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Canada Basketball unveiled the 2009 program for the Senior Men’s National
Team (SMNT) on Wednesday, including the training/tryout schedule, summer
competitions and the roster/staff for the first phase of the program.
After the launch in 2008, the “ROAD WARRIORS” return for an intense three-
phase season during which the team will compete against seven national
teams and club teams in Spain, Italy and Puerto Rico, all in preparation for
the FIBA Americas Championships for Men Aug. 26-Sept. 6 in San Juan,
Puerto Rico.
“Our ultimate objective for the Senior Men’s Team this summer is to qualify
for the FIBA World Championships in 2010 and the journey begins next week,"
said Maurizio Gherardini, Managing Director of the SMNT. “We have put
together a rigorous three-month training and competition schedule that we
believe will help us achieve this goal.”
The SMNT summer season begins with a young men’s development camp. As
part of Canada Basketball’s long range strategy, the new phase is dedicated
to identifying and developing top young Canadian prospects who are playing
professionally or in the NCAA. The young prospects camp will take place June
15-22 at Air Canada Centre, followed by exhibition games in Spain.
Invited players include Tyler Kepkay (British Columbia), Kai Williams
(Saskatchewan), Aaron Doornekamp (Ontario) and Jevohn Sheppard
(Ontario), who have sported the red and white for Canada on one of the
national teams. Joining these basketball rising young stars are Kyle Landry
(Alberta), Ryan Bell (Ontario) and Mike Tuck (Ontario), who all play
professionally overseas.
“I’m excited to work with these young guys who have the talent and the
drive to compete at the international level,” said SMNT Head Coach Leo
Rautins. “I have been watching them play with their respective teams
throughout the season, and Canada’s basketball future looks very bright. I
look forward to working with and developing future senior national team
players who will one day represent Canada.”
The second phase of training camp will take July 18-22, again at Air Canada
Centre. This group of athletes will feature many members of the SMNT that
played last summer and in the 2007 FIBA Americas Championships. After four
days of intense training the team is slated to travel to Italy July 25–Aug. 2 to
compete in exhibition games with national teams from Italy, New Zealand,
Portugal, and Turkey.
“Competing against national teams in other FIBA zones is great preparation
for our team,” stated Rautins. “Every country is in the same position, in that
we are all competing in zone championships this summer, vying for a spot in
the 2010 world event. We have a strong core group of players that have
been together for a few years and if we play hard in these European
exhibition games, Canada will be in a great position to place well in the FIBA
Americas Championships this August.”
The final training phase will take place August 12-16 at Air Canada Centre.
The team then travels to Puerto Rico for the Tuto Marchand Cup Aug. 18-20.
Participating teams include Brazil, Argentina and Puerto Rico. Canada will look
to repeat its first-place finish in 2007.
Following a three-day break in Puerto Rico, Canada will moves on to the FIBA
Americas Championships Aug. 26-Sept. 6 at Roberto Clemente Coliseum in
San Juan, Puerto Rico. Canada was selected to Group A, playing Uruguay, the
U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico and Puerto Rico in the preliminary round. In total,
10 of the best national teams will compete, with the top four qualifying for
the 2010 FIBA World Championship to be played in Turkey.
Below is a full summer schedule for the SMNT/Road Warriors as well as a
complete list of team staff and athletes who are invited to the June training
camp.
