with 27 assists on 35 field goals.

Elijah Mahi led Canada with 14 points, Jahmyl Telfort had 12 points and Addison Patterson added 11 points in the loss. 

Team USA shot 48 percent from the floor, while holding Canada to 39 percent shooting. Canada struggled to connect from outside, making just 3-of-13 attempts from deep, compared to 11-of-30 attempts for Team USA from three. 

Canada won the rebounding battle, out rebounding USA 47-34 including 17-7 on the offensive glass. They also held a 25-8 edge in second chance points.

Though the teams traded baskets and early leads to start, a layup from Reeves put Team USA up by two with 6:17 remaining in the opening quarter and they never trailed again. A three-pointer from D.J. Wagner extended Team USA’s lead to eight, 24-16 after the first quarter. 

Canada got within five, 31-26, after a dunk from Enoch Boakye with 6:13 remaining in the half, but a dunk from Adou Thiero and then a three-pointer for Edwards extended Team USA's advantage back to 13 points. After a last second dunk from Reed Sheppard, Team USA took a 49-34 lead into the half.

In the third, Patterson trimmed the deficit to 13 points with a bucket inside, but Sheppard responded with a jumper for USA.

A block from Thomas Kennedy and an offensive put-back for Mahi brought Canada back within 12, but the Canadians struggled to score in the third as Team USA held Canada to just 15 points in the quarter. 

Wagner’s three to close the quarter extended the advantage to 22 points as Team USA went into the fourth in total control, leading Canada 71-49.

Team USA would maintain its lead throughout the fourth, though Canada lost the final quarter by just two points, 22-20, to Team USA as both teams continued to push until the final buzzer. Back-to-back three-pointers from Reeves gave USA a 26-point advantage with under a minute remaining until a pair of free throws from Mahi with 15 seconds remaining closed out the scoring.

After his team secured the victory, Team USA (Kentucky) head coach John Calipari wanted to talk about Toronto and the opportunity GLOBL Jam provided for his team.

“I just love the city,” he said. “This is a special treat. When we had this opportunity, I was ecstatic. To spend eight days in Toronto? Come on. Let’s go.”

Next up for Canada is a meeting with Germany on Saturday, July 15 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. 

Fans in Canada can catch all of the action live on Sportsnet.