Team Canada Basketball Thread V3.0

[niQ]

Latest ESPN 2022 Top 100 Big Board draft watch
https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/32375218/2022-nba-draft-top-100-stock-watch-moved-pro-days


6 - Houstan
20 - Mathurin
44 - Edey
52 - Nembhard
82 - Carr

I'd expect Guerrier to get on this list fairly quickly. One can easily make a case he has far more upside than Carr or Nembhard.

Any other misses?

Caleb Houstan played with Scottie Barnes at Monteverde Academy.
Actually, it's kinda funny that all of Caleb's highlights have Scottie and Cade passing to him. You would think Caleb is the biggest star!

[Hair Canada]

For the class of 2024, here's a quick update on two prospects of note:

Christian Nitu (now at Royal Crown Academy, a member of the OSBA)
DJ Burke (now at C.O.D.E Prep Academy, a new prep program based out of Ajax/Durham region in ON)

Cory Joseph's father, David, is the head athletic trainer at C.O.D.E.

Interesting. What league will CODE play at?

CODE is not affiliated with the OSBA or NPA. However, they are part of the CYBL Premier League and Plantium Circut. This allows them to play other Canadian prep programs throughout the course of the season. They are also planning on playing some tournaments down south in Las Vegas, California, Ohio and Michigan.

Thanks for this mtr.

I was about to ask if you happened to know when the OSBA is supposed to begin this year. But then, upon checking their website I saw that they finally posted a schedule and the first games are... tomorrow (Oct 19). Seems awfully late to come out with this and they have no publicity that I could see about it on Twitter (and no team rosters posted as well). It's almost as if they're trying to hide the fact that they are about to start playing

[BilboBanginz]

Lindell Wigginton to the Wisconsin Herd.

[mtr15]

Interesting. What league will CODE play at?

CODE is not affiliated with the OSBA or NPA. However, they are part of the CYBL Premier League and Plantium Circut. This allows them to play other Canadian prep programs throughout the course of the season. They are also planning on playing some tournaments down south in Las Vegas, California, Ohio and Michigan.

Thanks for this mtr.

I was about to ask if you happened to know when the OSBA is supposed to begin this year. But then, upon checking their website I saw that they finally posted a schedule and the first games are... tomorrow (Oct 19). Seems awfully late to come out with this and they have no publicity that I could see about it on Twitter (and no team rosters posted as well). It's almost as if they're trying to hide the fact that they are about to start playing

The OSBA has decided to split its 17 men's teams into two pools - A and B. And due to scheduling issues and public school gyms not being available at certain schools, play amongst teams will be restricted to pool play (no crossover). This means Orangeville Prep won't play Crestwood Prep. But Crestwood will play United Scholastic Academy and Fort Erie Academy each twice (home and away).

For this season, three programs will have their names changed.

Bill Crothers to CanAmera Prep
Central Tech to Toronto Prep
Hodan Prep (formerly Vaughan Prep) to Vanguard Prep North

And here's a quick overview of the notable players for some of the teams (based on my knowledge):

Crestwood Prep: Elijah Fisher, Zaiden Cross, Romad Dean (from the Bahamas)
Excel Prep: Elijah Glover (class of 2024)
Fort Erie: Leonard Miller, Ishan Sharma (played for Canada at U16)
Lincoln Prep: Dawson Matsell
Orangeville Prep: Jeremy Foumena, Jalik Dunkley Distant
Royal Crown: Christian Nitu, Thierno Sylla (from Guinea)
Toronto Prep: Jaden Witter Watts
United Scholastic Academy: Efeosa Oligou (played for Canada at U16), Armani Mighty (just committed to Boston College), Vasean Allette, Javier Gilgeous-Glasgow, Ose Okojie

I'm pretty sure I have left out some others.

[niQ]

Read on Twitter

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[Kenter16]

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Am I understanding this correctly? Is Nurse not going to be coaching at the FIBA Americup? If this is true, we probably won't see any NBA players there. Not like it was going to be full of NBA players, but this is a white flag for those games. This would have been an opportunity to build some chemistry.

[mojo13]

Read on Twitter

?t=I2wQ_qMJX0pDhjwFRUEnvg&s=19

Am I understanding this correctly? Is Nurse not going to be coaching at the FIBA Americup? If this is true, we probably won't see any NBA players there. Not like it was going to be full of NBA players, but this is a white flag for those games. This would have been an opportunity to build some chemistry.

I wouldn't worry too much about it.

The WC Qualification summer windows are July 1-4 and then August 22 to 28 range (don't have that window exact dates yet).
The FIBA AmeriCup will be right on the tail of that window from Sept 2 to Sept 11.

