With the (very real) possibility of Andrew Wiggins following Anthony Bennett as the second-consecutive Canadian drafted first overall in the NBA just two days away (to say nothing of the seven other draft-eligible Canadians), there’s no question these are heady times for basketball in this country.
But hoops fans won’t have to wait until Thursday to soak in the national pride.
That’s because Canada’s junior men’s national team will be making their first-ever appearance in the gold medal game of the FIBA America’s U18 Championships this afternoon against the host Team USA in Colorado Springs, CO.
Canada, whose roster features 11 first-timers on the international stage, has gone undefeated to this point, notching wins against the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Brazil to comfortably come out atop Group A.
Unsurprisingly, this Canada squad boasts a deep well of talent, starting with the exceptional play of Mississauga, Ont.’s Dillon Brooks, averaging 24.8 points per game (on 62.3 percent shooting) to lead the tournament—nobody else even comes close. Montaque Gill-Caesar out of Vaughan, Ont., is second in the tournament with 19 ppg, while the next highest scorer is Argentina’s Jose Vildoza at 16.8.
Brooks is a versatile six-foot-seven guard from the class of 2015 currently playing for Las Vegas powerhouse Findlay Prep, while Gill-Caesar spent the school year starring for Huntington Prep in West Virginia, where two years ago he suited up alongside Wiggins and fellow Canadian Xavier Rathan-Mayes.
Markham-born and Harvard-bound forward Chris Egi has also performed big for Canada at the FIBA Americas tourney, averaging 11.8 points and a team-high eight rebounds per game. Brooks, Gill-Caesar (pictured above) and Egi also happen to play together for AAU club CIA Bounce.
Still, Canada’s path to the gold medal tilt wasn’t exactly easy, as it took overtime to get past Argentina in yesterday’s semi-finals. Brooks managed 29 points in that game, including 16-of-17 from the charity stripe, while Gill-Caesar added 24 points and six boards, providing a deadly combination that should prove hard to contain this afternoon.
But the reality is, today’s big game is the icing on the cake, as the team already officially qualified for next summer’s world championships following group stage play this past weekend.
“Ultimately that was our goal here,” says assistant GM and executive VP Rowan Barrett on the phone from Colorado, pointing out that advancing to the world championships ensures this group will have the opportunity to compete at this level next summer as well, a crucial component of player development.
“Really this team, as well as our cadet teams, exists as a developmental squad to help provide experience for our players that we eventually hope to bring up to our senior men’s team in the future,” says Barrett. “Playing competitively every single summer is important for us from that perspective. So there’s was a lot riding on this tournament from a big-picture perspective as well.”
Team USA will provide a tough test considering they are just about the only team with athleticism to rival Canada’s. USA is led by Texas-bound big man Myles Turner, along with Stanley Johnson, Luke Kennard and Tyus Jones- all prized prospects.
But if there’s one thing Canada has in its favour, its defense—fast becoming a calling card for all Canadian teams. Last summer, the senior men’s team ranked second in the world behind Spain in defensive efficiency. It’s a trait Barrett and Canada Basketball are ensuring is a major point of emphasis for these younger teams as well.
“We’re working hard to align our defensive strategies,” he says, “so that the things we coach at the senior level are being taught all through to the youngest level. We’ve been working hard to drill down those defensive philosophies to these younger teams in a way that—at their age and stage of development—they are still able to internalize and execute.”
It’s something head coach Roy Rana and his staff have been able to accomplish thus far. SMNT coach Jay Triano, currently preparing for the NBA Draft in his capacity as an assistant with the Portland Trail-Blazers, has been keeping an eye on the tournament through FIBA’s live stream—and you can do the same.
The gold medal game tips off at 7:30 p.m. EST. You can catch the live stream here.
