Home
I came across this article today. It reminded me of previous post discussions about Canadians going down south through Ro Russell. . . . Anyone want to discuss?
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/basketball/2008-07-27-canadian-players_N.htm
Canadians' huge win raises profile for hoops program
By Victoria Sun, Special for USA TODAY
LAS VEGAS — In the midst of explaining what it means to be a part of Canadian amateur basketball history, Tristan Thompson was gently interrupted by one of his teammates, who wanted to remind him to utter the team's mantra.
"What (are) they (gonna) say now?" Thompson repeated proudly. "We just showed the U.S. that we've got basketball players in Canada."
No talking was necessary after Thompson's Grassroots Canada Elite team beat the Compton (Calif.) Magic in double-overtime 88-79 to win the adidas Super 64 tournament on Saturday.
By winning one of the three major AAU tournaments that ran concurrently here and defeating the Magic, one of the most respected programs in the U.S., the Canadians staked their claim in amateur hoops after years of being dominated by their American counterparts.
"We made a major statement," said Ro Russell, who founded the Grassroots program in 1992. "It's the biggest win in our program's history and Canadian amateur basketball history.
"Now people will take us seriously," he said.
Thompson, Rivals.com's No. 2 player in the class of 2010, has verbally committed to play at Texas while point guard Junior Cadougan, ranked No. 21 by the Hoopscooponline.com in the class of 2009, has verbally committed to attend Marquette.
Thompson's decision was based on the fact that he got to watch Texas on TV and because of his recruiting relationship with head coach Rick Barnes and assistant Rodney Terry.
"I used to watch (former Texas and current Portland Trailblazers forward) LaMarcus Aldridge and I liked their style of play," tournament MVP Thompson said. "I liked coach Barnes and coach Terry.
"When you go on a visit to some schools, you're like, 'I don't know, it's all right.' But when I went to Texas, they treated me like family."
Russell's relationship with Marquette head coach Buzz Williams and assistant Tony Benford influenced Cadougan, who followed point guard Damon Stoudamire when he was with the Toronto Raptors and is a huge Baron Davis fan.
"My top three choices were Wake Forest, Memphis and Marquette, but Coach Ro didn't really know the other coaches so Marquette was the greatest choice for me," Cadougan said.
Providing Canadian players with proper training, surrounding them with the highest level of competition and getting them the exposure they need to earn college scholarships are reasons Russell started the program formerly called Toronto Elite.
Russell, a Jamaican who moved to Toronto 35 years ago at age 4, was just like the kids he coaches today. He wanted to earn a college basketball scholarship, but had very limited support because ice hockey was the most popular sport.
Through his own research and networking, Russell played at Keene State in Keene, N.H., and Gordon College in Wenham, Mass. Once he finished competing, he returned home to Toronto to become a high school coach and founded what has developed into a fertile training ground.
Many Grassroots players have earned Division I college scholarships including highly touted guard Devoe Joseph, who will play for Tubby Smith at Minnesota this season, former Arkansas and current Canadian national team member Olu Famutimi and former Missouri swingman Duane John.
Russell's players have gotten more attention because he has been able to help them enroll at different American high school or prep schools via student visas so that they can be seen by more college coaches and play against much better competition.
Without enough exposure, Canadian Steve Nash, an NBA all-star and former two-time MVP, ended up playing at Santa Clara because no high-level Division I school recruited him.
"Steve Nash has shown us it is possible for us to play in the NBA," Thompson said.
Thompson will be a junior at famed St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.), coached by former Duke guard Bobby Hurley's father, Dan Hurley, while guard Myck Kabongo will be a sophomore at St. Benedict's.
Cadougan will be a senior at Christian Life Academy in Waco, Texas, where former Texas A&M forward and current Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan attended, and Dwight Powell will be a junior at IMG (Bradenton, Fla.). Three other Grassroots players, Jason Calliste, Renaldo Dixon and Christian Kabongo, attend Mt. Zion Christian Academy in Pembroke, N.C.
Almost all of Russell's players are being recruited by Division I teams or at least being evaluated more closely.
"Ro Russell specifically has done an unbelievable job in elevating basketball in Canada," Williams said. "All of the best players in Canada play for Ro and his relationships with coaches in the United States have been beneficial in regards to helping those kids."
