Lu Dort made a remarkable debut in Quebec City, scoring 25 points, while his teammate Nickeil Alexander-Walker contributed 26 points to lead Canada to a notable 97-92 win over Argentina in the FIBA men’s basketball World Cup 2027 Americas Qualifier on Monday night. The game drew a crowd of over 13,000 spectators at the Videotron Centre.
Canada, ranked fifth in the FIBA world standings, remains undefeated after eight games and will face Uruguay in their next match in South America on November 26, followed by a rematch in Argentina three days later. The top three teams from the two remaining America groups will secure spots in the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar, with the best fourth-place finisher also earning a chance to compete in Doha.
While Nicolas Laprovittola of Argentina had an outstanding performance, scoring 31 points, only Nicolas Brussino managed to reach double-digit points with 11 for Argentina.
Lu Dort shined in the game, opening the scoring with a three-pointer that energized the crowd. Although Canada took an early 13-6 lead, Argentina fought back and outscored Canada 13-1 in just over two minutes in the first quarter, ending the quarter with a 29-23 lead.
Argentina extended their lead to 17 points early in the second quarter, taking advantage of Dort’s absence due to foul trouble. However, Canada narrowed the gap to 53-48 by halftime, with Head Coach Gordie Herbert praising the team’s effort to reduce the deficit.
A more aggressive Canadian team emerged in the third quarter, outscoring Argentina 25-16, led by Kelly Olynyk’s dominance under the basket. In the final quarter, Alexander-Walker took charge, guiding Canada to victory.
Dort, playing his first game post-NBA playoffs, initially felt rusty but regained his rhythm as the game progressed. He mentioned to reporters that despite not playing competitively since the NBA playoffs, he focused on his health during the summer and felt prepared for the game.