Canada's head coach, Jordi Fernandez, reacted to the team's loss against France in the Olympics basketball quarterfinal. Fernandez pointed out the fact that France attempted 42 free throws. "Questionable officiating is frustrating," he said.
After Canada's 82-73 loss to France, head coach Jordi Fernandez provided a candid analysis of the game.
| Player of the Game | |
|
EFF
22
|
| Isaia Cordinier | |
| Points | 20 |
| Accuracy | 6-10 |
| Rebounds | 3 |
| Assists | 1 |
Fernandez acknowledged France's energetic start and early three-pointers put Canada in a difficult position from the outset.
"They had a good juice going on and made threes to start, and we were playing catch-up," Fernandez said.
He admitted that Canada didn't match France's physicality and energy, leading to a challenging first half.
Fernandez noted that Canada improved in the second half, allowing only 16 and 19 points in the third and fourth quarters, respectively.
"We won the second half, but it's definitely disappointing," he stated. "We didn't share the ball offensively, and that's not who we are," Fernandez remarked.
However, Fernandez also expressed frustration with the officiating, pointing out the disparity in free throw attempts.
"Questionable officiating with 45 free throws [France attempted 42 FTs] is frustrating," Fernandez noted. "But it is what it is. We knew that coming here."
Fernandez emphasized the need to control what the team can, such as rebounding and minimizing fouls, despite feeling the officiating was uneven.
Fernandez took personal responsibility for the loss, stating that he could have done more to help the team.
"I put this one on me because I should have helped them better," he admitted.
He appreciated his players' efforts, noting that they fought hard despite the imperfect performance.
"I appreciate my players' effort. We shot free throws, cut it to one possession, which shows that we did fight," he said.
Fernandez concluded by expressing his hope that the team would learn from this experience and come back stronger in future competitions.
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