TORONTO (2011 FIBA Americas Championship) - Toronto didn’t win the right to stage the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship after losing out to the city of Mar del Plata, Argentina, over the weekend, but Canada Basketball are stressing the positives from their unsuccessful bid.

Rio de Janeiro had also wanted to host the event.

After Toronto was eliminated in the first round of voting by the FIBA Americas Central Board, Mar del Plata defeated Rio de Janeiro 13-4 in the second round.

“I think today we reached a new level for Canada Basketball,” said Maurizio Gherardini, senior vice president of the Toronto Raptors and the managing director of Canada’s senior men’s team, on the Canada Basketball website.

“FIBA Americas and FIBA have both recognized the role we can play in developing the international game.”

Gherardini travelled to San Juan to help make Canada’s presentation along with Wayne Parrish, the executive director and CEO of Canada Basketball, and men’s national team coach Leo Rautins.

Parrish said: “Obviously this is a huge disappointment. Our partners and our staff put a tremendous amount of effort into our bid over the past eight months.

"But I think we have established a new level of respect for Canada within the international basketball community.

“There will be other events and other opportunities.

“Today we laid the foundation for the future.”

FIBA Americas Secretary General, Mr Alberto Garcia, felt Toronto and Rio de Janeiro would have been deserving of the FIBA Americas Championship.

“The three countries came in prepared to win,” he said.

“All made excellent presentations and were ready to become the hosts of this event.

“Argentina made a good economic proposal and I am happy for the result.”

Parrish said: “We had tremendous support, but it’s difficult to compete when the other countries are able to provide up-front guarantees that we’re just not able to match in the Canadian context.”

Rautins, who did a magnificent job with Canada last summer in leading them to a spot at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey, agreed that Canada had taken a step forward.

“First of all, I congratulate Argentina,” Rautins said.

“I’m very proud of our presentation and the effort behind our bid.

"As with our team, we’ve taken young players and are developing them to become world class athletes.

“Likewise, this bid is a part of the process of becoming a primary player as a federation with FIBA.”

FIBA