BOSTON (FIBA AmeriCup 2017) - Canada came up just short of Olympic qualification each of the past two years, but the players are hungry and good bets to ride a wave of optimism into the Tokyo Games in 2020.

Jay Triano's side narrowly lost to Venezuela in the Semi-Finals of the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship, a result that cost them a spot in the Rio de Janeiro Games, and the Canadians then fell to France in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament Final in Manila this year.

Both setbacks showed that the Canadians, whose players are in the NBA, Europe or the American college ranks, have as good a chance as any team to make it to Japan in four years.

Boston Celtics power forward Kelly Olynyk played on last year's team but was injured and couldn't take part in the OQT. He is among those who firmly believes Canada's time is about to come.

"Unfortunately, we didn't make it, we should have," he said to FIBA.com. "We didn't. We're young. We dominated the whole summer (2015) and lost one game that mattered and unfortunately, we didn't shoot the ball very well in that game. We ran into a tough, veteran Venezuelan team that played really hard and did enough to win that day."

Rubbing salt into the wound was that a late foul was called on Canada that allowed Venezuela to go to the free-throw line and seal the victory.

That loss to Venezuela is now in the past. Will they make it to Japan?

"Yes, 100 percent," Olynyk said. "We'll be there."

If a lack of experience may have cost them against Venezuela in 2015, Canada will learn from that failure. The players will also be better with more time in the NBA or the European professional ranks under their belts. Even before the Olympics, Canada will be looking to make it to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China.

"We have the talent, we have the athletes, we have the skill to challenge them (USA). It's all there. It's in the works. We've just got to make it happen." - Olynyk

"There are tons of good young players coming up," Olynyk said. "It's not over. Canada is growing. We have an immense number of Canadian kids playing college and a big number of players on draft boards and we have a great group of can guys overseas. It's not even close to being over."

Olynyk says there are plenty of reasons to back the Canadians. One of them is the fact that the country's greatest ever player, Steve Nash, is the general manager of the national team.

"Steve is unbelievable," Olynyk said. "Unbelievable guy, player, mentor to everybody. He knows what he is doing on and off the court. He's done it for so many years and he's been there as both a player at the highest levels of basketball in the world.

"His pride and joy is Canada, playing for Canada and helping Canada achieve what it can. That's why it's so unbelievable to have him around. Steve has done a great job and we owe it to Steve to give back."

Canada's absence at the Olympics in Brazil was a never-ending topic of conversation for basketball fans who couldn't believe a team that has so many terrific players was not present. Some believed that Canada would have given the USA one of their toughest games if they had been in Rio.

"We have the talent, we have the athletes, we have the skill to challenge them," Olynyk said. "It's all there. It's in the works. We've just got to make it happen.

"We're going to have to have everybody come together and play, form a team and be one and play like that and if we do, we can be a scary good basketball team. We can give whoever we come up against a run for their money."

FIBA