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U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA

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U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#1 » by Hair Canada » Wed Jun 27, 2018 9:33 pm

Unlike last year, when the Canadian roster was arguably missing 7 or 8 of the top 10 players in the class of 2020, this year things look much better. I actually can’t think of anyone who I’d like to see on the team and who just decided not to show up. All in all, that’s probably a good tradeoff, because even with last summer’s weak roster, Canada was able to pretty much sail to the finals and secure a place in this world championship. But I don’t think that even our best team could have given a fair fight to the Americans. This year, on the other hand, the competition should be fiercer (see my other post), so having a much stronger roster might now make the difference.

In the group stage, starting this Saturday, Canada is going to play against Egypt, New Zealand, and Montenegro. The first two shouldn’t pose too much of a problem (though NZ tends to play a physical and competitive brand of basketball), but Montenegro can certainly be a tough competitor.

Here's my other post on the competition:

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1719571&p=67074981#p67074981


And here’s a look at the 12 players on the Canadian roster:

GUARDS:

Addison Patterson (6’7 CG; class of 2020). Patterson is coming off a very good championship at the U18 FIBA Americas in Ste. Catherines, where he scored 14.5 points a game, shooting almost 50% from the field and almost 40% from 3. This continues his breakout summer, after playing AAU basketball with CIA Bounce at Nike’s EYBL, where he led the team in scoring with more than 20 points a game. He should almost certainly lead this U17 team in scoring, but they need more than just that from him. He needs to show commitment and a good attitude in this setting, where he is clearly the best player and will play many minutes. The prima donna attitude that he showed in the past will not do, especially on the defensive end, where this team might have some trouble, as none of the other guards is a clear defensive stopper. He also needs to step up in terms of creating for others and use his very good vision to make the right decision rather than force shots and try to do it all himself. The stage is his to show that he is one of the top players not wearing US uniform in this championship. To do that, he needs to not only perform individually but also to make the team better and lead it to success. If he manages to do that, he’ll further establish himself as a top-20 player in the class of 2020 and a promising NBA potential.

Cashius McNeilley (6’4 SG; class of 2020). Cash was the best player for the Canadian U16 team in the FIBA Americas last summer, although for some reason he sat too much on the bench for my liking. He led the team in scoring, shooting the ball very well from distance (2.2 threes a game on 48% shooting) and was especially impressive against the US in the finals. Has one of the best looking outside strokes I’ve seen from a player at this age. Shoots an easy ball, with a clean and seemingly effortless release, and he can easily shoot it from NBA range. Also has a very smooth game. Glides on the court (similar to Patterson), plays with good pace and can find openings in the defense and use them to finish with finesse. Not very explosive though, and his frame is somewhat underwhelming, with wide hips and narrow shoulders. It also doesn’t seem like he improved all that much since last year. He moved to play south of the border for Huntington Prep (WV), but didn’t really make a mark there. Tends to be a bit passive and not take charge of games. Lacks a degree of assertiveness, toughness, and killer mentality. Also doesn’t create much for others and I don’t see him as a potential lead guard at this point (I actually see Patterson as a better prospect for that position). Still, together with Patterson, he should lead the backcourt and if they can play well together, most teams will have a hard time containing this duo.

Shemar Rathan-Mayes (5’11 PG; class of 2020). Xavier’s brother is a pretty nice player in his own right. Along with McNeilly, SRM was our best player and other primary scorer in last year’s U16 championship. Also led the team in assists (although with only 2.5 a game). Unfortunately, I think in the long-run he won’t get as far as his brother (a fringe NBA player), mainly due to his limited stature (Xavier is 6’4). But in this team, he might be the starting PG and stands to see a good amount of minutes on the court. A very quick player with a good handle, who plays an aggressive type of game, not shying away from contact and possessing a very nice stop-and-pop, with strong legs and good elevation. Also a decent 3-ball shooter when his feet are set. Despite his speed, he’s only an okay athlete overall with a pretty slight frame and limited length, making it quite hard for him to finish well in the paint against length.