I'd expect an all-hands camp in mid August - NBA players and Euro players. They take an "A" team to WC Qualifier window as it is far more important and then an "A/B" or "B" team to the AmeriCup. They main guys won't play the AmeriCup but I expect some NBA guys will. The younger guys and/or the peripheral guys looking to grow or impress the coaching staff. Nurse might not coach the AmeriCup but it will be much of the same staff - same system, tactics etc. I think it would just be too much for the core guys to do both.

I don't think many countries will take the AmeriCup too seriously and will look at it more of a developmental opportunity for younger players. And Canada has enough talent to medal with a fully non-NBA team (but I expect there will be a few).

[Hair Canada]

CODE is not affiliated with the OSBA or NPA. However, they are part of the CYBL Premier League and Plantium Circut. This allows them to play other Canadian prep programs throughout the course of the season. They are also planning on playing some tournaments down south in Las Vegas, California, Ohio and Michigan.

Thanks for this mtr.

I was about to ask if you happened to know when the OSBA is supposed to begin this year. But then, upon checking their website I saw that they finally posted a schedule and the first games are... tomorrow (Oct 19). Seems awfully late to come out with this and they have no publicity that I could see about it on Twitter (and no team rosters posted as well). It's almost as if they're trying to hide the fact that they are about to start playing

The OSBA has decided to split its 17 men's teams into two pools - A and B. And due to scheduling issues and public school gyms not being available at certain schools, play amongst teams will be restricted to pool play (no crossover). This means Orangeville Prep won't play Crestwood Prep. But Crestwood will play United Scholastic Academy and Fort Erie Academy each twice (home and away).

For this season, three programs will have their names changed.

Bill Crothers to CanAmera Prep
Central Tech to Toronto Prep
Hodan Prep (formerly Vaughan Prep) to Vanguard Prep North

And here's a quick overview of the notable players for some of the teams (based on my knowledge):

Crestwood Prep: Elijah Fisher, Zaiden Cross, Romad Dean (from the Bahamas)
Excel Prep: Elijah Glover (class of 2024)
Fort Erie: Leonard Miller, Ishan Sharma (played for Canada at U16)
Lincoln Prep: Dawson Matsell
Orangeville Prep: Jeremy Foumena, Jalik Dunkley Distant
Royal Crown: Christian Nitu, Thierno Sylla (from Guinea)
Toronto Prep: Jaden Witter Watts
United Scholastic Academy: Efeosa Oligou (played for Canada at U16), Armani Mighty (just committed to Boston College), Vasean Allette, Javier Gilgeous-Glasgow, Ose Okojie

I'm pretty sure I have left out some others.

Thanks for this, mtr, that's more info than the OSBA themselves have released, which is pretty strange considering that their season has already began earlier today. USA seems like the strongest team to me with quite a lot of depth. Crestwood and Orangeville should also be good. Curious to see more of Nitu.

From 2022, do you know where Augustus Brazdeikis, Dylan Kalambay, Andrew Robinson, and Elijah Mahi, and Ben Ezeagu are playing this year?

From 2023 I'm most curious to know where Isaac Simon, Andrejs Silconoks, Cyril Martynov, Braeden MacVicar, and Bronson Chambers will be playing.

[mtr15]

Thanks for this mtr.

I was about to ask if you happened to know when the OSBA is supposed to begin this year. But then, upon checking their website I saw that they finally posted a schedule and the first games are... tomorrow (Oct 19). Seems awfully late to come out with this and they have no publicity that I could see about it on Twitter (and no team rosters posted as well). It's almost as if they're trying to hide the fact that they are about to start playing

The OSBA has decided to split its 17 men's teams into two pools - A and B. And due to scheduling issues and public school gyms not being available at certain schools, play amongst teams will be restricted to pool play (no crossover). This means Orangeville Prep won't play Crestwood Prep. But Crestwood will play United Scholastic Academy and Fort Erie Academy each twice (home and away).

For this season, three programs will have their names changed.

Bill Crothers to CanAmera Prep
Central Tech to Toronto Prep
Hodan Prep (formerly Vaughan Prep) to Vanguard Prep North

And here's a quick overview of the notable players for some of the teams (based on my knowledge):

Crestwood Prep: Elijah Fisher, Zaiden Cross, Romad Dean (from the Bahamas)
Excel Prep: Elijah Glover (class of 2024)
Fort Erie: Leonard Miller, Ishan Sharma (played for Canada at U16)
Lincoln Prep: Dawson Matsell
Orangeville Prep: Jeremy Foumena, Jalik Dunkley Distant
Royal Crown: Christian Nitu, Thierno Sylla (from Guinea)
Toronto Prep: Jaden Witter Watts
United Scholastic Academy: Efeosa Oligou (played for Canada at U16), Armani Mighty (just committed to Boston College), Vasean Allette, Javier Gilgeous-Glasgow, Ose Okojie

I'm pretty sure I have left out some others.

