​Bumping his defender off him, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stepped into his signature baseline fadeaway as the mid-range bucket dropped. The two-time MVP cooled off near his logo at TD Coliseum, making the moment feel as epic as it gets in his hometown. Canada cruised to a 110-84 victory over Puerto Rico in its 2026 FIBA World Cup qualifier. With a roster stacked with NBA talent, it shouldn’t be a shock when Canada clinches a spot in next summer’s World Cup.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting, four assists and three rebounds. He went 1-of-4 from three and 7-of-8 from the line, adding two steals and two blocks. Even with several NBA stars on the sidelines, he shined on the court in a arena recently dedicated to him. The 27-year-old opened with a scoring burst, nailing pull-up mid-range jumpers—the move that’s become his bread and butter.
Canada led 31-16 after the first quarter and built the advantage to more than 20 points before settling into a comfortable cushion. A lazy inbounds turnover briefly gave Puerto Rico life with an outside jumper, and the three-pointer kept the game interesting for a stretch. But Canada still went into halftime up 56-38, with Gilgeous-Alexander at 12 points and two assists in a more facilitator role. The talent gap meant he didn’t need to go off to secure the win.
The second half followed suit, with Canada maintaining around a 20-point edge. Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t need to overextend himself, and even when Puerto Rico dared to double him, the threat remained perceived rather than real. It’s impressive how he manages similar free-throw numbers at both the NBA and FIBA levels, despite different officials and rules—almost as if he earns certain calls.
Canada kept its pace, pushing the lead to 83-60 after three quarters. With the game in hand, Gilgeous-Alexander entered highlight mode, driving relentlessly to the basket and padding the score. Puerto Rico managed to trim it into the teens briefly, but each time Canada called a timeout to regain momentum.
He closed out by driving through two defenders for a sturdy, blue-collar layup after a rim contest, sealing the blowout in the fourth. Some players just love to hoop, and he’s certainly in that category.
It was a relatively quiet start for Gilgeous-Alexander and Canada, but the 27-year-old’s scoring prowess travels easily to the international stage. In this extended warmup, that trend continued, and it will be interesting to see how many more of Canada’s qualifiers he’ll play. Up next for Canada in the 2026 FIBA World Cup qualifier is a hosting matchup against Jamaica in the same gym on Mo.