Keeshawn Barthelemy (6’2 CG; class of 2020). The oldest player on the team and one of two players from Montreal on the final roster (the other is Minott). Last year, Jefferson Koulibaly, also from Montreal, got the roster spot and Barthelemy was an alternate, which I thought was a mistake. Glad to see they fixed it this year. A guard I quite like, who played this year at Athlete Institute. A good athlete who can play above the rim and finish with explosiveness in transition. Also a pretty good perimeter shooter. His athleticism should get him to the NCAA, but he’s probably not talented enough to go beyond that. Was also preferred over Taryn Todd, who was a starting five in last year’s tournament and a top-four scorer on that team. I can understand this decision though. All three (Barthelemy, Koulibaly, and Todd) are explosive guards, but Barthelemy is a better decision maker and can play the PG better. With the addition of Patterson and Hemmings, there doesn’t seem to be a need for another scoring guard. Keeshawn is also a very good defender and plays with good intensity, which would be important in complementing the other guards on the team, who are not that great on defense.

Luka Sakota (6’4 PG; class of 2020). Was one of our better players last year and should see some minutes as a backup PG. A pretty smooth player with a European style of play (I think he has Serbian origins). Good size for position and a decent athlete, although he’s not explosive and doesn’t play above the rim. Also not very long. But very cerebral and knows how to play the angles and finish nicely around the basket with both hands. Very good outside shooter, with a quick release. Also a real PG with good court vision and passing. Doesn’t have enough burst on his first step to blow by players. Has games where he looks great, but also ones where nothing seems to be going his way. I think he’ll actually look better with better players around him, where he doesn’t need to do everything by himself and create everything. Should be a valuable contributor from the bench, similar to what he did last summer. His long-term potential doesn’t look as high as the others, mainly because of the more limited length and athleticism, but he might surprise.


FORWARDS:

Josh Hemmings (6’9 SF; class of 2020). Together with McNeilly and Patterson, Hemmings is considered as one of the three best prospects in this class. Great size for the position and good skill. Can do just about everything on the court – shoot, penetrate, rebound, and even bring the ball up the court a little, showing a nice handle for his size. But right now, he still doesn’t do any of those things exceptionally well and hasn’t quite shown the ability to take over games. His size, together with his young age (only 16.5), means that he might still grow an inch or two. If that’s the case, and considering his fairly strong physique, he should be able to eventually become a stretch four at the next level, which might be to his advantage, as he is not overly explosive and might find it hard to keep up with quick athletic wings on defense. Plays his high school ball for American powerhouse Oak Hill Academy (where Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, and Rajon Rondo also played, as well as recently Nova Scotia’s Lindell Wigginton). So far hasn’t played a major role for them, but hopefully next year he can take a step forward. Will probably get the starting SF/PF role on this U17 team and projects to be one of its leading scorers.

Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe (6’7 SF; class of 2020). Not considered as talented as the Patterson, McNeilly and Hemmings, but I like him. I think he’s another cousin of Shai and Nickel, but a very different type of player. More athletic and explosive than these two, but his skill level is clearly not at the same level and probably will never get there. Has a great physical profile. Very long (7’0 wingspan), with huge strides and wide shoulders, suggesting a very developable frame. Great potential as an elite defender and he plays with a lot of passion and motivation, although still not fully there in terms of feel for the game and skill. On offence, a real work in progress. If you asked me last year, I’d say he’s almost a lost cause. Had no skills at all for an outside player. Couldn’t drive in traffic and his outside shot looked especially painful – very flat and awkward (and, not surprisingly, he almost never made it in the very few times he tried). Defenders just gave him space and he was an offensive liability. No longer the case. His shot looks much better, including from the line and he’s gaining confidence on the drive, able to use his long strides and finish above the rim. A good long-term potential and If he’s a late-bloomer like Shai, I can certainly see him ending up as a top-3 player in this Canadian class and a future NBA 3-and-D. Might be due for a breakout tournament here and I think he’ll see some big minutes at both the 3 and the 4.

Caleb Houstan (6’8 SG/SF; class of 2022). Houstan is the youngest member on this team and he will also be eligible to play in the next U17 world championship in two years. One of the best talents we have in the younger ages. I’ve written about him before, noting his great size for a wing payer (will likely end up at around 6’9 or 6’10, so might be able to eventually slip into the PF position at times when he gets stronger). Excellent feel for the game. Can do many things – shoot from the perimeter, penetrate efficiently and finish above the rim, and grab rebounds and finish around the basket. Also has good court vision and he’s a willing passer. Still quite thin, but is not often overpowered by older guys. He’s also not a freakish athlete – more agile than explosive. But he’s very smooth and plays with confidence and some swagger. I think his best case scenario is a Jason Tatum type of player. That said, I’m not sure he’ll see many minutes in this tournament, being two years younger than the rest of the competition.

