State of the Union. Team Canada Basketball. (FIBA Americas Aug.31-Sep.15)

[Listas]

The Philippines, Italy and Serbia will be the hosts of the qualifying tournament. Which means that Lebanon, Latvia and Croatia will also participate in the tournament. The groups will be announced on January 26.

EDIT: Looks like it's going to be Turkey instead of Lebanon. Doesn't really seem fair, but neither of them have any real chance of qualifying, so maybe it's not that big a deal.

[Patman]

I would like to bring Lyles, even if he is the 5th big. Integral part of the future and lets get him engaged as soon as possible. Especially, if Nicholson isn't available. I take Lyles before I take Bennett anyways.

Bennett plays with so much pride when he plays for Canada. I like Lyles (starting to look like a future all-star) but he sat out vs the US with a bs injury in juniors and I always wondered if he refused to play against them because he's an American as well. I'd cut Sacre, I don't think either Nicholson or Murray will be available...Bennett might not be either since he doesn't have an extension.

Hmm. Did not know that. Were there other Wildcats on the US team?

[UcanUwill]

The Philippines, Italy and Serbia will be the hosts of the qualifying tournament. Which means that Lebanon, Latvia and Croatia will also participate in the tournament. The groups will be announced on January 26.

Cant wait, really want to know the groups.

[mojo13]

The Philippines, Italy and Serbia will be the hosts of the qualifying tournament. Which means that Lebanon, Latvia and Croatia will also participate in the tournament. The groups will be announced on January 26.

Cant wait, really want to know the groups.

Please explain to me how Turkey gets in over Lebanon? That doesn't make sense.

Why does FIBA always have to do something shady like this? Turkish companies are the main sponsors to FIBA...it really makes this look crooked.

And yes it matters...Turkey can field a team full of NBA talent. Lebanon has no where near the quality of talent that Turkey has.


EDIT: the more you look at this the more it stinks of FIBA corruption and people should be outraged. The rules were clear that it would be Lebanon to get in if an Asian team hosted a tournament. FIBA is now implying that Turkey qualified based on their world ranking. The problem with that is Russia is ranked higher than Turkey.

Turkey took 14th place in eurobasket 2015. All these countries should have been in before Turkey.
1) Lebanon
2) Russia who is higher on fiba rating...
3) Israel who 10th in eurobasket2015
4) also 11,12th,13 places of eurobasket2015...


The draw is set to take place on 26 January 2016. Can't wait to see us dumped into a deathpool (i.e. in Serbia with Greece and Croatia added) and see Turkey slide into a pool with the Philippines and a bunch of other weaker teams).