Miller has 19 points, eight boards as Canada improves to 2-0 at FIBA U18 event

The Canadians (2-0) opened the tournament with a 92-75 win over Argentina on Sunday.

Canada pushed the pace against Ecuador (0-2) early and led 61-37 at the half behind 13 points and four assists from Miller.

The Canadians continued to dictate play after the break and entered the fourth quarter up 97-55. Patterson scored 12 points in the fourth quarter to help put the game away.

“We are all just looking for each other,” Patterson said. “There is zero selfishness on our team, we’re just a bunch of brothers just trying to have fun and play together for our country.”

In Monday’s other round-robin games, the United States scored the first 45 points and went on to beat Panama 118-26.

The Americans (2-0) led 43-0 after the first quarter and got the opening basket of the second before John Gunn got Panama (0-2) on the board on a follow shot with 7:57 remaining in the first half.

Also, Puerto Rico (2-0) picked up a 108-94 win over the Dominican Republic and Argentina (1-1) beat Chile (1-1) by double digits, 76-66.

The top four teams from the tournament at the Meridian Centre earn berths at next summer’s U19 FIBA World Cup, which Canada won last year in Cairo.

Canada has never won the U18 FIBA Americas tournament, finishing runner up to the United States the previous two events. But the Canadians finally upset the U.S. in the semifinals of last summer’s World Cup en route to an historic gold medal, the first for Canada in a global basketball championship.

Canada faces Chile on Tuesday in its final game of the group phase. The quarterfinals and semifinals go Thursday and Friday. The medal games are scheduled for Saturday.

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Miller has 19 points, eight boards as Canada improves to 2-0 at FIBA U18 event

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