Keon Ambrose Hylton (6’8 combo forward; class of 2020). The only player on this roster that I haven’t had a chance to see playing in live action. He plays at Hamilton Heights, the “Canadian” prep school in Tennessee, where SGA, NAW, Wheza Panzo, Tre Edwards, and a few others also play/ed. And he’s a late bloomer, so was not part of any national teams or even Ontario teams yet. Long and athletic forward, who moves well and can block shots. Really made some big strides and improved his skills and scoring quite a bit this last year. We’ll have to wait and see what role he gets on this team. Like Moncrieffe, he will probably play most of his minutes at the 4. And from what I hear, he’s likely to get quite a few minutes in this tournament.

Benjamin Krikke (6’8 PF; class of 2020). For me, he was one of the nicer surprises last year. The power forward from Edmonton, AB showed some surprising outside skill and shot, along with a good motor and a nice defensive contribution. Was a starter for the U16 team and began the tournament quite well, showing a nice stroke and was an efficient low-volume scoring contributor. As the tournament progressed, his limited physical tools became evident, particularly against the Americans. Given his limited size (height and length) and athleticism, I can’t really see him as an elite next level prospect. More like a good Usport potential. But at this stage, he might be able to contribute a few valuable minutes to the team, building on his international experience last year. Still, I hope the other forwards above, who are all much more promising prospects, perform well and demonstrate they deserve to get the lion share of the minutes, international experience, and exposure.


BIGS:

Tre-Vaughn Minott (6’9 C; class of 2020). The second player from Montreal on this roster. In many ways, he and Charles Bediako (below) are quite similar players at this stage. Both are fairly tall with good length, both pretty good shot blockers, and both with a very rudimentary offensive game, unable to score beyond two feet from the basket (Minott sometimes does try and his shot looks okay mechanically, but usually it doesn’t fall in). Both also look a bit clumsy on the court at this point. Slow lateral movement, mediocre touch around the basket, and not the best hands for catching balls, making them turnover prone and further limiting their offensive contribution. Minott played on a very weak team last year in a league with very few real bigs (the NPA), but although he was his team’s best player, he often couldn’t really dominate the way you might expect given his height and length. Still, there are some things to like about Minott. He’s a decent athlete with an excellent physical profile – big, long, and quite strong, with wide shoulders. Will mainly be playing for his potential contribution on defense and rim protection.

Charles Bediako (6’11 C; class of 2021). Charles is the second player on this team (along with Patterson) who also played at the U18 championship in Ontario at the beginning of June. Well, played is a bit of an overstatement, as he received very few minutes and didn’t have much of an impact. Should see a bit more playing time in this tournament, but perhaps still not that much. I wrote about him before the U18 championship, so no need to repeat. Beyond providing some rim protection, he’s still not ready for a major contribution, and will probably find it hard to keep up with smaller and more mobile forwards. That said, the European teams, in particular, sometimes like to play with traditional tall and heavy bigs. So he might find a matchup against these, although I think at this point Minott can put more of a body on such players. Charles was a starting player for the cadet team last year, but played limited minutes. I expect he won’t see significantly more playing time in this tournament.

In fact, judging by last year and the recent U18 FIBA Americas tournament, I expect to see long stretches where coaches play some combination involving two of our athletic forwards at the 4 and 5, with our two limited bigs sitting on the bench. Players with slow feet who can’t put the ball on the floor or shoot from more than three feet are quickly becoming redundant in today’s basketball unless they are outstanding rim protectors or bring some other unique skills (e.g. an energy offensive rebound guy like TT who can also switch efficiently on the P&R).


NOTABLE OMMISIONS:

The fact that this time around all of our top players came, means that some interesting prospects had to be left out. Some of them were part of the team last year, while others are names that could/should have been considered and perhaps we’ll still get to see in the future playing for the national teams.

Guys who were there last year (7 players):

* Taryn Todd – I wrote about him above. An excellent athlete, but somewhat limited skill and does not create for others. Perhaps a bit surprising given his role last year (was second on the team in minutes), but I think it’s a legitimate choice, which really shows how much deeper and better we’ve gotten in the backcourt this time around.

