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Trae Bell-Haines gave a stellar performance Monday in front of friends and family.
Bell-Haynes had 17 points, 10 assists and five rebounds to lead the Canadian men's basketball team in a 94-88 victory over the Bahamas in 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifying at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.
“For some of us, this is the first time we've played in Toronto since high school,” said the 30-year-old from Toronto. “Playing in front of our parents and families is a big deal and winning makes it even sweeter. We're always happy to wear Canadian clothing, but playing at home means a lot.”
Thomas Scrubb scored 16 points and Kyle Wiltjer added 15 points, five rebounds and four assists for Team Canada.
Garvin Clark led the Bahamas with 20 points and 13 assists.
“A real crappy team,” head coach Nathaniel Mitchell said of the Bahamas. “They made some changes and were good on the bounce, so we had to adapt defensively. They held their own throughout the game, but I liked how our group stayed tough and controlled the game no matter the score.”
Canada also defeated the Bahamas 111-75 last Friday in Nassau, Bahamas, completing a two-game sweep in the first qualifying window and opening group play in the Americas bracket.
This window is the first of six in a 15-month qualifying cycle across FIBA's four regions.
Teams will play home and away games during the February and July windows, with the top three players advancing to each group. All results carry forward to the second round, where six additional games in 2026 and 2027 will determine qualification for the Doha World Cup.
Canada, which defeated the United States to win its first world championship bronze medal in 2023, now sits atop Group B, which also includes Puerto Rico and Jamaica.
“Strength. People should be scared to play Canada,” Mitchell said of his team's identity. “You have to be annoyed when you play against us – in attack or defense. Irritation is very important to us, and part of it has to do with being tough.”