2009 SENIOR MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM – JUNE TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
Name Position Height Hometown School / Club (2008/09)
Ryan Bell Guard 6’5 Ottawa, ON Schalke (Germany)
David Collins Centre 7’0 Toronto, ON Bradley University (NCAA)
Aaron Doornekamp Forward 6’7 Odessa, ON Carleton University (CIS)
Willie Galick Forward 6’8 Nanaimo, BC Cal State Northridge University (NCAA)
Russell Hicks Centre 7’1 Niagra Falls, ON Florida Atlantic University (NCAA)
Kris Joseph Forward 6’6 Montreal, QC Syracuse University (NCAA)
Maurice Joseph Guard 6’4 Montreal, QC University of Vermont (NCAA)
Myck Kabongo Guard 6’2 Toronto, ON St. Benedict’s (HS)
Tyler Kepkay Guard 5’10 Vancouver, BC University of Utah (NCAA)
Bol Kong Forward 6’6 Vancouver, BC Gonzaga University (NCAA)
Kyle Landry Forward 6’9 Calgary, AB ISS Sportino (Poland)
Scott Morrison Centre 6’11 Vancouver, BC Albacomp (Hungary)
Harouna Mutombo Guard 6’4 Pickering, ON Western Carolina University (NCAA)
Robert Sacre Centre 6’11 Vancouver, BC Gonzaga University (NCAA)
Jevohn Shepherd Forward 6’6 Toronto, ON University of Michigan (NCAA)
Alex Steele Guard 6’3 Edmonton, AB Edmonton Energy (IBL)
Michael Tuck Forward 6’6 Markham, ON Amicale (Luxembourg)
Marvell Waithe Forward 6’8 Scarborough, ON Tallahassee CC (NJCAA)
Kai Williams Forward 6’6 Regina, SK South Dakota State University (NCAA)
2009 SENIOR MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM STAFF
Name Position
Maurizio Gherardini Managing Director
Leo Rautins Head Coach
Renato Pasquali Assistant Coach
Steve Mix Assistant Coach
Sam Gibbs Athletic Therapist
Miguel Toussaint Student Therapist
Paul Elliott Team Manager
Travis Hind Team Manager
Mat Yorke Team Manager
2009 SENIOR MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM SCHEDULE
Date Activity Location
June 15-22 Training Air Canada Centre – Toronto, ON
June 23-29 Spain Tour
June 24 TBD Bilbao, Spain
June 25 Euskadi Bilbao, Spain
June 27 Catalunya Bilbao, Spain
June 28 Galicia Bilbao, Spain
July 18-22 Training Air Canada Centre – Toronto, ON
July 23-August 2 Italy Tour
July 25 TBD – ITA/NZ/POR Trento, Italy
July 26 TBD – ITA/NZ/POR Trento, Italy
July 27 TBD – ITA/NZ/POR Trento, Italy
July 29 Turkey Bormio, Italy
July 30 Turkey Bormio, Italy
August 1 Italy Mogliano Veneto, Italy
August 12-15 Training Air Canada Centre – Toronto, ON
August 16-23 Tuto Marchand Continental Cup
August 18 TBD – BRA/ARG/PR Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR
August 19 TBD – BRA/ARG/PR Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR
August 20 TBD – BRA/ARG/PR Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR
Aug. 26 - Sept. 7 FIBA Americas Qualifier
August 27 Mexico Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR
August 28 US Virgin Islands Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR
August 29 Uruguay Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR
August 30 Puerto Rico Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR
September 1-6 Second Phase / Semi-Finals/ Finals Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR
"19 top Canadian prospects ..will take part in a development camp at the Air
Canada Centre Monday, June 15 through 22, followed by exhibition games in
Spain to kick off Canada Basketball's men's summer program."
"The camp will focus on player development and also serves as a chance for
the players to be evaluated by Canada's senior national team coaches. Seen
as a crucial step in identifying young talent and giving players a path to the
national team, the squad chosen from the camp participants will take part in
an exhibition tour of Spain later this month with a chance at advancing to
the senior men's national team training camp July 18-22.
The 19 invited Canadian youth features 11 who are currently on NCAA
rosters, including seven-foot tall junior center David Collins from Bradley; Kris
Joseph, a freshman from Syracuse; Tyler Kepkay from Utah, who was a
former Canadian National team member; and former four-year letter-winner at
Michigan, Jevohn Shepherd, who was also a member of the Canadian team.
The Canadian Senior Men's National Team (SMNT) is coached by Leo Rautins,
who played collegiately at both Minnesota for a season and spent three years
at Syracuse. The former All-Big Ten and All-Big East selection the first
Canadian ever drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft going 17th overall to
the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1983 Draft."
In addition to coaching Canada's national team, Rautins - the youngest
player ever to play for Team Canada - also works as an analyst with the
Toronto Raptors NBA squad.