* Malachi Ndur. This one might also seem surprising, given that he was top-5 in minutes and was by far the leading rebounder (8.5) for the U16 team last year. Even held up the center position for extended stretches. I’m a bit surprised that he didn’t even make it into training this year. But from what I’ve seen of him over the year, playing at Southwest in the OSBA, he hasn’t made any substantial progress. A very good athlete and strong guy with a great frame, but also a very rudimentary skill set for a wing and doesn’t have a good understanding for the game. That said, he started to play at a late age, so might still be able to break through in the future.

* Jefferson Koulibaly, Paris Shand, Alex Nwagha, Matteus Case, and Victor Radocaj were all on the roster last year, and all saw some playing time. But all are not quite at this level, either because of limited talent and skill (Koulibaly, case, and Nwagha) or a limited physical profile (Shand and Radocaj). I suspect that none of them will be missed.

Others worth considering:

* Okay Djamgouz. The NPH darling (top-5 on their ranking for the class of 2020) ended up as an alternate on this team. A fantastic shooter, but doesn’t do much more at a high level. Limited handle, athleticism, and strength prevent him from creating much for himself or for others and he’s unable to turn the corner on players or finish efficiently around the basket. So I think that’s a good call.

* Muon Reaf. Despite his young age (not yet 16), I think Reaf could have already contributed, especially on defense. He is still quite raw offensively (although showing some flashes), but at about 6’8 he has really great length, athleticism, mobility and defensive instincts, which allow him to be efficient on defense both as an interior presence and a shot blocker, and in covering quick wings and even guards.

Zach Edey a 7’3 class of 2021 center, who’s completely a newcomer. I think he’s actually quite an impressive prospect for his size and would have liked to see him get a spot on the roster instead of Bediako for some limited stretches. As might be expected, he's not very quick or agile and his offense is quite rudimentary. But he has a solid physique, he's not awkward, moves decently well, and can really protect the rim. Had something like 10 blocks in about 15 minutes of play in the Biosteel futures game. Doesn't need to do much more than stretch his arms at this point. Reminds me a bit of Jordan Bachinsky, but Edey might eventually be even bigger.

* Finally, three others who were ranked top-10 in the class of 2020 by NPH, but were not even invited to the preliminary training camp (rightfully so for me) are Coleman Stucke, Bryant Selebangue, and Anthony Fritzgerald Felisma. The first is a big SF (6’8), who’s a good scorer, but lacks speed and athleticism. The other two are undersized power forwards who didn’t have much production at a high level and I really can’t understand why NPH would consider them to be better than some of the names above.



PREDICTION:

These championships are always risky bets. One bad game and you might be out of the competition. From all I’ve seen and read, in terms of potential Canada is clearly a top-5 team in this tournament, but not so clearly a top-2 one, as was the case two years ago (not that that helped). As such, we should definitely be competing for a medal. If I had to guess, the Americans are unattainable and the French team also seems a bit more talented to me, so if we get to the semis and happen to meet one of the two, we might end up playing for the bronze.

I believe that if all goes according to expectations and we finish the group stage in the first place, we are probably headed into a meeting with Australia (or Turkey, who’s certainly also a dangerous team) in the quarterfinals. Judging from our very tight match with the Australians in a scrimmage yesterday, there’s actually a fairly reasonable chance that this is where things end for us. If we do win the quarterfinals, the likely script is a match against the Americans in the semis. It’s a bit unfortunate, because I would have liked to see us go head to head against France (might still happen in some constellation). But it also means that the bronze is realistically the best we can hope for. And it would be a great result, given that only one Canadian team won a medal in this competition before (the bronze in 2010 with Wiggins, Bennett, Pangos, Hanlan, and Pierre).
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Re: U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#2 » by Red Shoelace » Wed Jun 27, 2018 10:29 pm

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Re: U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#3 » by B-Ball Freak » Wed Jun 27, 2018 10:31 pm

When does it start? Will it be televised at all
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Re: U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#4 » by mojo13 » Thu Jun 28, 2018 12:39 am

B-Ball Freak wrote:When does it start? Will it be televised at all



All televised on FIBAs Youtube channel. Starts this Saturday....you can figure the rest out.
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Re: U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#5 » by Hair Canada » Thu Jun 28, 2018 7:46 pm

mojo13 wrote:
B-Ball Freak wrote:When does it start? Will it be televised at all



All televised on FIBAs Youtube channel. Starts this Saturday....you can figure the rest out.


