Team Canada Basketball Thread V2.0

mojo13 · Post #3821 » by **mojo13** » Fri Feb 12, 2021 5:23 pm

Fantastic squad considering the circumstances.

Based on past iterations, most likely starters for this squad include:
Keane
P Scrubb
Best
T Scrubb
Klassen

Landry, McIntosh, Morgan, Johnny B likely have big roles.
I'd prefer they start T Scrubb at 3 & Morgan/McIntosh over Best to get a little more offensive pop out of the starters. We have a number very good PF types, so hopefully that keeps Tommy Scrubb at SF and Morgan/McIntosh get heavy minutes.

Back up of PG minutes is sort of a question. Do you go with Caduogan or Grey who are not playing anywhere right now and probably not in top form? Cohee (who I think is a PG) who is playing fairly well in Georgia right now? Or just shift Phil to PG when Kaza needs a break? As there is lots of SG support in midseason form in Johnny B, Best and Peter-McNeilly.

Great thing about this is that our main 8-9 guys have all played together many times, are in midseason form and very familiar with Coach Herbert and the system. Perfect for such a short prep window. Fly in, practice a couple times and then get after it.

I'm skeptical of where Anthony Bennett fits in. He hasn't played at the pro level (that I know of) since the 2019 Rockets camp. He hasn't played much Team Canada in the last few years (has he ever played under Coach Herbert?) He has played in the system before, but it has been a while and not with the majority of these players. Is he anywhere near game shape? I hope they don't force minutes on him if he is unprepared - he is not needed IMO.

I doubt there is much need for minutes from many of the newcomers (besides Johnny B) - they are probably more there to get experience, learn and fill in if needed.

But I am glad to see Johnny B here and I hope he gets minutes - it has been long over due. He's been fairly under the radar as a Top 10-15 guy in Europe for a few years now. This isn't his best season (Nanterre, Pro-A, EuroCup) coming off the bench and putting up his worse stats in a few years. He may have hit his ceiling at the EuroCup level or perhaps he is just having an off year.
https://www.proballers.com/basketball/player/69823/johnny-berhanemeskel
Not a game changer for Team Canada by any means, but I've been surprised a former CIS guy playing at this level has never been around the national team before. He is better than many other guys that have suited up in the past and is maybe even a Top 5 player in this group (but lacking Team Canada experience)

TrueNorth31 · Post #3822 » by **TrueNorth31** » Fri Feb 12, 2021 8:00 pm

It seems Cuba will not be attending the P.R. bubble and furthermore they want us to come to them.

"We have informed Fiba Americas about this problem and decision, and at the same time we offer Havana as an alternative venue for the pending games against Canada and the Dominican Republic, on a date and conditions suitable for all, concludes the note."

http://en.escambray.cu/2021/cuban-male-basketball-team-wont-attend-attend-window-in-puerto-rico/

What a mess . I imagine FIBA Central is going to go ballistic . Given our past history we can't really be too critical...

OntZags · Post #3823 » by **OntZags** » Fri Feb 12, 2021 9:18 pm

What a gong show lol.

Kenter16 · Post #3824 » by **Kenter16** » Fri Feb 12, 2021 10:16 pm

TrueNorth31 wrote:It seems more and more likely Cuba will not be attending and they want us to come to them.

"We have informed Fiba Americas about this problem and decision, and at the same time we offer Havana as an alternative venue for the pending games against Canada and the Dominican Republic, on a date and conditions suitable for all, concludes the note."

http://en.escambray.cu/2021/cuban-male-basketball-team-wont-attend-attend-window-in-puerto-rico/

What a mess . I imagine FIBA Central is going to go ballistic . Given our past history we can't really be too critical...

I have a feeling this is more about the players deflecting than the Coronavirus issues.

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TrueNorth31 · Post #3825 » by **TrueNorth31** » Fri Feb 12, 2021 11:23 pm

Well at least the Virgin Islands appears set on making it P.R. with a fairly reasonable team.

https://stthomassource.com/content/2021/02/12/v-i-basketball-federation-readies-for-window-3-games-of-2022-fiba-america-cup-qualifiers/

Kenter16 · Post #3826 » by **Kenter16** » Sun Feb 14, 2021 8:45 pm

Simi gettin some love. He's played great in the bubble.

Read on Twitter

?s=19

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frumble · Post #3827 » by **frumble** » Mon Feb 15, 2021 7:47 am

TrueNorth31 wrote:Well here's the final team list.

https://www.basketball.ca/news/16-athletes-named-to-roster-for-third-window-of-fiba-americup-2022-qualifiers

This is Jermaine Haley's first appearance on a Canadian roster (tryout or final) at any level, isn't it?

Anyone know where (if anywhere) he has been playing since finishing at West Virginia?

Mirotic12 · Post #3828 » by **Mirotic12** » Mon Feb 15, 2021 2:48 pm

Basketball Champions League (BCL) teams are now getting the same ultimatums and warnings of severe penalties that happened to EuroLeague teams previously. AEK Athens, a Greek BCL team, didn't want to send some of its players to the EuroBasket qualifiers, because the Greece NT already qualified, and because they have a lot of important games and travel around this time, and their team also has a lot of injuries.

The response to the club's administration was that if they didn't immediately send their players to the national team, that AEK would be forfeited wins in the Greek League (like they did to Olympiacos) and that the players that didn't go to the national team would be banned for 1 year from competitions (like they threatened before against Olympiacos players).

This is really getting to be too much. I honestly didn't think they would start this nonsense with the non EuroLeague teams also. And also according to the media, supposedly there might be a stiff penalty for the Greek EuroCup team Promitheas Patras, because they didn't send their players to the Greek national team, due to COVID issues. Again, Greece NT already qualified for the next EuroBasket......

