Czech Republic upset host Canada in overtime thriller

VICTORIA (Canada) - The star-studded Victoria OQT was devoid of upsets.

Then the Czech Republic beat Canada.

The heavy favorites fell in the Semi-Final round, 103-101 in overtime in an instant classic, ending their chance at the 2020 Olympics. The Czechs face Greece on Sunday for the tournament championship and Olympic berth.

Canada are still searching for their first Olympic appearance since 2000.

Czech Republic, which lost their first game of the OQT but have since won two do-or-die matchups, are now one win away from their first Olympics since the separation of Czechoslovakia.

Turning point: Tomas Satoransky made the game-winning jumper with 1.8 seconds remaining in overtime. The Czechs' star spun past Canada's Luguentz Dort, pulled up beyond the free-throw line extended and banked in a fadeaway. At the other end, Trey Lyles' jump shot rimmed out at the buzzer.

 

Satoransky's shot was the final stanza in a back-and-forth series of big plays by both teams. Canada trailed by 10 points with 57 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and were down six with 22 seconds to play. Andrew Wiggins converted an and-1 to make it a three-point game with 17 seconds left, then after Nickeil Alexander-Walker stole the Czechs' ensuing inbounds pass, Wiggins buried a deep three to tie it with 11 ticks on the clock.

 

Canada jumped out to an early five-point lead in OT, but Czech Republic scored the next seven points, capped by a Blake Schilb three-pointer, to take a 101-99 lead. Wiggins answered with a mid-range two to tie it with 15 seconds to play, setting the stage for Satoransky's heroics.

Game hero: Schilb. The 37-year-old entered the Semi-Finals averaging 3.5 points per game but lit up the scoreboard for 31 against Canada. He did it on an 11-of-19 shooting effort and made 7-of-12 from downtown.

 

Schilb played just eight games for his club team, USK Praha, during the 2020-21 season because of the coronavirus pandemic, but proved he still has some basketball left in the tank. He added 7 assists and 3 rebounds to his stat line.

In contention: Satoransky finished with 18 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists and Ondrej Balvin added 14 points, 19 rebounds and 5 blocks.

RJ Barrett (23), Wiggins (22) and Alexander-Walker (21) all put up 20-plus for Canada. Lyles added 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Stats don't lie: Czech Republic shot 13-of-28 from three-point range compared to Canada's 9-of-37. The Czechs also owned a 52-39 rebounding edge.

Bottom line: The Czechs had their best game when it mattered. They were sloppy and inconsistent in the Group Phase, but were crisp and connected in taking down Canada.

They said: "In the end, the guys showed that they are winners. (Satoransky) was amazing. When I bring (Schilb) to this (tournament), everybody was surprised because he didn't play (for) one year. I trust him, I believe in him, and I think he make one of the best games in his life and I'm happy for him." - Czech Republic coach Ronen Ginzburg

"I was extremely proud of our guys. We hung in there and battled and fought and gave ourselves a chance. And sometimes when it's a knockout tournament...you can just look at the last two plays. They made a bank shot and ours went in and out and that's the deciding factor." - Canada coach Nick Nurse

 

FIBA