Canada's 94-90 comeback overtime win over China in a classification game at the FIBA U-19 men's worlds points out how the 24-second shot clock the CIS men's game will have this season reduces the need to deliberately foul as often when trailing in the final minute.
Canada was able to make up a six-point deficit in the final 70 seconds of regulation time without fouling like you see in the NCAA (which has a 35-second clock). After getting a basket to draw within four with 57 seconds left -- after Kai Williams got a critical offensive board -- they were able to play straight defence, get a stop and get a layup from Boris Bakovic off a Devoe Joseph dish to get within two. China's characteristic Achilles heel -- weak ballhandling under pressure, borne out of a system that overemphasizes growing big men and neglects guard play -- reared its head, as Joseph stole the ball off the ensuing inbounds pass and went in for a tying layup.
That seems like a better way to win and it's probably better for fans than a drawn-out process of intentional fouls that can make the last two minutes a NCAA Tournament game drag out for 20 or 25 minutes of real time. Obviously, this is only one element of CIS hoops' Great Leap to the international-style game, but it might make for some smoother finishes to games.
Joseph had game highs of 29 points and eight assists. His 15-year-old brother Cory Joseph, Canada's youngest player got some crunch-time minutes, as he also did in Wednesday's close win over Argentina. Bakovic contributed 20 points and eight rebounds for Canada, who plays Lithuania for ninth place tomorrow.
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