Watch out for DT, Canada

MELBOURNE (The View from Downunder) - It certainly is exciting times, with the first ever FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Men only days away.

I for one hope the qualifying tournament is a fixture before every Olympics and FIBA World Championships, as it gives a greater number of countries a taste of cutthroat international competition, and the fans another taste of hoops at the highest level.

What is making this particular tournament even more appetizing is the number of key players that are likely to miss due to injury. While some would say this reduces the 'starpower' of the tournament, I think the parity it brings more than compensates for that.

Where Greece and Brazil looked highly likely to claim Olympic berths, now any number of teams have a strong chance of slipping under the radar and into Beijing.

One of those is most definitely Canada, who have not been to the Olympics since 2000, when - led by a young Steve Nash - they defeated a number of highly fancied rivals, including Australia, on the way to finishing seventh.

While they won't have Nash this time, one guard they will be relying heavily on is former Michigan State star Dave Thomas. DT made his international debut in Indianapolis at the 2002 FIBA World Championship, and has become very well known to Australian basketball fans since, helping guide the Melbourne Tigers to two NBL championships.

Thomas is a long-limbed 203cm shooting guard who excels at the defensive end. He received the toughest jobs at the FIBA Americas Championship, and coach Leo Rautins is sure to use him that role again.

So if the likes of Diamantidis, Barbosa, Kirk Penney and Elias Ayuso are fit for the tournament, you can expect to see Thomas right up in their uniform on defence.

Thomas, 31, is also an underrated offensive player, and is one of the best offensive rebounders in the NBL. Don't be surprised if he comes flying through the keyway for a big tip jam. He is comfortable from the outside too, and size allowing him to get good looks even with a defender in his face.

He also loves the big occasion, as shown by his 14 point last quarter in the NBL semi-finals, helping the Tigers come from a double digit deficit to topple Brisbane on their home floor, something only one other team managed all season.

The Canadians played some good basketball at last year's FIBA Americas Championship, and were unlucky to finish fifth. If Thomas and co are hitting their jump shots to spread the floor for Sam Dalembert and Levon Kendall, then North America may just have two representatives in Beijing.

Paulo Kennedy