Team (SMNT) on Wednesday, including the training/tryout schedule, summer
competitions and the roster/staff for the first phase of the program.
After the launch in 2008, the “ROAD WARRIORS” return for an intense three-
phase season during which the team will compete against seven national
teams and club teams in Spain, Italy and Puerto Rico, all in preparation for
the FIBA Americas Championships for Men Aug. 26-Sept. 6 in San Juan,
Puerto Rico.
“Our ultimate objective for the Senior Men’s Team this summer is to qualify
for the FIBA World Championships in 2010 and the journey begins next week,"
said Maurizio Gherardini, Managing Director of the SMNT. “We have put
together a rigorous three-month training and competition schedule that we
believe will help us achieve this goal.”
The SMNT summer season begins with a young men’s development camp. As
part of Canada Basketball’s long range strategy, the new phase is dedicated
to identifying and developing top young Canadian prospects who are playing
professionally or in the NCAA. The young prospects camp will take place June
15-22 at Air Canada Centre, followed by exhibition games in Spain.
Invited players include Tyler Kepkay (British Columbia), Kai Williams
(Saskatchewan), Aaron Doornekamp (Ontario) and Jevohn Sheppard
(Ontario), who have sported the red and white for Canada on one of the
national teams. Joining these basketball rising young stars are Kyle Landry
(Alberta), Ryan Bell (Ontario) and Mike Tuck (Ontario), who all play
professionally overseas.
“I’m excited to work with these young guys who have the talent and the
drive to compete at the international level,” said SMNT Head Coach Leo
Rautins. “I have been watching them play with their respective teams
throughout the season, and Canada’s basketball future looks very bright. I
look forward to working with and developing future senior national team
players who will one day represent Canada.”
The second phase of training camp will take July 18-22, again at Air Canada
Centre. This group of athletes will feature many members of the SMNT that
played last summer and in the 2007 FIBA Americas Championships. After four
days of intense training the team is slated to travel to Italy July 25–Aug. 2 to
compete in exhibition games with national teams from Italy, New Zealand,
Portugal, and Turkey.
“Competing against national teams in other FIBA zones is great preparation
for our team,” stated Rautins. “Every country is in the same position, in that
we are all competing in zone championships this summer, vying for a spot in
the 2010 world event. We have a strong core group of players that have
been together for a few years and if we play hard in these European
exhibition games, Canada will be in a great position to place well in the FIBA
Americas Championships this August.”
The final training phase will take place August 12-16 at Air Canada Centre.
The team then travels to Puerto Rico for the Tuto Marchand Cup Aug. 18-20.
Participating teams include Brazil, Argentina and Puerto Rico. Canada will look
to repeat its first-place finish in 2007.
Following a three-day break in Puerto Rico, Canada will moves on to the FIBA
Americas Championships Aug. 26-Sept. 6 at Roberto Clemente Coliseum in
San Juan, Puerto Rico. Canada was selected to Group A, playing Uruguay, the
U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico and Puerto Rico in the preliminary round. In total,
10 of the best national teams will compete, with the top four qualifying for
the 2010 FIBA World Championship to be played in Turkey.
Below is a full summer schedule for the SMNT/Road Warriors as well as a
complete list of team staff and athletes who are invited to the June training
camp.
