WINNIPEG - The Canadian national basketball men's team couldn't quite erase a 10-point deficit late in the fourth quarter, losing 90-81 to Nigeria in exhibition play on Friday night.
Canada narrowed the gap to 82-81, but Nigeria's Jordan Nwora hit a three-pointer with a minute remaining to make it 85-81 in front of 8,000 fans at Bell MTS Place. Nigeria held Canada off the scoreboard the rest of the way.
Nwora led all scorers with 19 points. Philip Scrubb had 12 points for Canada, which beat Nigeria 96-87 on Wednesday night in Toronto in the opener of the two-game series.
Both teams are gearing up for the FIBA World Cup, which starts later this month in China.
Scrubb built his team a 7-0 lead to start the game, but a three-pointer and a big dunk by Nwora help swing the lead to the visitors' favour.
Scrubb, who hails from Richmond, B.C., and plays for Spain's Club Estudiantes, then sailed in a three-pointer to start the tide turning back.
