TORONTO (Canada) - Canada Basketball have called together a mix of two generations for their 19-player preliminary roster going into training camp ahead of the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2019 - where the country will be the defending champions.

Head coach Dan Vanhooren nominated eight players who helped Canada reach the Final of the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2018 while five players played at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018 last summer.

AJ Lawson is the top producer from the U18 team last summer back after he averaged 14.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.2 assists. The other players in the training camp from the U18 team are Bediako brothers Charles and Jaden, Joel Brown, Jahcobi Neath, Wheza Panzo, Tyrese Samuel and Connor Vreeken. Charles Bediako is also one of five players who appeared at the U17 World Cup as well along with Keon Ambrose-Hylton, Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe, Benjamin Krikke and Luka Sakota.

Charles Bediako played at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018 (above) and the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2018

Vanhooren is calling together his team from June 12-19 at Humber College in Toronto. Canada will have two preparation games as they will face New Zealand and France on June 22 and June 23, respectively in France.

Canada have been drawn into Group B along with Australia, Latvia and Mali.

Vanhooren will be missing a number of top level players who would be eligible. While it was all-but-certain that the 2017 U19 World Cup MVP RJ Barrett would not be available, among those players who are not in Canada’s camp are Andrew Nembhard, Emanuel Miller, Addison Patterson, Cashius McNeilly, Caleb Houstan, Shemar Rathan-Mayes and Josh Hemmings.

FIBA