U19 champions Canada welcomed home by fans at airport

TORONTO (FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017) - The FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017 champions Canada received a cheering welcome home by fans, family and friends at Toronto's Pearson International Airport after arriving back on North American soil. 

The gathering of supporters were forced to wait to embrace the new heroes of Canadian basketball as the flight across the Atlantic Ocean was delayed nearly three hours. But that didn't stop the enthusiasm of the crowd when head coach Roy Rana, MVP RJ Barrett and the rest of the team finally came through the gate to the arrivals area.

In addition to family and friends, the next group of possible stars of Canadian basketball were also in the crowd, including Cashius McNeilly and Luka Sakota, who helped Canada to second place at the FIBA U16 Americas Championship 2017 and will play at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup next summer - just like Barrett since last summer. 

Children also were waving small Canadian flags as the players walked through the arrivals area, the Canadian Press reported. 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was not on hand for the team's arrival but he did congratulate the freshly-crown U19 world champions on Twitter in English and French. 

Canada beat Italy 79-60 in the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017 final to win their first men's global title in any age category. 

Some of the Canadians' Tuesday was spent appearing on morning TV to talk about their historic run in Egypt.

FIBA