Team Canada Basketball Thread V3.0

[SharoneWright]

Houstan, we have liftoff!? Finally::::
Michigan's Caleb Houstan wins freshman of the week

If Michigan is going to turn its season around and reach the NCAA Tournament, it's been obvious for a while that it will need its heralded group of freshmen to grow up in a hurry and figure out how to win in the Big Ten. The Wolverines made some serious progress in that regard last week as Caleb Houstan, the top-ranked freshman of the bunch, enjoyed the best week of his college career in the Wolverines' victories over Maryland and Indiana.

The 6-foot-8 small forward scored 16 points in an 83-64 win over Maryland and reached a new career-high with 19 in Michigan's 80-62 win at Indiana on Sunday to earn CBS Sports/USBWA Freshman of the Week honors. The win over the Hoosiers stands as the Wolverines' only Quad 1 victory, and it bumped them up 16 spots to No. 38 in Tuesday's NET ranking.

It's no coincidence that the big victories coincided with Houstan's breakout week, as the former No. 11 overall prospect from the 2021 Class made 13 of 19 shots from the field in the victories, including 8 of 11 from 3-point range. The Wolverines have a long way to go before they sniff the hype they enjoyed as the No. 6 team in the AP Top 25's preseason poll. But Houstan's play last week helped offer a roadmap for how they can get there.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/freshman-rankings-michigans-caleb-houstan-wins-freshman-of-the-week-paolo-banchero-holds-on-to-no-1-spot/

[BilboBanginz]

Five Canadians in the latest ESPN Mock Draft.

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/insider/story/_/id/33141176/2022-nba-mock-draft-which-teams-land-chet-holmgren-paolo-banchero-jabari-smith

7. Shaedon Sharpe
10. Benedict Mathurin
41. Caleb Houstan
46. Zach Edey
52. Andrew Nembhard

[Kenter16]

Five Canadians in the latest ESPN Mock Draft.

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/insider/story/_/id/33141176/2022-nba-mock-draft-which-teams-land-chet-holmgren-paolo-banchero-jabari-smith

7. Shaedon Sharpe
10. Benedict Mathurin
41. Caleb Houstan
46. Zach Edey
52. Andrew Nembhard

This is incredible! The talent coming out of this country is insane.
Houstan has had a few good games in a row, maybe he moves up. I would like to see him go 20-30. Get on a good team that will develop him properly.
What do we think will happen with Sharpe? Are we sure he is going to enter the draft? I mean if he actually gets eligibility, which doesn't seem like its a done deal, how can he not? He seems almost guaranteed to be a top 10 pick.

[frumble]

What do we think will happen with Sharpe? Are we sure he is going to enter the draft? I mean if he actually gets eligibility, which doesn't seem like its a done deal, how can he not? He seems almost guaranteed to be a top 10 pick.

I haven't followed this too closely, but I thought his draft eligibility was a done deal; he is eligible because he turns 19 this calendar year, and he met the requirements to graduate from high school before the 21/22 NBA season started.

[DreamTeam09]

Getting say a Caleb and Zach Eday would be really cool

[mojo13]

What do we think will happen with Sharpe? Are we sure he is going to enter the draft? I mean if he actually gets eligibility, which doesn't seem like its a done deal, how can he not? He seems almost guaranteed to be a top 10 pick.

I haven't followed this too closely, but I thought his draft eligibility was a done deal; he is eligible because he turns 19 this calendar year, and he met the requirements to graduate from high school before the 21/22 NBA season started.

Not officially a done deal.

My understanding is his camp says he finished all credits to graduate in time to be eligible. However his transcripts (and whatever else needed) have NOT been reviewed by the NBAs formal eligibility process. He is not technically eligible until that is done and apparently that is no sure thing.

Basically we are just going off his (or his families) belief right now. That might not jive with the official NBA position.



Can anyone post the latest Canadians in Sam Vecenies new Mock (released yesterday - The Athletic)?


Caleb Houstan had another good game last night. Now three in a row. If this keeps up, he can easily work himself back into the lottery.