Here's the link to the championship videos. Usually, they're in fairly good quality, but I believe most are not narrated, so it's useful to know who's who.

http://www.fiba.basketball/world/u17/2018/videos
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Re: U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#6 » by Morse Code » Thu Jun 28, 2018 7:54 pm

Red Shoelace wrote:Image

And I think I speak for the rest of the board when I say, I appreciate you too. Respek
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Re: U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#7 » by Hair Canada » Sat Jun 30, 2018 2:03 am

First game for team Canada tomorrow (Saturday against Montenegro at 2:15 PM ET.

Link to steam here:

http://www.fiba.basketball/world/u17/2018/videos/LIVE%F0%9F%94%B4-Canada-v-Montenegro
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Re: U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#8 » by frumble » Sat Jun 30, 2018 3:56 am

Hair Canada,
Thanks for the awesome preview. It is much appreciated.
Looking forward to your analysis throughout the tournament.
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Re: U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#9 » by Hair Canada » Sun Jul 1, 2018 2:23 am

Excellent win today for Canada in the tournament opener against Montenegro. They took a page out of the senior men's game the day before -- toyed with the other team for three quarters before blowing them out of the water in the fourth. And to be clear, Montenegro is not a bad team. Silver medalists in last year's U16 FIBA Europe.

Some impressions from the game:

Patterson is really on another level and was very good. 20 points (in 23 minutes), some thunderous dunks, and a feeling that he can score almost on will. Still doesn't show much mid- or long-range shooting, didn't create much for others, and was a bit careless with the ball. Defence is better than before, but still not consistent. Had some very good defensive sequences, but then also let players blow by him with not enough effort. But the reason I emphasize all of these is that the potential is so high. Long, athletic, and smooth, with skill and attack-mode mentality that are second only to Barrett in these ages. To be clear, he's not on the same level mentally and physically, but he's actually more ambidextrous and crafty with the ball than Barrett.

Sakota and Hemmings also had fairly good games. McNeilly not so much. The smooth-shooting, length and agility are still there and probably always will be, but he hasn't shown much more. Seems to take the backseat whenever he's on the court with Patterson. Seems complacent.

Besides Patterson, I was actually most impressed with the youngster, Houstan. Only played about 2 minutes during the first three quarters. But then he opened in the fourth and gave the coaches every reason to leave him in until the game was finished. Not an explosive athlete and seemed a bit rushed on offence at times, but he showed great offensive and defensive instincts. I think it's not a fluke that we made our big run with him on the court. Did all the little things, especially on defence -- staying with his guy, while also providing a good number of interceptions and deflections, reading plays very well, and disrupting opponents with his length. On offense he showed a nice finishing touch around the basket (especially on the break), but also shared the ball nicely and created for others. All in all, I certainly hope to see him get some extended minutes in future games. I think he earned it today.

For the coming games, I think I'd like to see even more minutes with both of the heavy bigs on the bench. Josh Hemmings and Ambrose-Hylton can put a body on most opposing bigs, would not be so easily beaten on the dribble by faster bigs, and would create better spacing on offence. Bediako and Minott were not bad (Minott was part of the group that made the big run in the fourth), but they're just too heavy and limited, and should have a very limited role in my opinion.

Tomorrow at 13:45ET we're meeting Egypt, who had a fairly comfortable win against NZ today. I don't foresee any trouble though.
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Re: U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#10 » by TheFutureMM » Sun Jul 1, 2018 1:12 pm

I caught 3 quarters of the game yesterday Hair. Hoping to pick your brain...

Hair Canada wrote:Patterson is really on another level and was very good. 20 points (in 23 minutes), some thunderous dunks, and a feeling that he can score almost on will. Still doesn't show much mid- or long-range shooting, didn't create much for others, and was a bit careless with the ball. Defence is better than before, but still not consistent. Had some very good defensive sequences, but then also let players blow by him with not enough effort. But the reason I emphasize all of these is that the potential is so high. Long, athletic, and smooth, with skill and attack-mode mentality that are second only to Barrett in these ages. To be clear, he's not on the same level mentally and physically, but he's actually more ambidextrous and crafty with the ball than Barrett.


