Sergio Scariolo shared his initial impressions after Spain’s defeat to Canada in the final match of Group L at the FIBA World Cup.
The Italian coach congratulated their opponent and praised the entire organization that led the Canadian team to become one of the contenders for a medal.
“I congratulate the Canadian national team, all the players, coach Jordi Fernandez, and his coaching staff. I can’t say I’m happy, but at the end of the day, I’m aware of the effort that has been put in to reach this level and become a formidable team. My team has put in incredible effort, and that’s why I must be proud of them. In the fourth quarters, the court and leadership are crucial. We gave it our all, and they did too, led by NBA All-Star players.”
Sergio Scariolo believes it’s important to keep their heads up and focus on the upcoming challenges despite the defeat.
“It’s been extremely interesting coaching a couple of playmakers; they’ve learned a lot and done a great job, so there’s no regret. We’re not satisfied with not progressing further, but Spain competed competently until the end. Canada is a top-level team. Heads up, we’re turning our attention to new challenges.”
As for the other quarterfinal matchups, Canada, as the first-placed team in Group L, will face Slovenia (the second-placed team in Group K), while Latvia will compete against Germany.
In the remaining quarterfinals, Italy will face the United States, and Serbia will take on Lithuania. If Canadians win, they will face either Serbia or Lithuania in the semifinals.