CAN/ITA – Canada call on Italy’s Gherardini in bid to reach the top

TORONTO (Canada Basketball) - The Toronto Raptors turned to former Benetton Treviso general manager Maurizio Gherardini because of his hoops expertise and now the governing body for basketball in Canada has done the same.

Canada Basketball have this week made Gherardini managing director of the senior men’s program.

The move is similar to the one made by USA Basketball in 2005 which put Jerry Colangelo in charge of the men's national team.

Raptors vice president and assistant general manager Gherardini, who works alongside Colangelo’s son and Toronto president Bryan Colangelo, said: "I'm very excited about this opportunity to work with Canada Basketball and hope I can add a different perspective to the picture.

“It’ll be challenging, but we all know it's never easy and we need everybody's support.”

Gherardini was in Athens this summer watching Canada when they and 11 other sides competed in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

The Canadians had high hopes going into the event but Greece, Croatia and Germany captured the three spots that were up for grabs for the Beijing Games.

Canada have nevertheless decided to sign national team coach Leo Rautins to a two-year extension.

Rautins, a former Canada player who serves as the color analyst on television for the Toronto Raptors, said: "I am thrilled with the opportunity to continue to build our programs.

“It has been, and continues to be, a great honor for me to represent my country as the head coach of our senior men's team.

"To be a part of what we are trying to accomplish is very exciting - from developing our young players to working with the new people on board that are united in overcoming the obstacles we face to build a world class program."

Canada extended the contract of women's coach Allison McNeill for two years as well.

Canada Basketball have also created a nine-member Council of Excellence, which Gherardini is a member of.

The body will serve as an advisory committee for the men's and women's national programs.

The Phoenix Suns’ veteran point guard Steve Nash, a two-time NBA MVP who played for Canada, will be joining the council as an Honorary Member.

Raptors coach and former national team player and boss Jay Triano is in the group, as well as what Canada Basketball called "Legendary Canadian university and national basketball coaches Don McCrae and Kathy Shields".

Former Canada coaches Ken Shields and Steve Konchalski are on the council, along with Glen Grunwald - the New York Knicks’ Senior Vice-President for Basketball Operations - and Sylvia Sweeney.

Sweeney was the star of Canada's bronze-medal winning side at the 1979 FIBA World Championship for Women and was named MVP of that event.

FIBA