[mojo13]

Also - I'm not sure if we discussed this here, but the new head of Canada Basketball was on the radio a couple weeks back talking about the SMNT. He seemed pretty serious that they are forming two "cores". A Winter one which we have already seen in action and a Summer Core made up of mostly NBA players. Sounds like the next version of the Winter Core playing vs the DR and USVI at the end of February will be very much the same players (In my opinion a couple will swap out. For example, Trae Bell Haynes was supposed to on the Nov team but came down with Covid).

He said the Summer core will be announced around the same time as the Feb WC Qualifier window. No exact date, so not sure if its before, during or after. Obviously it will be extremely interesting to see who they announce as part of this Summer Core, but my skepticism will remain and it really only matters who actually shows up this summer, next summer and the following summer. I'm absolutely certain it won't be the exact same 12 guys, but even if it is a consistent 5 or 6 it could be a windfall for Canada.

Anyways, keep an eye out for that announcement. Maybe only a couple weeks out....

[ItsDanger]

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/world-of-basketball-with-fran-fraschilla/id1516353620?i=1000549173082

Fraschilla pod on Zach Edey

[Hair Canada]

Part two of my 4-part series on the future of Canadian bigs is now online:

https://www.onpointbasketball.com/the-future-of-canadian-basketball-in-the-paint-part-2-college-upperclassmen/

[mojo13]

Awesome stuff Hair. You really had to a dig on this one.

Some other news:

Matty's podcast on Canadian bball has been a great listen the last couple years. Loads of insightful interviews with Canadian bball greats. This is good one with Michael Bartlett the new CEO of Canada Basketball. Can't say I came away super impressed with Bartlett basketball-wise (he was touting Olivier Rioux at one point), but his job is really fundraising, partnerships and management which I think he'll be really good at. The women would like be in good hands with him (that is the most I've heard anyone utter the word "equity" in a sports podcast), but he needs to leave the SMNT to Nurse and Barrett (which seems the intent).

Still talk of a "summer core" that is committed for the next three summers (Matty why didn't you press for specific names!?!?!?)
And that the "winter core" will be be substantially the same players (Covid permitting) as we saw against the Bahamas. Personally I do think Trae Bell Haynes may be included as Spanish media said he was in for the last window, but then got Covid.

Read on Twitter

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[mojo13]

Also on the bad news front:

Read on Twitter

?s=20&t=y0GaesiMYBin5mvyodOrMg

Read on Twitter

?s=20&t=y0GaesiMYBin5mvyodOrMg

[TheLP]

Brandon Clarke is back!

After an off-year, he's back to his marvelous rookie season shape and in some respects even better. Compared with his rookie season he plays fewer minutes but has (per 100 possessions) more points, rebounds, assists, and blocks, with fewer turnovers, shooting better from the 2 and from the field. The only two figures that have not recovered have to do with the shooting, from the line and from 3. The hitch in his shot is still there and he cannot buy a 3 this year (2 of 15).

And he's also improving significantly by the month:

October: 4.2ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.0apg, 0.4bpg
November: 8.8, 4.9, 1.5, 1.0
December: 10.4, 4.4, 1.2, 1.0
January: 14.4, 7.6, 1.6, 1.6

His rise coincides with Memphis' fantastic run. Since November 28 they won 19 games and lost only 4.

This version of Brandon Clarke is so fun to watch. Like you said his shot is still wonky but there's something so satisfying about watching someone understand & thrive in their role on a good team and Clarke is providing that

[BilboBanginz]

Pangos back to Europe.

Read on Twitter

[BilboBanginz]

We got leapfrogged by Spain and France. Not making it into the Final of U16 America's probably hurt us here.

Read on Twitter

[mojo13]

We got leapfrogged by Spain and France. Not making it into the Final of U16 America's probably hurt us here.

Read on Twitter

Moreso that they completely revamped the ranking system.

"Moving from a competition-based system to game-based, the new ranking is calculated according to the results of games from the past 2 editions of the U19 and U17 FIBA World Cups as well as the 2 most recent editions of Youth Continental Cups. This replaces the system in place under the previous ranking where an eight-year period was taken into consideration for ranking elaboration."

So now it is Game results vs a particular opponent based system rather than solely dependent on finished placement. And they are basically going off the last 4 years of results now. Totally different system (which follows the mens and womens) and there should be much realignment. A likely big hit here is that Canada's 2017 U19 Gold is now not included in the rankings.

