THE 5TH ANNUAL ALL-STAR CHARITY SHOOTOUT GOES JULY 17TH AT YORK UNIVERSITY.

If you're a Canadian hoops fan...you have to get out to York University on Saturday July 17th, 2010 at 3:30pm for the 5th Annual All-Star Charity Shootout.
It's not just a game featuring top Canadian Professional, College and University players, playing here, the States and worldwide...but it's a tremendous fundraising event for War Child Canada and the Michael Pinball Clemons Foundation(MPCF). Of course Clemons is well known due to his outstanding playing career and executive position with the Toronto Argonauts. It's called the Clash of the Charities and the shootout is a great way to bring awareness to both of these deserving causes/organizations.

Here's what War Child Canada is all about...
Founded in 1999, War Child Canada currently provides active support to numerous countries including Afghanistan, Ethiopia and Sierra Leone, through initiatives that benefit more than 100,000 children and their families annually. 90 cents of every dollar received go directly to programs overseas helping to create a world where no child knows war.

MPCF is the moniker for Clemons endeavor and here's some details about it...

The Michael “Pinball” Clemons Foundation is proud to have been chosen as one of the participating charities for the 5th Annual All-Star Charity Shootout to be held this June of 2010. This event provides our foundation the opportunity to raise much needed funds but also the ability to spread awareness for a few worthy causes that we have committed to support in the upcoming years.

At the Michael “Pinball” Clemons Foundation our vision is to quicken academic excellence, infuse depth of character, promote health and vitality, and inspire generosity in our youth.

Come July 17th, there will be a lot going on at the Tait Mackenzie gym on the York University campus...
Including the support of both charities plus a post free post-game BBQ which will conclude the festivities.

The War Child Canada squad will be coached by former York Men's basketball coach Bob Bain and features Lafayette University's Jared Mintz...and former Toronto All-Star Tristan Martin(PBL).

U of T's Mike Katz will helm the Michael Pinball Clemons Foundation team that features former York point guard Tut Ruach...Andre Wilkins of Cornell University and All-OUA forward Boris Bakovic from the Ryerson Rams.

The game should be a burner...as it showcases some of the best basketball talent that this country has and as a bonus does it's best to support both charities headlining the event!

Here is the ROSTER for the All-Star Charity Shootout!

The Shootout is sponsored by such corporations as VIA rail and Investors Group.
For more information go to http://www.allstarcharityshootout.com/.
They also have a Facebook and Twitter page as well!

CADET TEAM CAPTURES BRONZE AT THE FIRST EVER FIBA U-17 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

Courtesy FIBA.COM

 

Team Canada has done it folks...At the 1st ever FIBA U-17 World Basketball Championships...Canada has taken home the bronze medal...in a surprising but not that far-fetched result.
Canadian basketball ascendancy is on is way...the talent is there(Kevin Pangos/Anthony Bennett)...the coaches are there(Roy Rana/Greg Francis) and the spirit is there...as Canada Basketball the organization is seeing the fruits of it's labour come to life as it's younger teams...this one the Cadets and the junior national team(U-18) have both finished 3rd in their tournaments. The U-18 squad finished third at the end of June and have qualified for next year's U-19 World Championships in Latvia.
It's been a long, hard journey with many bumps along the way over the years for Canada Basketball...but it seems good times are gonna be very common as Canada exerts it's basketball emergence on the world stage.
The Cadets trailed the game after one and at the half but came back to take a two point win...83-81 over the Lithuanians who have a storied basketball history.
Bennett did not play due to injury...but Canada was led by Olivier Hanlan who poured in 15 points...while Negus Webster-Chan and Kevin Pangos...their point guard and leader both scored 13.
Stud in waiting Andrew Wiggins and Dyshawn Pierre dropped 12 points for the Cadet squad led by Rana who is also Ryerson University's Men's basketball coach. Pierre, who impressed a lot of scouts in this tourney also corralled a team-high 9 rebounds.
Check out the story at the Toronto star as Doug Smith breaks the game down here!
The U.S. took the Gold...going 8-0...downing the surprising but impressive Polish squad 111-80 in relatively easy fashion. America is still their dominating self basketball-wise on the world stage but teams like Poland and Canada seem to be closing the gap as they mimic the team that carries the standard for hoops worldwide.
Back to Pangos who was named to the All-tournament five...along with Mateusz Ponitka (Poland), Bradley Beal (USA), James Mc Adoo (USA) and Przemyslav Karnowski (Poland). He was also named the best Point Guard in the tournament as he guided his squad in fine form throughout all of Canada's games. Pangos is using this international experience to firmly put himself in the Radar of many Division 1 coaches Stateside.
He should be getting a ton of letters once he get's back here in Canada.
Check out the All-Tournament Five HERE...
If not for an oft-injured Bennett not being 100% in the tournament...the Canucks may have gotten to the final by beating the Poles and gone on to face the Americans. But they settle for bronze in a great result for a Canada team that believed they could medal...but also knew teams like Spain and Argentina were going to be obstacles in their desire for hardware. Those teams struggled while others like Canada took advantage.
Congrats to the Cadet U-17 squad for a great tournament!
Here's the box score from the game.
Canada Basketball has the scoop from the milestone accomplishment by the cadets HERE!

