CANADIAN SENIOR MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM BEGINS QUEST FOR THE WORLDS
Last Updated: February 04, 2010
TORONTO - Canada Basketball unveiled the 2009 program for the Senior Men’s National Team (SMNT) on Wednesday, including the training/tryout schedule, summer competitions and the roster/staff for the first phase of the program.
After the launch in 2008, the “ROAD WARRIORS” return for an intense three-phase season during which the team will compete against seven national teams and club teams in Spain, Italy and Puerto Rico, all in preparation for the FIBA Americas Championships for Men Aug. 26-Sept. 6 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“Our ultimate objective for the Senior Men’s Team this summer is to qualify for the FIBA World Championships in 2010 and the journey begins next week," said Maurizio Gherardini, Managing Director of the SMNT. “We have put together a rigorous three-month training and competition schedule that we believe will help us achieve this goal.”
The SMNT summer season begins with a young men’s development camp. As part of Canada Basketball’s long range strategy, the new phase is dedicated to identifying and developing top young Canadian prospects who are playing professionally or in the NCAA. The young prospects camp will take place June 15-22 at Air Canada Centre, followed by exhibition games in Spain.
Invited players include Tyler Kepkay (British Columbia), Kai Williams (Saskatchewan), Aaron Doornekamp (Ontario) and Jevohn Sheppard (Ontario), who have sported the red and white for Canada on one of the national teams. Joining these basketball rising young stars are Kyle Landry (Alberta), Ryan Bell (Ontario) and Mike Tuck (Ontario), who all play professionally overseas.
“I’m excited to work with these young guys who have the talent and the drive to compete at the international level,” said SMNT Head Coach Leo Rautins. “I have been watching them play with their respective teams throughout the season, and Canada’s basketball future looks very bright. I look forward to working with and developing future senior national team players who will one day represent Canada.”
The second phase of training camp will take July 18-22, again at Air Canada Centre. This group of athletes will feature many members of the SMNT that played last summer and in the 2007 FIBA Americas Championships. After four days of intense training the team is slated to travel to Italy July 25–Aug. 2 to compete in exhibition games with national teams from Italy, New Zealand, Portugal, and Turkey.
“Competing against national teams in other FIBA zones is great preparation for our team,” stated Rautins. “Every country is in the same position, in that we are all competing in zone championships this summer, vying for a spot in the 2010 world event. We have a strong core group of players that have been together for a few years and if we play hard in these European exhibition games, Canada will be in a great position to place well in the FIBA Americas Championships this August.”
The final training phase will take place August 12-16 at Air Canada Centre. The team then travels to Puerto Rico for the Tuto Marchand Cup Aug. 18-20. Participating teams include Brazil, Argentina and Puerto Rico. Canada will look to repeat its first-place finish in 2007.
Following a three-day break in Puerto Rico, Canada will moves on to the FIBA Americas Championships Aug. 26-Sept. 6 at Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Canada was selected to Group A, playing Uruguay, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico and Puerto Rico in the preliminary round. In total, 10 of the best national teams will compete, with the top four qualifying for the 2010 FIBA World Championship to be played in Turkey.
Below is a full summer schedule for the SMNT/Road Warriors as well as a complete list of team staff and athletes who are invited to the June training camp.
All training sessions are closed to the public. Media availability will take place daily during the last 15 minutes of the practice. For practice times and to book player/coach interviews at Air Canada Centre, please contact the team managers [Matt Yorke from June 15-18 at (647)293-8813, Travis Hind on June 19 & 22 at (905) 870-7972 and Paul Elliott from June 20-21 at (905) 977-9269].
Canada Basketball (www.basketball.ca) is a private, not-for-profit corporation that is committed to the growth of the sport in Canada. Just as important, Canada Basketball is focused on the development and preparation of Canada’s national teams for the Olympic, Pan American and FISU Games as well as the World Championships. Canada Basketball aspires to instill the pride, commitment, passion and respect that Canadians personify into the development of basketball across the country and internationally.
