By George Efkarpides/ info@eurohoops.net
Canada guard Nickeil Walker-Alexander explained how he and his cousin and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have managed to successfully adjust to FIBA basketball rules.
“Adjustment,” Walker-Alexander said, asked by Eurohoops following Canada’s win over Slovenia that sent his national team to the World Cup semifinal for the first time in history. “Reading the game. Playing to our strengths. Let the game come [to us]. Using our minds.”
“That’s what we learned coming to FIBA, which is very high-IQ basketball,” Walker-Alexander added. The Minnesota Timberwolves guard returned to international competition after the 2020 Olympic Games Qualifiers. “It has guys who think. They’re going to use a lot of their skills and the small little details to excel. We’re just locking in on these things and we’re making sure to do that individually to help the team and we do that as a team culture.”
Alexander-Walker tied his tournament-high of 14 points to help Canada beat Slovenia. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 31 points, a personal record in the competition, along with 10 rebounds and four assists.
Canada will face Serbia Friday (8/9) for a spot in the championship game Sunday. Germany is facing Team USA in the other semifinal the same day.