Canada 2-0 at FIBA event

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.

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

Edward Sanchez topped Ecuador with 28 points.

The Canadians opened the tournament with a 92-75 win over Argentina on Sunday.

Canada pushed the pace against Ecuador early and led 61-37 at the half behind 13 points and four assists from Miller.

The Canadians continued to dictate play after the break and entered the fourth quarter up 97-55. Patterson scored 12 points in the fourth quarter to help put the game away.

“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 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 has never won the U18 FIBA Americas tournament, finishing runner up to the United States the previous two events.