Surprisingly not as much movement as I'd guess in the Top 10 (expect Russia moving up 11 places) but pretty big movements below that as expected.

Notice almost all FIBA Americas teams dropped ( USA and PR staying put)

[mojo13]

Trade Deadline Round up.
Not too busy for Canadians but some movement.

NAW from NOP to UTA (via POR). Seems like a good fit. Good development system.
Tristan Thompson from SAC to IND (possible buyout candidate)
Trey Lyles from DET to SAC (not sure what to think, he was playing pretty well in DET).
Pangos reported heading back to Europe to join CSKA for $6M (net after tax) over 2.5 years (so about $12M NBA equivalent). This is better than the 2022 NBA median salary of $4MM.

[KL78192020]

Five Canadians in the latest ESPN Mock Draft.

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/insider/story/_/id/33141176/2022-nba-mock-draft-which-teams-land-chet-holmgren-paolo-banchero-jabari-smith

7. Shaedon Sharpe
10. Benedict Mathurin
41. Caleb Houstan
46. Zach Edey
52. Andrew Nembhard

I thought Sharpe said he's staying next year. I don't see why he would.

[mojo13]

Bumping this as Window 2 of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers is this weekend in DR vs DR and USVI.

These were supposed to be home games for Canada on the schedule but moved to DR because of Canada's on going Covid restrictions.

I'm not sure if these are lost home games or if they just switched them for the summer window that was supposed to have been on the road.

The 24 man prelim roster was announced the other week for both DR and Canada and the 12 should be known soon.

Of the 24 for Canada this could be essentially the same core as the last window - Chery, P Scrubb, T scrubb, Wiltjer, Alexander with Robertson, Best, Klassen off the bench. Anthony Bennett is in the 24 but I still dont think is on the final 12 as he recently joined a club in Taiwan and as far as I can tell they still have a two week quarantine on entering the country.
Also missing on the 24 list is AJ Lawson who took some back up minutes the last window.

New additions to the 24 list of note are:
Trae Bell Haynes - having a great season in Spain and is an equivalent (but very different) PG to Chery. TBH I think is a great addition off the bench and shores up the PG position.
Kaza Kajami Keane - who I really like but still put behind TBH and Chery. He also semi recently returned from a 6 month injury and may not quite be at his best. He is redundant if TBH/Chery are there.
Johnny B - SG having the best season of his career in France and maybe redundant to Robertson.

All excellent potential adds, but not really where we need the help (except backup PG). Missing are any decent SF, PF, C additions and where will will have limited depth and will also be in trouble if Alexander, Wiltjer or Thomas Scrubb are not of the Final 12 for whatever reason. All three are having excellent seasons in Europe though and among our very best options outside the NBA (Pierre, & Ejim would be the competition)

Expect a three guard line-up with no decent back up SF - and hope that Alexander and Wiltjer stay out of foul trouble. Hopefully Klassen is there to soak up some C minutes. But the PF spot is pretty bare. Kalif Young is likely going to get some minutes which is a big step down.

[mojo13]

Also note HairCanada's excellent series on the future of Canada's bigs continues with Part 3.

https://www.onpointbasketball.com/the-future-of-canadian-basketball-in-the-paint-part-3-zach-edey/

[mojo13]

Final 12 for Dominican Republic is out. Still waiting for Canada.

1. A. Feliz
2. G. Solano
3. R. Mendoza
4. V. Liz
5. A. Henriquez
6. L. Montero
7. Z, Rojas
8. A. Núñez
9. A. Delgado
10. J. Guerrero
11. J. Suero
12. E. Vargas

This is a return of all starters from their blow-out wins versus USVI. Plus the addition of Angel Delgado who is likely moved into the starting 5 and a top re-enforcement for DR. Michael Torres a backup PG couldn't join the team for health issues.

Expect a starting five something like:

5-Vargas
4-Delgado
3-Rojas
2-Liz
1-Solano.

Angel Delgado (Bilbao Basket), Andre Feliz (Joventut) and Sadiel Rojas (UCAM Murcia) I think are the only ones playing in top European leagues (ACB, Italy etc.) the rest are mostly Mexican and South American leagues.

On paper Canada can put a better roster together (10ish guys in top Euro leagues), the the equalizer for the DR will be experience, time together, chemistry and playing at home. Should be a coin flip of a game.