For more information please contact:
Andrew Cook
Manager, Men’s Elite Performance
Canada Basketball
Tel: 416.614.8037 x 210
e-mail: acook@basketball.ca
Website: www.basketball.ca
Tanya Phillipps
Manager, Marketing & Communications
Canada Basketball
Tel: 416.614.8037 x 219
e-mail: tphillipps@basketball.ca
Website: www.basketball.ca
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After the launch in 2008, the “ROAD WARRIORS” return for an intense three-phase season during which the team will compete against seven national teams and club teams in Spain, Italy and Puerto Rico, all in preparation for the FIBA Americas Championships for Men Aug. 26-Sept. 6 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“Our ultimate objective for the Senior Men’s Team this summer is to qualify for the FIBA World Championships in 2010 and the journey begins next week," said Maurizio Gherardini, Managing Director of the SMNT. “We have put together a rigorous three-month training and competition schedule that we believe will help us achieve this goal.”
The SMNT summer season begins with a young men’s development camp. As part of Canada Basketball’s long range strategy, the new phase is dedicated to identifying and developing top young Canadian prospects who are playing professionally or in the NCAA. The young prospects camp will take place June 15-22 at Air Canada Centre, followed by exhibition games in Spain.
Invited players include Tyler Kepkay (British Columbia), Kai Williams (Saskatchewan), Aaron Doornekamp (Ontario) and Jevohn Sheppard (Ontario), who have sported the red and white for Canada on one of the national teams. Joining these basketball rising young stars are Kyle Landry (Alberta), Ryan Bell (Ontario) and Mike Tuck (Ontario), who all play professionally overseas.
“I’m excited to work with these young guys who have the talent and the drive to compete at the international level,” said SMNT Head Coach Leo Rautins. “I have been watching them play with their respective teams throughout the season, and Canada’s basketball future looks very bright. I look forward to working with and developing future senior national team players who will one day represent Canada.”
The second phase of training camp will take July 18-22, again at Air Canada Centre. This group of athletes will feature many members of the SMNT that played last summer and in the 2007 FIBA Americas Championships. After four days of intense training the team is slated to travel to Italy July 25–Aug. 2 to compete in exhibition games with national teams from Italy, New Zealand, Portugal, and Turkey.
“Competing against national teams in other FIBA zones is great preparation for our team,” stated Rautins. “Every country is in the same position, in that we are all competing in zone championships this summer, vying for a spot in the 2010 world event. We have a strong core group of players that have been together for a few years and if we play hard in these European exhibition games, Canada will be in a great position to place well in the FIBA Americas Championships this August.”
The final training phase will take place August 12-16 at Air Canada Centre. The team then travels to Puerto Rico for the Tuto Marchand Cup Aug. 18-20. Participating teams include Brazil, Argentina and Puerto Rico. Canada will look to repeat its first-place finish in 2007.
Following a three-day break in Puerto Rico, Canada will moves on to the FIBA Americas Championships Aug. 26-Sept. 6 at Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Canada was selected to Group A, playing Uruguay, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico and Puerto Rico in the preliminary round. In total, 10 of the best national teams will compete, with the top four qualifying for the 2010 FIBA World Championship to be played in Turkey.
Below is a full summer schedule for the SMNT/Road Warriors as well as a complete list of team staff and athletes who are invited to the June training camp.
All training sessions are closed to the public. Media availability will take place daily during the last 15 minutes of the practice. For practice times and to book player/coach interviews at Air Canada Centre, please contact the team managers [Matt Yorke from June 15-18 at (647)293-8813, Travis Hind on June 19 & 22 at (905) 870-7972 and Paul Elliott from June 20-21 at (905) 977-9269].
Canada Basketball (www.basketball.ca) is a private, not-for-profit corporation that is committed to the growth of the sport in Canada. Just as important, Canada Basketball is focused on the development and preparation of Canada’s national teams for the Olympic, Pan American and FISU Games as well as the World Championships. Canada Basketball aspires to instill the pride, commitment, passion and respect that Canadians personify into the development of basketball across the country and internationally.