Thanks for this, mtr, that's more info than the OSBA themselves have released, which is pretty strange considering that their season has already began earlier today. USA seems like the strongest team to me with quite a lot of depth. Crestwood and Orangeville should also be good. Curious to see more of Nitu.

From 2022, do you know where Augustus Brazdeikis, Dylan Kalambay, Andrew Robinson, and Elijah Mahi, and Ben Ezeagu are playing this year?

From 2023 I'm most curious to know where Isaac Simon, Andrejs Silconoks, Cyril Martynov, Braeden MacVicar, and Bronson Chambers will be playing.

For 2022:

Augustus Brazdeikis: New Horizon Academy (new OSBA team out of Burlington, ON)
Dylan Kalambay: Ridley College (OSBA team out of St. Catherines)
Andrew Robinson: Golden State Prep/GSP (post graduate school out of California, affiliated with Prolific Prep)
Elijah Mahi and Ben Ezeagu: Potters House Christian Academy (Florida)

For 2023:

Isaac Simon: CTA West/Canada Topflight Academy (Calgary)
Andrejis Silconoks: New Horizon Academy (same as Brazdeikis)
Cyril Martynov: Lawrenceville Prep (New Jersey)
Braeden MacVicar: Horton High School (Nova Scotia)
Bronson Chambers: Bella Vista Prep (Arizona)

[Hair Canada]

Great, thanks for the info!

[mojo13]

Anthony Bennett has found himself in a very tough situation in Israel with a coach that clearly hasn't wanted him there from the get go. Pretty harsh and deserving critique of Oren Amiel here in the Jerusalem Post
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/sports/whats-going-on-with-hapoel-jerusalem-683456

"Since Anthony Bennett’s arrival, Amiel has refused to say a word about his play every single occasion that he had been asked about him. Not a word, nothing positive and nothing negative. But one thing was crystal clear, that Amiel’s silence on the Canadian has been deafening."
""To insert Bennett into a game that was so out of reach & one where he was literally embarrassed by sitting on the bench was really not called for. Was this a vendetta against the player or management? Whatever the reason behind it, Amiel’s use of Bennett provided brutal optics.""




Edit:
Coach fired within hours of that article.

[mojo13]

And some other Euro news:

Isiaha Mike off to an interesting start to his 2nd year in Germany's BBL. Through 5 games he's putting up 15p/6r/2a/1.6s/0.4b on 53/40/100 shooting (19 eff). Very efficient wing with strong defense. The 6'8, 24 yr old should be high on the watchlist for Team Canada & scouts.

At 7 games in, Trae Bell-Haynes is looking like the top performing Canadian so far in the Liga Endesa (Spain's ACB). 14.0p, 2.1r, 5.1a, 0.6s, 0.3b w/ 47/48/100 shooting splits (inexplicably he's taken one FT in 7 games). His quick start has newly promoted Breogan floating at 3-4. Weird part is TBH was averaging 7 FTAs a game last year in the German BBL. And now one single measly FT attempt across his first 7 games (0.14 FTA per game) in Spain's ACB with the rest of his stats looking fairly similar (MPG, FGA, 3PA etc.). Refs sticking it to the newbies I guess.

Kyle Alexander, Tommy Scrubb looking good in the ACB too. Robertson, Ennis, Wiltjer with slower than normal starts but at least Robertson and Ennis have picked it up the last few games.

Marial Shayok really struggling with Fenerbahce....he might not make it through the season if things dont turn around.


Tyler Ennis is close to being back from injuring an playing with Turk Telekom - hopefully within the week.

[mojo13]

I think we missed some of the NBA roster cut and G-League stuff.

Kabengele picked up by the Rockets in a Exh10 sign and waive and assigned to the G-League
Stauskas same thing with the Nuggets
Mulder cut by the Warriors and then signed a two way with the Magic
Nate Darling drafted by the AG Clippers in the G. Clips attempted a Ex10 sign/waive but were over the limit and had to pick him up in the draft.
Karim Mane picked up in the G-League draft (Memphis Hustle)
Jermaine Haley drafted by the Capital City Go-Go

Nothing on Simi Shittu out there. Not on either the Westchester Knicks or Windy City Bulls rosters (the last two rosters he was on).

