Canadian men’s basketball team to play in four-team tourney before World Cup

Canada's head coach Nick Nurse gestures during first half FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 exhibition game against Nigeria in Toronto on Wednesday August 7, 2019. (Chris Young/CP)

The Canadian men’s national basketball team will warm up for the FIBA Basketball World Cup by playing in the 34th Basketball SuperCup, Aug. 12-13 in Hamburg, Germany, FIBA announced Thursday.

Canada faces New Zealand in one semifinal, while Germany takes on China in the other.

The winners meet in the final while the losers square off in a third-place game.

All four teams have earned spots in the World Cup in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia, Aug. 25-Sept. 10.

Germany is the top-ranked country in the SuperCup at No. 11 in the world. Canada is 15th after winning its qualifying group for the World Cup, New Zealand is 26th and China is 27th.

“Canada with Nick Nurse, one of the best head coaches in the NBA, is a very talented team with some very good NBA players like Jamal Murray or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, (and there are) also very good players who are under contract in Europe,” said Germany coach Gordie Herbert, who is a Canadian.

“Canada has the most NBA players after the USA and is one of the contenders for a World Cup medal for me.

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