Highlights



Patterson looked like he should be playing in an NCAA game as opposed to an u17 competition - he was on another planet. His dunk at 0:14 was just one example of this. As well, not featured in these highlights, was an attempt in the first half in transition where cocked it back from his hip and almost laid it out directly on top of the defender - had dunk of the tournament potential.

My question is this - where does he project at the next level? Is he a 3 or is he a 4? I feel like he's going to struggle as a wing without a shot at the next level. Also, what class is he in? I looked at the ESPN top 100 for 2019 and top 60 for 2020 - he's not there.

As well, I have to say I came away really impressed with Hemmings. Played within himself, had a couple of great defensive sequences - there was a nice play he made from the high-post that lead to two free-throws for one of our guards. As you mentioned, he doesn't seem to have a weakness. Really excited to see how he develops moving forward.
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Re: U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#11 » by Hair Canada » Sun Jul 1, 2018 3:48 pm

TheFutureMM wrote:I caught 3 quarters of the game yesterday Hair. Hoping to pick your brain...

Patterson looked like he should be playing in an NCAA game as opposed to an u17 competition - he was on another planet. His dunk at 0:14 was just one example of this. As well, not featured in these highlights, was an attempt in the first half in transition where cocked it back from his hip and almost laid it out directly on top of the defender - had dunk of the tournament potential.

My question is this - where does he project at the next level? Is he a 3 or is he a 4? I feel like he's going to struggle as a wing without a shot at the next level. Also, what class is he in? I looked at the ESPN top 100 for 2019 and top 60 for 2020 - he's not there.

As well, I have to say I came away really impressed with Hemmings. Played within himself, had a couple of great defensive sequences - there was a nice play he made from the high-post that lead to two free-throws for one of our guards. As you mentioned, he doesn't seem to have a weakness. Really excited to see how he develops moving forward.


I really don't think Patterson is a 3 or a 4. His skill level and size (not the strongest player) are clearly that of a guard, minus the shooting. Now, that's, of course, a problem for a projected shooting guard, but not one that cannot be solved. It's not like he doesn't have a shooting touch (his percentage from the line is okay). Just a matter of fixing his form and release with endless repetitions and added strength, and he can become a decent shooter I think. I can also see him as a lead guard at least some of the time. He's got the craftiness and vision to pull it off, though he has a score-first mentality. But if Murray can be an opening PG for an NBA team, I think Patterson might also get there someday. Again, what I'm most worried about at this point is his defensive inconsistency. As an NBA prospect, he is not enough of an athletic frick or a gifted scorer (outside shot) to be a bad defender. His on-the-ball defence and defensive effort will have to really improve for him to have the future he could have.

As for class and ranking, it's quite simple. He's a 2020 prospect, who could (and I think probably should) reclassify at some point this year and go to college next year. Very similar to what Barrett has done (Patterson is a year younger). I think this might even happen at the end of this breakout summer for him, as he already has offers from good mid-major schools. Heard him say once that his dream is to play for Kentucky, so maybe he's waiting still for that one. And as for the ESPN ranking, they don't rank players who don't play on a US high school. Patterson played last year at Athlete Institute in Ontario, so that's the reason. As I think I said before, for me he's a top-20 prospect in the class of 2020. Not sure about where I'd put him in 2019, since it's still unclear how that class would eventually look like.

Agree about Hemmings. The only clear minus in his game I see right now is that he's not that quick, long, and athletic in NBA terms. But I think he has enough of it to hopefully be an efficient combo-forward one day, especially if he still has an inch or two in him. He's still quite young (only turns 17 in October) and one of the better potentials on this team.
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Re: U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#12 » by frumble » Sun Jul 1, 2018 6:28 pm

FWIW, Scout's rankings of class of 2020 have:

Patterson 18
McNeilly 38
Barthelemy 51
Alexander-Moncrief 61
Ambrose 75


And Future 150 has:
Patterson 22
McNeilly 31
Hemmings 33
Alexander-Moncrief 72
SRM 143
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Re: U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#13 » by Hair Canada » Mon Jul 2, 2018 3:00 am

SECOND DAY SUMMARY:

Canada with another big win, this time over Egypt by 40. Less competitive game than yesterday. Some impressions:

Patterson with another efficient game. 16 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals in only 15 minutes (almost didn't play in the second half). Continues to be our best player.