For more information please contact:
Andrew Cook
Manager, Men’s Elite Performance
Canada Basketball
Tel: 416.614.8037 x 210
e-mail: acook@basketball.ca
Website: www.basketball.ca
Tanya Phillipps
Manager, Marketing & Communications
Canada Basketball
Tel: 416.614.8037 x 219
e-mail: tphillipps@basketball.ca
Website: www.basketball.ca
2009 SENIOR MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM – JUNE TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
| Name | Position | Height | Hometown | School / Club (2008/09) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Bell | Guard | 6’5 | Ottawa, ON | Schalke (Germany) |
| David Collins | Centre | 7’0 | Toronto, ON | Bradley University (NCAA) |
| Aaron Doornekamp | Forward | 6’7 | Odessa, ON | Carleton University (CIS) |
| Willie Galick | Forward | 6’8 | Nanaimo, BC | Cal State Northridge University (NCAA) |
| Russell Hicks | Centre | 7’1 | Niagra Falls, ON | Florida Atlantic University (NCAA) |
| Kris Joseph | Forward | 6’6 | Montreal, QC | Syracuse University (NCAA) |
| Maurice Joseph | Guard | 6’4 | Montreal, QC | University of Vermont (NCAA) |
| Myck Kabongo | Guard | 6’2 | Toronto, ON | St. Benedict’s (HS) |
| Tyler Kepkay | Guard | 5’10 | Vancouver, BC | University of Utah (NCAA) |
| Bol Kong | Forward | 6’6 | Vancouver, BC | Gonzaga University (NCAA) |
| Kyle Landry | Forward | 6’9 | Calgary, AB | ISS Sportino (Poland) |
| Scott Morrison | Centre | 6’11 | Vancouver, BC | Albacomp (Hungary) |
| Harouna Mutombo | Guard | 6’4 | Pickering, ON | Western Carolina University (NCAA) |
| Robert Sacre | Centre | 6’11 | Vancouver, BC | Gonzaga University (NCAA) |
| Jevohn Shepherd | Forward | 6’6 | Toronto, ON | University of Michigan (NCAA) |
| Alex Steele | Guard | 6’3 | Edmonton, AB | Edmonton Energy (IBL) |
| Michael Tuck | Forward | 6’6 | Markham, ON | Amicale (Luxembourg) |
| Marvell Waithe | Forward | 6’8 | Scarborough, ON | Tallahassee CC (NJCAA) |
| Kai Williams | Forward | 6’6 | Regina, SK | South Dakota State University (NCAA) |
2009 SENIOR MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM STAFF
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Maurizio Gherardini | Managing Director |
| Leo Rautins | Head Coach |
| Renato Pasquali | Assistant Coach |
| Steve Mix | Assistant Coach |
| Sam Gibbs | Athletic Therapist |
| Miguel Toussaint | Student Therapist |
| Paul Elliott | Team Manager |
| Travis Hind | Team Manager |
| Mat Yorke | Team Manager |
2009 SENIOR MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM SCHEDULE
| Date | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| June 15-22 | Training | Air Canada Centre – Toronto, ON |
| June 23-29 | Spain Tour | |
| June 24 | TBD | Bilbao, Spain |
| June 25 | Euskadi | Bilbao, Spain |
| June 27 | Catalunya | Bilbao, Spain |
| June 28 | Galicia | Bilbao, Spain |
| July 18-22 | Training | Air Canada Centre – Toronto, ON |
| July 23-August 2 | Italy Tour | |
| July 25 | TBD – ITA/NZ/POR | Trento, Italy |
| July 26 | TBD – ITA/NZ/POR | Trento, Italy |
| July 27 | TBD – ITA/NZ/POR | Trento, Italy |
| July 29 | Turkey | Bormio, Italy |
| July 30 | Turkey | Bormio, Italy |
| August 1 | Italy | Mogliano Veneto, Italy |
| August 12-15 | Training | Air Canada Centre – Toronto, ON |
| August 16-23 | Tuto Marchand Continental Cup | |
| August 18 | TBD – BRA/ARG/PR | Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR |
| August 19 | TBD – BRA/ARG/PR | Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR |
| August 20 | TBD – BRA/ARG/PR | Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR |
| Aug. 26 - Sept. 7 | FIBA Americas Qualifier | |
| August 27 | Mexico | Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR |
| August 28 | US Virgin Islands | Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR |
| August 29 | Uruguay | Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR |
| August 30 | Puerto Rico | Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR |
| September 1-6 | Second Phase / Semi-Finals/ Finals | Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR |
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