Miller helps Canada improve to 2-0 at FIBA U18 event

ST. CATHARINES, ONT. — Emanuel Miller had 19 points and eight rebounds as Canada defeated Ecuador 115-75 on Monday, to remain undefeated at the FIBA U18 Americas basketball championship.

A.J. Lawson and Addison Patterson had 20 points apiece.

“We are all just looking for each other,” Patterson said. “There is zero selfishness on our team, we’re just a bunch of brothers just trying to have fun and play together for our country.”

The Canadians opened the tournament with a 92-75 win over Argentina on Sunday. The top four teams from the tournament at the Meridian Centre earn berths at next summer’s U19 FIBA World Cup, which Canada won last year in Cairo.

Canada took 37-19 into the second quarter. The Canadians extended their advantage to 61-37 at halftime, and were up 97-55 with one quarter to play.

“I’m just thankful for all my teammates,” Miller said. “They are such threats on the court, they made my job so much easier. They see me in transition, they do a great job all around.”

Canada has never won the U18 FIBA Americas tournament, finishing runner up to the United States the previous two events. But the Canadians finally upset the U.S. in the semifinals of last summer’s World Cup en route to a historic gold medal, the first for Canada in a global basketball championship.

Canada faces Chile on Tuesday in their final game of the group phase. The quarter-finals and semifinals go Thursday and Friday. The medal games are scheduled for Saturday.