MAM (Moncrieffe) with a good performance -- 12 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 assists. A terrific athlete and physical profile, but still learning his body and working on his skill. Emmanuel Miller type of player.

McNeilly with another excellent shooting performance from behind the arc. Shoots 3 threes a game on 75%. But still didn't do much more. Pretty passive on offence (doesn't create for himself or for others), and also wasn't good on defence, where more than once he lost concentration and allowed easy buckets.

Once again, the most impressive player for me except for Patterson was the young Houstan. might not be that evident if you just look at his scoring (6.5 a game), and he still doesn't play all that much (only 13 minutes a game). In both games, most of his minutes came in the fourth, shwoing that the coaches still don't see him as a major rotation player. Still, I think he's a very high IQ and elegant player. Not super athletic, but moves very well, long and disruptive on defence. Almost doesn't make mistakes on that side of the floor. Again, Canada's best run was with him on the floor in the second. Plus/minus numbers don't always tell the whole story, but I think in his case they reflect what you see when watching games. Although he's almost last on the team in minutes, he is second in plus/minus (+20.5), only slightly behind Patterson. Also second on the team in assists and among the leaders in steals. Really love his game.

As for the team, the coaches divide the minutes really well between all 12 players, with all getting between 11 (Minott) and 19 (McNeilly and Patterson). We'll need to see what happens with that when the competition is fiercer, although that might not happen until the projected semis vs. the US. Looking at the competition as a whole, things are pretty much as was expected. Canada and France seem to be on a level of their own, a step (or two) behind the Americans. Too bad we'll probably meet the US and not France in the semis. But this certainly bodes well for a medal.

Tomorrow is a day off. Then NZ (the weakest in the group) and another weak team in the sweet 16 (Philippines?) and another day of rest.

So the real tournament for us probably only starts on Friday in the quarterfinals (most likely Turkey).
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Re: U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#14 » by Hair Canada » Mon Jul 2, 2018 10:51 pm

frumble wrote:FWIW, Scout's rankings of class of 2020 have:

Patterson 18
McNeilly 38
Barthelemy 51
Alexander-Moncrief 61
Ambrose 75


And Future 150 has:
Patterson 22
McNeilly 31
Hemmings 33
Alexander-Moncrief 72
SRM 143


Ye, that sounds about right to me, especially the Future 150 one (Barthelemy is a nice player, but probably not top-50). McNeilly will have to shape up and be more assertive to maintain his ranking in the top-40. MAM can break into the top-50 if he continues to develop his offense.
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Re: U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#15 » by Hair Canada » Wed Jul 4, 2018 2:41 am

The group stage is done and team Canada with another 30+ win to finish it, today against NZ. Despite the large margin, not a great game today.

Patterson had a pretty weak game and forced too much. Got sent to the bench, rightfully so. Even in a day like this he's still clearly the most gifted player on the team but needs to create more for others when he sees his shot is not going in.

McNeilly continues to look anaemic. Also continues to be almost perfect from distance (8/10 so far in the championship). But he almost doesn't initiate and looks really passive.

Moncrieffe with another very good game. Very active on the boards and plays with a lot of energy on both ends of the floor. NBA-level length and athleticism. Just needs the rest of his game to catch up, but the talent is there.

Elimination stage begins tomorrow, with a game against the Philippines (13:45). Today the Phi had a tight game with Argentina (which has an especially weak team this year), but I can't see them staying close tomorrow. Let's just hope it remains a fair game with no provocations.

In the quarterfinals, we could certainly meet Australia, as projected, but I wouldn't be shocked if Mali pulls up an upset and we end up playing them. Mali has two of the more talented players in this tournament. The first is Siriman Kanoute, a guard who leads the tournament right now in points, with 26 a game. The second is a big man, Oumar Ballo, who plays in Spain and leads the tournament in rebounds (13.3 a game), adding almost 16 points per game.

Regardless, we remain the clear favourites to meet the US in the semis. So far, the US, France and Canada seem to all be on another level (with the US being on a level of their own).
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Re: U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#16 » by Hair Canada » Thu Jul 5, 2018 1:54 am

As expected, an easy win today over the Philippines, en route to the quarterfinals. Also as expected, we'll be playing Australia, who beat Mali in another tight game. The game is on Friday, so I might write on it some more later.

