TORONTO (FIBA U17 World Championship) - Canada have never won a youth FIBA World Championship, but Ignas Brazdeikis thinks this group is ready to finally top the podium at this summer’s 2016 FIBA U17 World Championship.

"We’re all going to be hungry going to Spain," said Brazdeikis ahead of the draw for the tournament from 23 June-3 July in Zaragoza. 

If we’re locked in, we have a great chance of beating the United States or any other team. It doesn’t matter who we play. We’re going to play them the same way and we have a great chance to win. Chemistry is the most important part. - Brazdeikis

Brazdeikis doesn’t really like talking about the United States, who will enter the U17 Worlds as the three-time reigning undefeated champions. Canada had the US on the ropes in the final of the 2015 FIBA Americas U16 Championship, leading 23-3 early in the second quarter. But the Americans eventually came back and won comfortably 77-60. 

"We hyped the game up to be something insane like Canada is on our shoulders," said Brazdeikis looking back to the game in Bahia Blanca, Argentina.

"We shouldn’t feel that kind of pressure playing, especially because the USA is a really great team. We just need to go out there and have fun. In the end, basketball is just a game and we should try to enjoy it more and play the way we always do and not feel pressure."

Just reaching that final actually was an achievement for Canada Basketball, which had lost to USA or Argentina in the Semi-Finals of the three previous FIBA Americas U16 Championships and took third place all three times before finally breaking through against Dominican Republic in the Semis last summer.  

Canada’s basketball pipeline has continued to produce great talent and Brazdeikis is a big part of a strong 1999/2000 generation. But Brazdeikis actually came to Canada via Lithuania as his family moved from Kaunas to Chicago when Ignas was 2 years old. 

"My parents wanted to give us a better opportunity to thrive," said Brazdeikis, who moved with the family from Chicago to Winnipeg to Etobicoke to Oakville. Last year he switched high schools to attend Orangeville Prep about an hour from Toronto - where Jamal Murray and Thon and Matur Maker played last season. 

"My game really took off there," said Brazdeikis about his first season at Orangeville.

"Ignas continues to grow as a player. He had a very successful year, added pieces to his game and has the ability to impact a game," Canada’s U17 NT coach David DeAveiro, who coached Brazdeikis last summer. 

Brazdeikis still has a strong connection to his homeland, having visited Kaunas last summer and even getting in a workout at the academy of his favourite Lithuanian player Sarunas Marciulionis. 

"He’s a lefty like me and very physically strong and played at Golden State and was really good. I really look up to him a lot," Brazdeikis said of Marciulionis. 

The young guard may have a chance to play against Lithuania at the U17 Worlds, but he downplayed the opportunity, saying: "I would just try to take it as another basketball game, another basketball team. I wouldn’t think too much about them. Every time I’m on the basketball court it’s like a war for me. I just want to win."

Brazdeikis and Canada clearly enter the U17 Worlds with their minds set on getting another chance against the United States. 

"Ever since we lost that game the only thing we’ve been thinking about it is getting that game back," Brazdeikis admitted.

FIBA