TORONTO (2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments) - Canada coach Jay Triano knows that every minute of his team's preparations for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Manila will be important.

The North American team will take on Turkey and Senegal in Group A, aiming to finish in the top two. If they do, Canada will then face a team from a Group B that includes France, New Zealand and the Philippines in a Semi-Final. The teams that win the Semi-Finals will then meet with a spot in the Rio de Janeiro Games at stake.

Kelly Olynyk (CAN) is expected to play for Canada in Manila

"The number one thing that we're going to have our assistants working on is the reports and the style of play that they (Turkey and Senegal) had last year at either the European Championship or the African Championship," Triano said.

"We'll look at that and we'll try to find out what their plan is as far as pre-tournament games, exhibition games heading into the tournament, where we can go for that."

We'll be as prepared as we can be from what we saw last year, and our individual scouting of players. We'll jump on it. We have a lot of time to prepare. - Triano

Canada already have some insight into Turkey. In 2014, Triano and Canada toured Europe and faced Ergin Ataman's side before the Twelve Giant Men played at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain. Many of those Turkish players should be in the line-up when they face Triano's squad in Manila on 5 July, the opening day of the OQT.

What Triano doesn't know, and coaches of other national teams are in the same situation, is when his own players are going to finish their club seasons and be able to focus on the OQTs.

"Ideally we're going to start training in the middle of June and some guys may be still be playing at that time," Triano said. "I would think a 10-day training camp would be the minimum of what we do, along with the individual workouts, maybe a week where we could play three or four games.

"Hopefully we won't have to travel that far (for friendly games) because traveling to the Philippines will be far enough. If we can do that, it will put us in a position where we get a couple of games under our belt to make sure we're in good shape."

Canada have as much talent as many teams. Their young players have needed to acquire international basketball experience and have done so at the last couple of FIBA Americas Championships. There were signs last year that Canada are on the verge of being a top side in the international game.

The only drawback to 2015 was a big one. Canada lost in an upset to Venezuela in the Semi-Finals of the FIBA Americas Championship, falling in the last seconds. But the players showed their toughness by bouncing back and beating Mexico in the third-place game.

"Continuity from last summer is going to be an important thing, so the guys that played last year will have an advantage," Triano said.

Canada are trying to make it to the Olympics for the first time in 16 years. They played at the Sydney Games and reached the Quarter-Finals. One of Canada's star players at that tournament was Steve Nash.

FIBA