The BCL teams are going to respond negatively to this kind of stuff, just like the EuroLeague teams did. They are going to completely ruin national team competitions with this absurd nonsense.

mojo13 · Post #3829 » by **mojo13** » Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:47 pm

Kenter16 wrote:Simi gettin some love. He's played great in the bubble.

Read on Twitter
?s=19

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Early results in the G-League bubble have been a mixed bag so far. Simi has been the most intriguing IMO. At 21 and still obviously improving with a away to go, he might be the most viable NBA player of all the G Leaguers. Shame he has no outside shooting whatsoever.
I suppose Iggy is there too as a 21 year old, but he doesn't seem to have the runway Simi seems to have.

Stauskas and Naz Long have been the next most impressive so far but both are 27 and at this point really should be pursuing a career outside the NBA. Both have had enough NBA opportunities and it seems past time to move on.

Brissett and Wigginton have had some good games but neither seem too exciting.

Darling and Mane have looked pretty bad which is a concern.
Darling (only two games): https://stats.gleague.nba.com/player/1630268/
Mane: https://stats.gleague.nba.com/player/1630211/

Justin Jackson has been straight up, "shouldn't be on the floor" awful.
https://stats.gleague.nba.com/player/1628992/

mojo13 · Post #3830 » by **mojo13** » Tue Feb 16, 2021 1:25 am

frumble wrote:
TrueNorth31 wrote:Well here's the final team list.

https://www.basketball.ca/news/16-athletes-named-to-roster-for-third-window-of-fiba-americup-2022-qualifiers

This is Jermaine Haley's first appearance on a Canadian roster (tryout or final) at any level, isn't it?

Anyone know where (if anywhere) he has been playing since finishing at West Virginia?

He has not been playing anywhere formally, that I know of.

BilboBanginz · Post #3831 » by **BilboBanginz** » Tue Feb 16, 2021 1:43 pm

Some photos of the team in PR.

Read on Twitter

Kenter16 · Post #3832 » by **Kenter16** » Tue Feb 16, 2021 4:09 pm

BilboBanginz wrote:Some photos of the team in PR.

Read on Twitter

Sweet crotch grab! Haha

Cuba is still on the schedule for these games according to the FIBA site. I assume FIBA is coming down hard on them and not giving in to the Cuban federation. The Canadian media all have mentioned playing four games in this window as well. Sounds like everyone is counting on Cuba coming through and getting a team to PR.

mojo13 · Post #3833 » by **mojo13** » Wed Feb 17, 2021 11:54 pm

They finally announced Cuba is out.

Brazil is out too as they were turned away at the Columbian border. Columbian govt imposed a travel ban on anyone from Brazil and it seems they are serious about it. But at least Brazil tried.

Starting 5 for Canada:

Keane
P Scrubb
T Scrubb
Bennett
Klassen

Little surprised with Bennett to be honest. Granted I have no idea what kind of shape he is in.

Kenter16 · Post #3834 » by **Kenter16** » Thu Feb 18, 2021 12:06 am

mojo13 wrote:They finally announced Cuba is out.

Brazil is out too as they were turned away at the Columbian border. Columbian govt imposed a travel ban on anyone from Brazil and it seems they are serious about it. But at least Brazil tried.

Starting 5 for Canada:

Keane
P Scrubb
T Scrubb
Bennett
Klassen

Little surprised with Bennett to be honest. Granted I have no idea what kind of shape he is in.

Bennett looks Skinny! Maybe not game shape, but looks like he's in shape.

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Kenter16 · Post #3835 » by **Kenter16** » Thu Feb 18, 2021 12:14 am

Kenter16 wrote:
mojo13 wrote:They finally announced Cuba is out.

Brazil is out too as they were turned away at the Columbian border. Columbian govt imposed a travel ban on anyone from Brazil and it seems they are serious about it. But at least Brazil tried.

Starting 5 for Canada:

Keane
P Scrubb
T Scrubb
Bennett
Klassen

Little surprised with Bennett to be honest. Granted I have no idea what kind of shape he is in.
Bennett looks Skinny! Maybe not game shape, but looks like he's in shape.

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Bennett was absolutely gassed after 5 minutes. Clearly not in game shape. 8 points though.

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TrueNorth31 · Post #3836 » by **TrueNorth31** » Thu Feb 18, 2021 12:48 am

We look like at team that practiced for only 2 days;

- weak on defence , switching everything , not sure it's working ( try a zone ? ).

- V.I. are a veteran team that's been practicing for several weeks - it shows

- We need to tighten the rotation , give better guy's more consistent minutes.

- Usual dubious FIBA officiating .

- Need to grind it out.

- Like the new Uniforms though.....

casoldi · Post #3837 » by **casoldi** » Thu Feb 18, 2021 1:57 am

Lackluster performance by the boys. Great couple last plays by Landry.

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Kid Canada · Post #3838 » by **Kid Canada** » Thu Feb 18, 2021 1:57 am

That was a beautiful ending!

TrueNorth31 · Post #3839 » by **TrueNorth31** » Thu Feb 18, 2021 2:06 am

Never in doubt ( ? )

Morgan was not on the bench - Covid thing ?

We'll be better on Saturday with more practice and time together.

We did a good job of keeping our composure despite the foul shot disparity. They shot 26 of 43 , we shot 28/29.

With all the posts dropping like flies I thought they might have to send good old Mike Meeks off the bench

OntZags · Post #3840 » by **OntZags** » Thu Feb 18, 2021 2:23 am

A win's a win. Hopefully the next one will involve less nail biting.

Anyone else notice the asterisk by Canada's name in the standings now?

"A disciplinary proceeding impacting the ranking points of Canada is currently in process."

Curious to see how that shakes out.