Canada ready for FIBA U17 basketball world cup 2022 podium run

Canada’s final twelve men roster for the upcoming FIBA U17 basketball world cup 2022 is finally set.

Placed in the group of death, fourth ranked Canada will face stiff opposition in Group A alongside No. 3 France, No. 6 Serbia and No. 30 New Zealand. All four teams advance to the round of 16, teams will cross over in a single elimination match-up against teams from group B.

Group B features No. 2 Spain, No. 7 Lithuania, No.23 Dominican Republic and No. 32 Japan.

Canada will need to be nearly perfect in the preliminary group match-ups in hopes of avoiding a talented Spanish side that took the top ranked United States down the wire in a preparation match-up, or the usually tough Lithuania.

The roster features seven returning players (Mikkel Tyne, Baraka Okojie, Jacob Theodosiou, Char Yeiy, Olivier Rioux, Stephen Osei) who played for Canada’s bronze medal winning team at the FIBA U16 Americas Championship 2021 in Xalapa, Mexico.

Five newcomers, Hudson Ward, Jaion Pitt, Felix Kossaras and highly touted forwards Jovan Milicevic and Christian Nitu are set to make their Canadian national team debut.

Head coach Patrick Tatham and his experienced staff have assembled a well-balanced team that combines a solid amount of height, shooting and overall depth.

Knocking at the door since the inception of the biennial event, Canada earned their best finish at the inaugural 2010 FIBA U17 world cup in Hamburg, Germany.

Behind a generational changing of the guard talent of Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, Kevin Pangos, Dyshawn Pierre, Canada took home a bronze medal.

Since reaching the podium, Canada has finished 5th in 2012, 6th in 2014, 5th in 2016 and 4th in 2018. The 2020 edition was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Canada split a pair of warm-up games against Slovenia, losing 83-73 and winning the rubber match 81-58 while limiting the Slovenia’s to just four points in the final quarter.

Canada’s 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup Roster