2009 SENIOR MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM – JUNE TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
Name Position Height Hometown School / Club (2008/09)
Ryan Bell Guard 6’5 Ottawa, ON Schalke (Germany)
David Collins Centre 7’0 Toronto, ON Bradley University (NCAA)
Aaron Doornekamp Forward 6’7 Odessa, ON Carleton University (CIS)
Willie Galick Forward 6’8 Nanaimo, BC Cal State Northridge University (NCAA)
Russell Hicks Centre 7’1 Niagra Falls, ON Florida Atlantic University (NCAA)
Kris Joseph Forward 6’6 Montreal, QC Syracuse University (NCAA)
Maurice Joseph Guard 6’4 Montreal, QC University of Vermont (NCAA)
Myck Kabongo Guard 6’2 Toronto, ON St. Benedict’s (HS)
Tyler Kepkay Guard 5’10 Vancouver, BC University of Utah (NCAA)
Bol Kong Forward 6’6 Vancouver, BC Gonzaga University (NCAA)
Kyle Landry Forward 6’9 Calgary, AB ISS Sportino (Poland)
Scott Morrison Centre 6’11 Vancouver, BC Albacomp (Hungary)
Harouna Mutombo Guard 6’4 Pickering, ON Western Carolina University (NCAA)
Robert Sacre Centre 6’11 Vancouver, BC Gonzaga University (NCAA)
Jevohn Shepherd Forward 6’6 Toronto, ON University of Michigan (NCAA)
Alex Steele Guard 6’3 Edmonton, AB Edmonton Energy (IBL)
Michael Tuck Forward 6’6 Markham, ON Amicale (Luxembourg)
Marvell Waithe Forward 6’8 Scarborough, ON Tallahassee CC (NJCAA)
Kai Williams Forward 6’6 Regina, SK South Dakota State University (NCAA)
2009 SENIOR MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM STAFF
Name Position
Maurizio Gherardini Managing Director
Leo Rautins Head Coach
Renato Pasquali Assistant Coach
Steve Mix Assistant Coach
Sam Gibbs Athletic Therapist
Miguel Toussaint Student Therapist
Paul Elliott Team Manager
Travis Hind Team Manager
Mat Yorke Team Manager
2009 SENIOR MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM SCHEDULE
Date Activity Location
June 15-22 Training Air Canada Centre – Toronto, ON
June 23-29 Spain Tour
June 24 TBD Bilbao, Spain
June 25 Euskadi Bilbao, Spain
June 27 Catalunya Bilbao, Spain
June 28 Galicia Bilbao, Spain
July 18-22 Training Air Canada Centre – Toronto, ON
July 23-August 2 Italy Tour
July 25 TBD – ITA/NZ/POR Trento, Italy
July 26 TBD – ITA/NZ/POR Trento, Italy
July 27 TBD – ITA/NZ/POR Trento, Italy
July 29 Turkey Bormio, Italy
July 30 Turkey Bormio, Italy
August 1 Italy Mogliano Veneto, Italy
August 12-15 Training Air Canada Centre – Toronto, ON
August 16-23 Tuto Marchand Continental Cup
August 18 TBD – BRA/ARG/PR Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR
August 19 TBD – BRA/ARG/PR Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR
August 20 TBD – BRA/ARG/PR Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR
Aug. 26 - Sept. 7 FIBA Americas Qualifier
August 27 Mexico Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR
August 28 US Virgin Islands Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR
August 29 Uruguay Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR
August 30 Puerto Rico Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR
September 1-6 Second Phase / Semi-Finals/ Finals Roberto Clemente Coliseum – San Juan, PR
"19 top Canadian prospects ..will take part in a development camp at the Air
Canada Centre Monday, June 15 through 22, followed by exhibition games in
Spain to kick off Canada Basketball's men's summer program."
"The camp will focus on player development and also serves as a chance for
the players to be evaluated by Canada's senior national team coaches. Seen
as a crucial step in identifying young talent and giving players a path to the
national team, the squad chosen from the camp participants will take part in
an exhibition tour of Spain later this month with a chance at advancing to
the senior men's national team training camp July 18-22.
The 19 invited Canadian youth features 11 who are currently on NCAA
rosters, including seven-foot tall junior center David Collins from Bradley; Kris
Joseph, a freshman from Syracuse; Tyler Kepkay from Utah, who was a
former Canadian National team member; and former four-year letter-winner at
Michigan, Jevohn Shepherd, who was also a member of the Canadian team.
The Canadian Senior Men's National Team (SMNT) is coached by Leo Rautins,
who played collegiately at both Minnesota for a season and spent three years
at Syracuse. The former All-Big Ten and All-Big East selection the first
Canadian ever drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft going 17th overall to
the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1983 Draft."
In addition to coaching Canada's national team, Rautins - the youngest
player ever to play for Team Canada - also works as an analyst with the
Toronto Raptors NBA squad.
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