CANADA QUALIFIES FOR 2011 U19 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH A 100-83 WIN OVER PUERTO RICO

Kyle Wiltjer

Canada's Junior Men's basketball team qualified for the 2011 U19 World basketball Championships...pulling out a hard-earned 100-83 victory over Puerto Rico at the Fiba Americas U18 Basketball Championships for Men in San Antonio, Texas improving to 2-0 in the tournament.
The difference in the game was the 1st quarter as Canada led by 11 going into the 2nd as the two teams basically played evenly for the rest of the contest as they won it going away by 17.
The Canucks were led by Kyle Wiltjer who dropped a game-high 31 points to go with 10 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks in a complete game by the Oregon native. He's eligible to play for Canada because his father Greg Wiltjer is Canadian.
Star point guard Myck Kabongo rebounded from a average game yesterday against Uruguay as he scored 22 points with 8 assists and 10 rebounds. Kabongo got to the line often tallying 8 points at the charity stripe.
Other Canadian notables include Khem Birch who hauled down 10 rebounds and 6 blocked shots and Kemy Osse  who scored 20 for the victors.
Gary Browne  led the Puerto Ricans with 19 points in defeat.
With the win Canada qualifies for the 2011 U19 World Championships and signalling Canada's improving basketball fortunes on the World stage.
Brazil also qualified for the 2011 Championships with a scrappy 71-64 defeat of Uruguay.
The other two probable qualifiers look to be the U.S. and Argentina as both teams are considered the powerhouses of the FIBA Americas zone.
Check out the game summary HERE...and the box score right HERE.

CANADA WINS 76-52 OVER URUGUAY AT THE FIBA AMERICA'S U18 CHAMPIONSHIPS

                                 Myck Kabongo

Canada played a solid team game today in San Antonio, Texas as they put a beating on Uruguay to the tune of 76-52 in their first game of the Fiba America's U18 Championships.
The Canadian team is a very talented squad...led by concensus top 15 Class of 2011 player Myck Kabongo.
Kabongo was recently back in his home town of Toronto playing in Phase 1's All Canada Classic where he dropped a phenomenal 39 points to lead his team white over Daniel Mullings and team red.
Canada led 21-4 after one quarter...you read it right...up 17 after 1 quarter! They led by 22 points at the half to cruise to a 24 point victory.
The Canucks were led by Kyle Wiltjer and Kevin Thomas who both poured in 14 points each.
Wiltjer was on fire from 3 point land going 4-for-5 from that distance to go along with 7 rebounds.
Thomas was very efficient from the field shooting 63% while adding 5 rebounds in the ballgame.
As for Kabongo, who played a team-high 32 minutes, he was a bit off going 1-for-6 from the field but made 8 free throws to finish with 10 points and a team-high 3 assists.
Khem Birch led the Canadian U-18's with 9 rebounds, 5 blocks while scoring 8 points.
7'4" center Sim Bhullar saw only 10 minutes of action and hauled in 6 rebounds while on the court.
Phillip Scrubb also added 10 points and 3 rebounds to the Canadian cause.
Ivan Loriente Peres led Uruguay with 18 points and 8 rebounds in the loss.
The tournament consists of 2 pools of 4 teams. Canada is in Group A which includes Uruguay, Puerto Rico and Brazil who should be Canada's toughest opponent.
Group B includes the powerful U.S.A., Virgin Islands, Argentina and Mexico.
Canada plays Puerto Rico on Sunday June 27th and then face Brazil on Monday June 28th. Both games are at 1pm eastern time and you can check out the action live via web stream from the Fiba Americas website.
Check out the site and game action right HERE! The full schedule is HERE as well.
The top 4 teams will qualify for the 2011 U19 FIBA World Championships!
Canada's hoops programs are improving by leaps and bounds and this team should be in that tournament barring a major upset.
Check back here at http://www.dunkuverymuch.blogspot.com/ for updates as the tournament progresses.

Andy Rautins tears up the twine at the Chicago NBA Draft Combine.

If the NBA was mainly a shooters league then Andy Rautins would be a guaranteed Lottery pick. Top 5 even...Unfortunately athleticism and scoring ability is just as valuable in the world's greatest basketball league.
But Rautins...who of course comes from great basketball pedigree with father Leo Rautins a former NBA player...has a great shot of making the League due to his ability to make shots and play a heady type of basketball. Rautins Syracuse career is over...but his pro career whether in the NBA or an overseas league is looking very bright! He's a natural leader and great team player who really showed his all-round game this past season with the Orange.

Now Rautins is not all shooter and no game...he's got pretty good lateral quickness and ups...and can definitely make team-positive basketball plays on the court.
Some people will simply say he'll get selected in the draft because of his father's name and influence...but that's baloney. He's put in a lot of work and it shows. Here's an article in the Toronto Sun by Steve Buffery that talks about Rautins work ethic and winning attitude.

At the recent Chicago NBA Draft combine featuring some of the top college players...Rautins shot a blistering 77.7%...good for first overall...making 87 out of the 112 shots he took. Only 4 players shot over 75% and Rautins was one of them.
He shot 66.7% right elbow to baseline...83.3% elbow to elbow and 71.4% left elbow to baseline.
On spot up shooting he drained  80% from the college 3-point line and just slightly lower at 76% from the NBA 3-point line. He also drained 83.3% of his 15' to 18' jumpers off the dribble.

Rautins clearly has turned heads with his performance. In my opinion his shooting ability and size at 6'5" will enable him to get his shot off especially if aided by screens and miss direction kick outs to the 3-point line.
He's also a team-first guy who is a winner. I don't see him as a star but I do see him as a situational PG/SG who can come in and run the offence and/or make crucial shots and spell the starter or backup at those positions. NBA comparable...JJ Redick

He will also gain valuable experience and confidence playing for Canada this summer at the World Championships in Turkey. He's played for the national team before and will be looked upon to be one
of the leaders of the relatively young squad.

As the draft approaches Rautins will have to prove himself against competition in one-on-ones etc but I can see Rautins stock rising as more GM's realize that the NBA is a shooters league after all and a hungry kid like Rautins can do some damage if afforded the opportunity to do what he does best...SHOOT THE BASKETBALL!

Check out the results of the combine here...courtesy of NBADRAFT.NET...