![Kamloops product Olynyk helps Canada Basketball qualify for 2024 Olympics](https://media-cdn.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/1605/files/2023/09/img-8866.jpeg)
Kamloops will have another Olympian.
Kelly Olynyk and Canada’s Men’s Basketball Team is headed to Paris next summer for the 2024 Olympics.
Canada defeated Spain 88-85 in a thriller Sunday morning from Jakarta, Indonesia at the FIBA World Cup of Basketball.
Canada had to fight from behind for most of the game.
After finishing the first quarter tied at 21, Spain — thanks to Canadian foul issues — would take a 7 point lead into the half.
Putting together a better 3rd quarter, Canada still came into the 4th facing a 12 point deficit.
However, the Canadians would rally, thanks mostly to NBA Oklahoma City point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who hit clutch free-throws as Canada continued to whittle away at the Spanish lead through the final 3 minutes.
Hamilton-native Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 36 points, including going 14-of-16 at the free-throw line.
Dillon Brooks, traded from Memphis to Houston this summer, had 24 points and a solid defensive game for Team Canada in the victory.
Kamloops product Kelly Olynyk wasn’t at his best, but did hit back-to-back three point shots on two possessions in the 3rd quarter to keep Canada in the game.
Olynyk — Captain of the Canadian squad — finished with 6 points, going 2-for-7 from the floor in just over 17 minutes of action.
Earning the berth in the Olympics comes as aspirations for Canadian basketball starts to grow, with Spain entering the tournament as the number one ranked team in the world by FIBA.
Canada will continue its run at the FIBA World Cup with a date against Slovenia — a team which includes NBA All-Star Luka Doncic — on Wednesday morning in the quarter-finals.
![](https://media.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/1605/files/2023/09/canada-240x300.jpg)