Just a few quick notes to pass along at the national level.
Tristan Thompson will join the senior men’s national team for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in early July, according to a report from Chris Haynes of Cleveland.com. The 25-year-old didn’t participate with the team at the FIBA Americas last summer due to his contract situation, and while he’s long been committed to the program, there was concern his lengthy run to an NBA Championship could push him to opt out again this summer.
That’s huge for the Canadians, who need to up-end France, Turkey, the host Philippines, New Zealand, and Senegal and win their qualifying tournament outright in order to earn a berth in the 2016 Olympics later this summer in Brazil. Canada’s roster is in flux, with most of their camp participants off in Italy for a tune-up tournament (they’re 3-1 so far and return home later this week). The 12-man roster for the QOT will be drawn from this group:
| NAME | POSITION | HEIGHT | HOMETOWN | TEAM/SCHOOL |
| Shai Alexander | G | 6’4 | Hamilton, ON | Hamilton Heights Christian Academy |
| Joel Anthony | F | 6’9 | Montreal, QC | Detroit Pistons |
| | | |||
| Anthony Bennett | F | 6’8 | Toronto, ON | |
| Sim Bhullar | F | 7’5 | Toronto, ON | Raptors 905 |
| Khem Birch | F | 6’9 | Montreal, QC | Usak Sportlif |
| Dillon Brooks | F | 6’7 | Mississauga, ON | Oregon Ducks |
| Chris Boucher | F | 6’10 | Montreal, QC | Oregon Ducks |
| Jason Calliste | G | 6’2 | Toronto, ON | Barons Kvartals Riga |
| Melvin Ejim | F | 6’6 | Toronto, ON | Reyer Venezia |
| Tyler Ennis | G | 6’2 | Brampton, ON | Milwaukee Bucks |
| Brady Heslip | G | 6’2 | Burlington, ON | Pallacanestro Cantu |
| Tyson Hinz | F | 6’7 | Ottawa, ON | Landstede Basketball |
| Cory Joseph | G | 6’3 | Pickering, ON | Toronto Raptors |
| Corey Johnson | G | 6’5 | Ottawa, ON | Harvard University |
| Owen Klassen | F | 6’10 | Kingston, ON | Phoenix Hagen |
| Levon Kendall | F | 6’10 | Vancouver, BC | Movistar Estudiantes |
| Naz Mirtou-Long | G | 6’4 | Mississauga, ON | Iowa St. Cyclones |
| Dyshawn Pierre | G | 6’6 | Whitby, ON | Dayton Flyers |
| Philip Scrubb | G | 6’3 | Richmond, BC | Fraport Skyliners |
| Thomas Scrubb | G | 6’6 | Richmond, BC | Giessen 46ers |
| | | |||
| Tristan Thompson | F | 6’9 | Toronto, ON | Cleveland Cavaliers |
That tournament takes place July 5-10 and will air on TSN.
The senior women’s national team, meanwhile, has already punched their ticket to the Olympics thanks to a gold medal at last summer’s FIBA Americas. As a result, there’s less pressure on that side in the early part of summer, and they’re only just now beginning their Phase 2 Camp in Edmonton.
That camp includes a roster of 18, from which their final 12-player Olympic roster will be selected.
NAME | POSITION | HEIGHT | HOMETOWN | 2015-16 CLUB/SCHOOL |
Natalie Achonwa* | Power Forward | 6’3 | Guelph, ON | Indiana Fever (WNBA) |
Miranda Ayim | Power Forward | 6’3 | London, ON | Basket Landes (France) |
Adut Bulgak* | Centre | 6’4′ | Edmonton, AB | New York Liberty (WNBA) |
Bridget Carleton | Guard | 6’1 | Chatham, ON | Iowa State (NCAA) |
Laura Dally | Guard | 6’0’ | Sarnia, ON | Saskatchewan (CIS) |
Nirra Fields | Guard | 5’6’ | Montreal, QC | Phoenix (WNBA)/UCLA (NCAA) |
Kim Gaucher | Shooting Guard | 6’1’ | Mission, BC | Mondeville (France) |
Ruth Hamblin* | Centre | 6’6′ | Houston, BC | Dallas Wings (WNBA) |
Miah-Marie Langlois | Point Guard | 5’8′ | Windsor, ON | Dynamo-Guvd Novosibirsk (Russia) |
Lizanne Murphy | Small Forward | 6’1′ | Beaconsfield, QC | Angers (France) |
Kia Nurse | Point Guard | 6’0′ | Hamilton, ON | UConn (NCAA) |
Katherine Plouffe | Small Forward | 6’3′ | Edmonton, AB | Nantes Reze (France) |
Michelle Plouffe | Small Forward | 6’3′ | Edmonton, AB | Mondeville (France) |
Emily Potter | Centre | 6’4′ | Winnipeg, MB | Utah (NCAA) |
Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe | Forward | 6’2′ | Penticton, BC | Wasserburg (Germany) |
Tamara Tatham | Small Forward | 6’1’ | Brampton, ON | Townville Fire (Australia) |
Shona Thorburn | Point Guard | 5’10’ | Hamilton, ON | Nantes Reze (France) |
Jamie Weisner* | Guard | 5’9’ | Clarkston, WA | Connecticut Sun (WNBA) |
The women will break camp July 8 and then host three exhibition games against China, reconvening later in July in Toronto for their Phase 3 Camp. They’ll then head to the U.S. for three games as part of the USA Basketball showcase, one last tune up before the Olympics get underway Aug. 5.
Canada, who are ranked ninth in the world by FIBA as of October, are in a group with the U.S. (1), Spain (3), China (8), Serbia (14), and Senegal (24), and will need to finish in the top four to advance. Given the momtnum of the program and the abundance of talent in the Phase 2 camp, you have to like their chances of doing so.
