FIBA Americas Championship - Bonner and Magloire Onboard!

Hopefully if there is a small issue with English it will be resolved by the world championships. It's a year away. We need English and Famutimi to play again next summer at the 2 guard spot. Both Dave Thomas and Rowan Barrett can't be counted on now - they are are at the ends of their careers. And Brown didn't play for the national team this summer.

Adding Bonner is fine. He's an enthusiastic guy and a quality person with some perimeter skills. He doesn't like to bang heads in the paint, though.

But if you read what Rautins says about him, he made very similar comments about Dalembert before he became eligible to play. Cake was cut and there was a lot of excitement and then after all the hype and buildup that coach-player relationship destructed a year ago. So perhaps we should wait for it to materialize before we get too excited.

Putting additional names on the eligibility list is prudent. But Leo needs to be careful with the team chemistry - a set of guys gave up their time and risked injury last summer to help this team qualify. That team qualified. Those guys should be given every consideration also before he brings guys in who didn't or weren't able to participate in that process.

Yes Rautins was doing the PR tour with Dalembert in getting his citizenship and being sworn in a Hamilton court room.

I'm sure he'd do the same with Bonner.

Don't think the result will be the same... Bonner is total class act... Sam had a reputation for being pouty.

I hope Basketball Canada is doing their due dilligence in evaluating Leo's work performance.

There is a something we could label as a trend... i.e. players being alienated from the program... Dalembert, Brown, Mendez, and perhaps English??? (but Doug Smith reports that Basketball Canada insists Carl left for family reasons).

I can buy the bit about these guys brought us here... they deserve the spot... but isn't the goal to send your very best to represent. Sometimes loyalty gets in the way.

Someone has posted a clip of the press conference for Jesse Young's signing with the Italian team on Youtube.

Way to go Jesse!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIWCepuo1oY

Well the Canadian girls qualified for the worlds next year by beating Cuba for a 3rd place finish in the FIBA AMericas tournament.

T'was a great game to watch... 59-49 in OT.