Canada - Canadian men to host Lebanon, New Zealand

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Leo Rautins and his Canadian men's basketball team have dubbed themselves the “Road Warriors” for all the games they've played abroad, in another country's gym.

That's about to change as the Canadians will host Lebanon and New Zealand in a five-game exhibition series in Toronto and Hamilton, part of the team's preparations for its last-chance Olympic qualifying tournament in July.

The games mark the first time the Canadians will play on home turf in six years.

“We have no idea what it's like to play in Canada. None,” said Rautins, head coach of the senior men's squad. “I'd like our guys to actually feel like they're at home, playing at home for Canada, so all the boys can hearing the cheering and the screaming out ‘Go Canada,' something we see every where we go. We'd like to experience a little bit of that ourselves.”

The Canadians will host Lebanon on June 30, then New Zealand for a pair of games July 1 and 2 at McMaster University in Hamilton, then head to Toronto to play New Zealand again July 4, followed by Lebanon on July 5 at Ricoh Coliseum.

“It was important, we thought, to try and re-establish a connection with Toronto, with Hamilton as well, but with the entire country in terms of playing games here,” said Canada Basketball's executive director and CEO Wayne Parrish.

The Canadian men are in the hunt for their first Olympic berth since they finished seventh at the 2000 Games in Sydney.

There are three spots up for grabs in the 12-team FIBA qualifying tournament July 15-20 in Athens, Greece. Securing one will be a tough task, but Rautins said confidence is high.

“As excited as I am, I can't pick up the phone and talk to any one of our players without every one of them saying, ‘Hey coach, we're going to China,”' Rautins said at a news conference Thursday at the Air Canada Centre. “That's the kind of attitude and mentality of every one of these players.”

Vlad Kuljanin, a 6-10 centre who plays at UNC Wilmington, said there's a renewed sense of optimism amongst the young team.

“Coach Rautins has done a great job of just getting everyone excited and I know all the guys just can't wait to play, and you can definitely see Canadian basketball is on the rise again,” Kuljanin said.

The Canadians will open training camp June 20 at the ACC, and Rautins expects to have every player back from the FIBA Americas tournament last summer in Las Vegas, including Philadelphia 76ers centre Samuel Dalembert.

He should have Joel Anthony, who recently wrapped up his rookie NBA season with the Miami Heat, but didn't play in Las Vegas because of an injury.

The one player he almost assuredly won't have is Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash. Rautins, who was asked — again — about the prospects of a Nash return, said he'd always leave the door open for the Victoria native, who's said numerous times he's essentially retired from national team duty.

“I think that we really have to be careful in addressing Steve Nash for a lot of reasons,” Rautins said. “He's put in a lot of great years playing for Canada, he's not a spring chicken, and he's coming off a gruelling NBA season, and here's a guy who's battled a lot of different physical issues in his career as well.

“I think putting too much pressure on Steve is not a smart thing. . . . I think we have to acknowledge what he's done as opposed to pushing him to do something else.”

Still, Rautins isn't giving up hope, saying Nash would have the ideal setup in which he wouldn't have to log 40 minutes a game.

“If Steve were to choose to play, I think he's going to have a great environment, I think he's going to have the most talented team he's ever going to play on in Canada, he's going to have a legitimate big man to play with, and he's not going to be extended and worn out,” Rautins said. “Steve and I have had an open line of communication, it's been great. There's no pressure whatsoever.”

The No. 17-ranked Canadians are in a pool with Slovenia and South Korea for the qualifying tournament in Greece. They need to finish first or second in their group to advance to the quarter-finals. The two semifinal winners earn automatic Olympic berths while the losers will battle for the one remaining spot.

Rautins figures No. 19 Slovenia, led by Toronto Raptors Rasho Nesterovic and Primoz Brezec, should provide the toughest challenge.

“You're talking about a veteran team, they have size, they have scoring at all different positions,” Rautins said.

Greece will also be tough to beat at home.

“They're playing in Greece and everybody knows there will be a lot of souvlaki thrown at you,” Rautins said laughing. “When you're playing that game, it's a little different than playing anywhere else. Every game is tough.”