Not too much to take away from the game today, as once again we met a weak team. Patterson only played 13 minutes. McNeilly only shot 2/7 from three, but looked a bit more involved and took some initiative. Only three players finished with double figures.

But it is time to talk some more about Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe (MAM). As I said in the past, he's not often considered as big of a talent as Patterson, McNeilly and Hemmings. The guys at NPH don't even rank him in their top-5 for the class, preferring guys like Ambrose-Hylton and Djamgouz. Never quite understood this. I always thought he's underrated and overlooked and predicted before the tournament that this might be a coming out party for him. So far, it sure looks like it. Today he had 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 fantastic blocks (including one on the very crafty 7'2 Philippino centre). In the competition so far he has 14 points and 9 rebounds a game, easily leading the team in efficiency and shooting an efficient 58% from the field.

But it's not just current production, which can often be deceiving at this age (Ben Krikke, for example, is also putting up really nice numbers in this tournament, but his ceiling is very clear). MAM's physical profile is the most NBA-projectable of all the players on this Canada team. Very long, wide shoulders and a frame that's probably going to fill out nicely, huge strides, and an excellent leaper (NBA level athlete). He also plays with zest and I think the Emmanuel Miller comparison is good in this respect. But he's more talented than Miller and, even more importantly, I've seen with him a continuous growth as he gradually learns to realize what he can do. His drive to the basket and confidence at it have already improved dramatically in the last two years, as did his understanding of the game. His outside shooting is still the weakest point of his game (especially since I think he eventually projects as a 3-and-D wing at the NBA). But, as I mentioned before, his form and release have really improved and even though he still doesn't knock down his threes, the shot looks much better. His free-throw shooting has already caught up (8/8 from the line today), so I think it's mainly a matter of time and endless repetitions until he becomes a decent spot-up shooter.

From what I've seen so far in this tournament, MAM actually looks like the second-best long-term talent in this class behind Patterson, ahead of McNeilly and Hemmings.
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Re: U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#17 » by Myth11111 » Thu Jul 5, 2018 1:58 am

Nice thread. Some how missed this.

Agree with everything you said about France, Canada, and the US. France is killing everyone too so I wish we could play them in the semis. That would really decide who is the second best team.
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Re: U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#18 » by Hair Canada » Thu Jul 5, 2018 1:57 pm

Myth11111 wrote:Nice thread. Some how missed this.

Agree with everything you said about France, Canada, and the US. France is killing everyone too so I wish we could play them in the semis. That would really decide who is the second best team.


Yes, too bad. I wonder how this happened since the US is ranked first in the men's youth category and we are second. I'd expect the draw to reflect that.
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Re: U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#19 » by Mr Cam » Thu Jul 5, 2018 8:48 pm

Hair Canada wrote:

"Yes, too bad. I wonder how this happened since the US is ranked first in the men's youth category and we are second. I'd expect the draw to reflect that."

---------------------------------------------------------

Here is your answer

Draw

The draw ceremony for the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018 took place on Wednesday,
March 14, at 19:00 local time (GMT -3) in the Rostower Hotel, in Rosario, Argentina.

The ceremony was livestreamed on FIBA's YouTube channel.

The 16 teams participating in the fourth edition of the FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World
Cup are:

Host country: Argentina
Africa: Egypt, Mali
Americas: Canada, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, USA
Asia: 4 teams to be determined at the FIBA U16 Asian Championship taking place in Foshan,
China from April 2-8
Europe: Croatia, France, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey

Here are the draw principles:
Pot 1: USA, Asia 1, France, Montenegro
Pot 2: Canada, Serbia, Croatia, Turkey
Pot 3: Puerto Rico, Argentina, Asia 2, Asia 3
Pot 4: Dominican Republic, Asia 4, Mali, Egypt

The following restrictions will apply:
Pot 2
Canada not with USA and Asia 1

Pot 3
Puerto Rico and Argentina not with USA and Canada

Pot 4
Asia 4 not with Asia 1, Asia 2 and Asia 3
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Re: U17 World Championship: TEAM CANADA 

Post#20 » by mojo13 » Thu Jul 5, 2018 9:06 pm

Curious - Wonder what the logic is of the restriction that Canada not with Asia 1?
Everything else seems to sort of make sense.

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