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/basketball/2008-07-27-canadian-players_N.htm
Canadians' huge win raises profile for hoops program
By Victoria Sun, Special for USA TODAY
LAS VEGAS — In the midst of explaining what it means to be a part of Canadian amateur basketball history, Tristan Thompson was gently interrupted by one of his teammates, who wanted to remind him to utter the team's mantra.
"What (are) they (gonna) say now?" Thompson repeated proudly. "We just showed the U.S. that we've got basketball players in Canada."
No talking was necessary after Thompson's Grassroots Canada Elite team beat the Compton (Calif.) Magic in double-overtime 88-79 to win the adidas Super 64 tournament on Saturday.
By winning one of the three major AAU tournaments that ran concurrently here and defeating the Magic, one of the most respected programs in the U.S., the Canadians staked their claim in amateur hoops after years of being dominated by their American counterparts.
"We made a major statement," said Ro Russell, who founded the Grassroots program in 1992. "It's the biggest win in our program's history and Canadian amateur basketball history.
"Now people will take us seriously," he said.
Thompson, Rivals.com's No. 2 player in the class of 2010, has verbally committed to play at Texas while point guard Junior Cadougan, ranked No. 21 by the Hoopscooponline.com in the class of 2009, has verbally committed to attend Marquette.
Thompson's decision was based on the fact that he got to watch Texas on TV and because of his recruiting relationship with head coach Rick Barnes and assistant Rodney Terry.
"I used to watch (former Texas and current Portland Trailblazers forward) LaMarcus Aldridge and I liked their style of play," tournament MVP Thompson said. "I liked coach Barnes and coach Terry.
"When you go on a visit to some schools, you're like, 'I don't know, it's all right.' But when I went to Texas, they treated me like family."
Russell's relationship with Marquette head coach Buzz Williams and assistant Tony Benford influenced Cadougan, who followed point guard Damon Stoudamire when he was with the Toronto Raptors and is a huge Baron Davis fan.
"My top three choices were Wake Forest, Memphis and Marquette, but Coach Ro didn't really know the other coaches so Marquette was the greatest choice for me," Cadougan said.
Providing Canadian players with proper training, surrounding them with the highest level of competition and getting them the exposure they need to earn college scholarships are reasons Russell started the program formerly called Toronto Elite.
Russell, a Jamaican who moved to Toronto 35 years ago at age 4, was just like the kids he coaches today. He wanted to earn a college basketball scholarship, but had very limited support because ice hockey was the most popular sport.
Through his own research and networking, Russell played at Keene State in Keene, N.H., and Gordon College in Wenham, Mass. Once he finished competing, he returned home to Toronto to become a high school coach and founded what has developed into a fertile training ground.
Many Grassroots players have earned Division I college scholarships including highly touted guard Devoe Joseph, who will play for Tubby Smith at Minnesota this season, former Arkansas and current Canadian national team member Olu Famutimi and former Missouri swingman Duane John.
Russell's players have gotten more attention because he has been able to help them enroll at different American high school or prep schools via student visas so that they can be seen by more college coaches and play against much better competition.
Without enough exposure, Canadian Steve Nash, an NBA all-star and former two-time MVP, ended up playing at Santa Clara because no high-level Division I school recruited him.
"Steve Nash has shown us it is possible for us to play in the NBA," Thompson said.
Thompson will be a junior at famed St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.), coached by former Duke guard Bobby Hurley's father, Dan Hurley, while guard Myck Kabongo will be a sophomore at St. Benedict's.
Cadougan will be a senior at Christian Life Academy in Waco, Texas, where former Texas A&M forward and current Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan attended, and Dwight Powell will be a junior at IMG (Bradenton, Fla.). Three other Grassroots players, Jason Calliste, Renaldo Dixon and Christian Kabongo, attend Mt. Zion Christian Academy in Pembroke, N.C.
Almost all of Russell's players are being recruited by Division I teams or at least being evaluated more closely.
"Ro Russell specifically has done an unbelievable job in elevating basketball in Canada," Williams said. "All of the best players in Canada play for Ro and his relationships with coaches in the United States have been beneficial in regards to helping those kids."
