Canada’s RJ Barrett answered the nation’s questions about how he would adapt to the challenges of coming up against senior players in the Pacific Rim Basketball Classic (PRBC). The six-foot-seven Mississauga, Ontario athlete earned player of the game on Sunday night at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre, as he and the Canadian senior men’s basketball team cruised to a 108-72 victory over China to finish up the PRBC.
Barrett—who is a favourite for the 2019 NBA draft—was a beast from behind the arc, finishing with 21 points at the final buzzer.
The crowd roared after a well-earned powerhouse dunk was slammed home in the second quarter, to which China responded with a swooshing three-pointer.
Chinese coach Feng Du and Canada’s Anthony Bennett were both ejected from Friday’s game in Vancouver; tempers were quick to spark again last night after Canada took an 18-4 lead late in the first quarter, but no ejections were given.
Canada’s Dwight Powell, who plays for the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, got better offensively as the game went on; he had a grand total of 18 points.
The Chinese found their court legs a bit early in the second, scoring 21 points in the frame, but Canada’s finesse, quick movements, and calm ball handling prevailed as they led 49-25 at halftime. By the end of the third, Canada paved the way 75-47 in a quarter that was more evenly matched than the others. China’s Jing-Yu Li played very well in that quarter, as did Shi-Yan Gao and Qian Wu, who was awarded player of the game for China. Canada’s Andrew Nembhard was a force to be reckoned with, driving home 18 points total. China played catch-up all game; their occasional shows of strategic court movement and rhythm were too little too late against the Canadian team.
Correction: We originally reported incorrect numbers for this game; this story has been updated with the correct numbers. We apologize for the mistake.