FIBA World Cup: 23 From Knicks' Barrett Not Enough For Canada in Semis

A lucrative FIBA World Cup run ended for Team Canada but not before one more sterling showcase from New York Knicks star RJ Barrett.

Team Canada is gone from championship contention but not forgotten thanks to the efforts of RJ Barrett and his fellow True North NBAers.

The New York Knicks' homegrown star broke out for 23 points (8-of-14) in what became the final stanza of the Canadian men's national team's championship excursion at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, leading all participants in the tournament's first semifinal portion against Serbia with one exception. Bogdan Bogdanović (Atlanta) matched Barrett's scoring output to help continue the Serbs' nearly-flawless World Cup run, which moves onto the championship final thanks to a 95-86 over Team Canada on Friday in Manila.

Sweet dish from RJ Barrett there. 👌#FIBAWC | @CanBball pic.twitter.com/A1ZVKxEakp

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 8, 2023

Serbia's victory will deny the world an all-North American final, as Friday's second semifinal in Manila (8:40 a.m. ET, ESPN2) will feature Barrett's Knicks teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart looking to lead the United States past Germany in its own championship bid. 

Thus ends Canada's de facto Cinderella run in the tournament, one that will nonetheless yield its best finish in 15 outings and the team's first Olympic ticket since the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney. The run was the work of Barrett's father and Team Canada general manager Rowan, who assembled the nation's finest hardwood representatives in an effort to end the Olympic drought. 

There will be a chance for nostalgia but it'll likely take a few days after Friday's finale: Canada (5-2) was down by eight after the first period and saw that deficit inflate to as much as 17 thanks to a sterling Serbian shooting effort that ended with a success rate of over 62 percent from the field. The feisty Canadians never let the game truly get out of hand but only got as close as seven in the second half after trailing by 13 at intermission. 

Seth Wenig, USA TODAY SPORTS

A 15-5 run that ate up the final 2:38 of the third period and nearly the first two minutes of the fourth and final frame more or less put the game out of reach though one last push led by Barrett at least managed to make the final tally look respectable.

Much like Wednesday's quarterfinal win over Slovenia, Barrett saved the best for last by taking over offensive duties in the second: he was responsible for nearly half of the Canadians' final 23 tallies in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 on 4-of-5 shooting in what became their last championship stand.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City) was held to only 15 in defeat but fell one assist short of a double-double while Dillon Brooks (Houston) was the second-leading scorer behind Barrett at 16. 

Serbia (6-1) is back in the World Cup final for the fourth time over the last seven editions, prevailing in the first two in 1998 and 2002 in Greece and the United States respectively. In addition to Bogdanović's continued MVP bid, the Serbs enjoyed a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double from Nikola Milutinov, a first-round pick of San Antonio's from 2015. 

Both sides were missing key pieces from the defending champion Denver Nuggets, as both Jamal Murray and NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic sat out due to fatigue brought about by their victorious run to the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Team Canada will get a chance to play for a spot on the final World Cup podium in Sunday's third-place game against the loser of the Germany-United States tilt (4:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+).