U.S. finishes fourth at FIBA World Cup, loses three games for first time since 2004 Olympics

Canada beat the U.S. 127-118 in overtime in the FIBA World Cup bronze-medal game, the Americans’ third loss of the tournament.

It marked Canada’s second-ever global championship medal after its silver in basketball’s Olympic debut in 1936.

The U.S. lost three times at a global championships (Olympics or World Cup) for the first time since the 2004 Athens Games.

That desultory performance in Greece helped lead to an overhaul of the program and set the stage for the Redeem Team in 2008.

FIBA WORLD . . .