Anyone else other there of interest?

[mojo13]

Hair and mtr15 - what's up with Leonard Miller? Back to back 45 and 59 point games? New breakout guy?

[mtr15]

Hair and mtr15 - what's up with Leonard Miller? Back to back 45 and 59 point games? New breakout guy?

He’s been off the charts in his first two OSBA games with Fort Erie Prep. Saw highlights of both games and he was making step back 3s, pull up 3s, contested 3s, attacking the rim with force, and making an eye-popping no-look behind the back pass that led to a layup.

Miller was impressive this past summer for Canada Elite at the Jane and Finch Classic back in August. He went head to head with Elijah Fisher’s team in the championship and Miller outplayed Fisher by a big margin. And they are only separated by month and a few days (Nov 26, 2003 for Miller and Jan 3, 2004 for Fisher).

Miller and Fisher will go head to head twice this season in the OSBA. Fort Erie plays Fisher’s Crestwood Prep team on Nov 17 (at Fort Erie) and Feb 15, 2022 (at Crestwood).

[frumble]

538 with an article today on Barrett's improvement:

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/bing-bong-whos-there-rj-barrett/


Less than three weeks until the first World's qualifying window. Anyone hearing anything?
FIBA has prelim roster info for Chile, Colombia, and Venezuela:

https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/americas-qualifiers/news/roster-tracker-which-teams-have-announced-their-preliminary-rosters-for-window-one-of-the-fiba-basketball-world-cup-2023-americas-qualifiers

[mojo13]

538 with an article today on Barrett's improvement:

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/bing-bong-whos-there-rj-barrett/


Less than three weeks until the first World's qualifying window. Anyone hearing anything?
FIBA has prelim roster info for Chile, Colombia, and Venezuela:

https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/americas-qualifiers/news/roster-tracker-which-teams-have-announced-their-preliminary-rosters-for-window-one-of-the-fiba-basketball-world-cup-2023-americas-qualifiers

Nothing...but no suprise. I';d expect a roster announcement about a week before at best.

I updated my player pool with some notes on which guys are off to a good season, which ones are hurt etc.




This is my opinion of those most likely to play & highest quality eligible players. We will likely see a number of players not on this list suit up for Canada.

A few notes:
* EuroLeague players (Marial Shayok & Dyshawn Pierre) unlikely to play (no EL players played last cycle)
* G-Leaguers very unlikely to play, although eligible, none played last cycle
* Kaza Kajami Keane & Tyler Ennis unlikely due to injury
* NBA Two-ways are not eligible
* Naz Mitrou-Long is putting up great numbers in Italy, but I still think he is in Greece's orbit.
* Jehvon Blair is not doing much in Greece - not sure if he is hurt is in way over his head. He's on this list because he's on a pretty decent team/club.

Some of the more interesting new(ish) players I'd like to see include:
* Trae Bell-Haynes - continues to improve, great start in the ACB
* Isiaha Mike - very good improvement over last season, great start in the BBL
* Kyle Alexander - high positional need and good start in the ACB

Hope to see the mainstays of the program who continue to play at a high level including Thomas & Phil Scrubb, Kyle Wiltjer, Melvin Ejim, Kassius Robertson. And I'd enjoy seeing first time appearances from top Euro vets like Dylan Ennis & Kenny Chery.

[mojo13]

https://cbb.com.br/noticia/2790/eliminat-oacute-rias-2023-brasil-eacute-convocado-para-a-estreia-de-gustavo-de-conti-no-comando-da-sele-ccedil-atilde-o

Brazil announces its player pool.
Not a direct competitor at this stage but always interesting to see what type of players the better teams are pulling in. It is a mix of domestic players and Euro based players (ACB, BBL, Israel etc).

Bigger names are the Euro based players like Victor Benite (Burgos - ACB), Rafa Luz - Bilbao, ACB), Cristiano Felecio (Ulm - BBL) and I suppose Bruno Caboclo (São Paulo, BR).

[mojo13]

And here is the Canadian content in the G-League which starts tomorrow:

Read on Twitter

?s=20


Jermaine Haley and Devonte Bandoo we cut from their teams in the last couple days.

[aminiaturebuddha]

And here is the Canadian content in the G-League which starts tomorrow:

Read on Twitter

?s=20


Jermaine Haley and Devonte Bandoo we cut from their teams in the last couple days.

I don't really know much about Jordy Tshimanga, although it looks like he's a big. Anybody know anything about his game?