Luka Doncic ejected as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads Canada into semis - ESPN

MANILA, Philippines — Luka Doncic argued with the referees all night. And that's why he wasn't around in the final minutes, as Canada clinched a trip to the Basketball World Cup semifinals.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points, RJ Barrett added 24 and Canada topped Slovenia 100-89 on Wednesday night. The win sends Canada into a semifinal matchup with Serbia on Friday.

Doncic had 26 points for Slovenia, but was ejected with 6:37 left after picking up his second technical of the game — both of them coming after he argued with referees over calls or non-calls. Slovenia was down by 15 at the time and wound up getting within nine shortly after Doncic departed, but it wasn't enough.

Doncic returned to the court, in flip-flops instead of sneakers, as time expired to congratulate Canadian players.

Canada — which saw Dillon Brooks ejected shortly before Doncic departed, also after a technical — will play Serbia in Friday's semifinals, with the U.S. and Germany set to meet in the other semifinal. The winners of those games will play for the World Cup on Sunday night.

Slovenia was bidding to make the World Cup semifinals for the first time since gaining its independence in 1991. Slovenia will play Lithuania on Thursday in the start of the consolation playoffs that will be used to determine fifth through eighth place.

The win was big for Canada, and big for Germany and Serbia. The top two finishers from Europe are guaranteed automatic berths into the Paris Olympics — and with Slovenia now assured of finishing no better than fifth, while Germany and Serbia cannot finish lower than fourth, it's those two nations who'll be heading to France next summer.

Slovenia still has a chance at the Olympics, but will have to win a qualifying