Canada’s close loss to Panama concludes FIBA Americas Championship

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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The Senior Men’s National Team concluded play at the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship with a 91-89 loss to Panama. With the loss, Canada finishes the tournament with a 3-5 record (1-3 in the second phase) and improves Panama’s record to 2-6 (1-3 in the second phase). 

The loss ends Canada’s hopes of participating in the 2012 Olympics in London, as they will finish outside the top five teams in the tournament; therefore will not qualify for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in July 2012. 

"This definitely isn’t the place we thought we would be today," said team captain Jesse Young (Peterborough, ON). "We fought all tournament and sometimes bounces don’t go our way and I think throughout the tournament, in close games, we just were not get that rebound or that loose ball or that defensive stop." 

"Everyone one of us put everything into it throughout the torunament and throughout the summer to try to get us in a situation to get a chance to qualify [for the Olympics]," continued Young. 

"It’s disappointing. We all put a lot into this and these guys worked their tails off," said head coach Leo Rautins. "For some reason, different things catch up with us. We’re not good enough to absorb losing key guys." 

Carl English (St. John’s, NL) led Canada offensively with 24 points, including four three-pointers. Andy Rautins (Syracuse, NY) also had four three-pointers, finishing with 14 points. Kelly Olynyk (Kamloops, BC) and Jevohn Shepherd (Toronto, ON) each added 13 in the loss. 

Levon Kendall (Vancouver, BC) grabbed a team-high seven rebounds for Canada, who were again without the services of Aaron Doornekamp (Odessa, ON) and Joel Anthony (Montreal, QC). 

Both teams came out firing to start the game, as Panama stormed out to a 6-2 lead early in the game. However, Carl English found his touch en route to 15 points in the first quarter, including three three-pointers, which gave Canada a narrow 27-24 lead after the first ten minutes of play. 

In the second quarter, Panama began to close the gap early in the period thanks to a three-pointer by Gary Forbes. Canada quickly regained the lead with an alley-oop by Jevohn Shepherd, which was set up by Andy Rautins. Both teams exchanged points the rest of the quarter, with Panama taking a one point lead into halftime. 

The seesaw battle continued into the second half, as neither team would allow the other to take more than a four point lead in the third quarter. The two battled back and forth to end the frame tied at 70. Kelly Olynyk and Carl English carried the offense, scoring 14 of the team’s 22 points in the quarter, highlighted by a three-point-play dunk by Olynyk. 

Into the fourth quarter, both teams continued to exchange baskets, with Panama taking a five point lead at the 5:41 mark. As Canada began to mount their comeback, Forbes continued to be a force offensively, denying Canada to take the lead. Another three-pointer by Forbes with 16 seconds remaining in the game regained a five point lead for Panama, who held on for the eventual win. 

Forbes finished with a game-high 39 points; while teammate Ruben Garces had 21.