Canada came oh-so-close to making its first Olympic men’s basketball tournament since 2000 on Friday but will now have to wait until one month before the Games for its last chance to qualify.
The Canadians, with nine NBA players on their roster, lost 79-78 to Venezuela, with zero NBA players on its roster, in the FIBA Americas semifinals in Mexico.
With the game tied 78-78, Venezuela guard Gregory Vargas was fouled on a jumper with three seconds left and hit the first of two free throws to clinch his nation’s first Olympic basketball berth since 1992.