(TORONTO, Ontario)– Canada Basketball and USA Basketball announced today
that their Senior Men’s National Teams will face each other in an
exhibition game as part of the 2008 State Farm USA Basketball Challenge
on July 25, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“It’s a great challenge any time you get to play against the Dream
Team,” said Leo Rautins, Head Coach of Team Canada. “All the players and
myself are appreciative of the opportunity and look forward to it.
Hopefully, we’ll be playing the game in preparation for the Beijing
Olympics.”
While the USA, featuring superstars Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Chris
Bosh and friends, has already secured its spot in the Olympics, Canada
is one of a dozen teams vying for the final three spots at the FIBA
Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Athens, Greece July 14-20. The Olympic
Games will be held in Beijing, China in August.
Canada’s Senior Men’s National Team, nicknamed the “Road Warriors”, will
kick off its summer tour with the Jack Donohue International Classic at
McMaster University in Hamilton on June 30 (7 p.m. EST) vs. Lebanon and
July 1 (4 p.m. EST) vs. New Zealand. Team Canada will then head to
Toronto’s Ricoh Coliseum for match ups on July 4 (7 p.m. EST) vs. New
Zealand and July 5 (7 p.m. EST) vs, Lebanon. Afterward, Canada’s men’s
team will travel to Germany for a two more exhibition games before
competing in Greece. The game against USA Basketball at the Thomas &
Mack Center marks the finale of Team Canada’s exhibition schedule for
summer 2008.
Conversely, “the 2008 State Farm USA Basketball Challenge is the launch
of the USA Senior National Team’s 2008 tour,” stated Jerry Colangelo,
USA Senior National Team Managing Director. “This will be the only
domestic game played by the USA team in 2008 and promises to once again
offer basketball fans a rare chance to see many of the best players in
the world compete together and represent the United States,”
Tickets are on sale now for Team Canada’s domestic games as part of the
Jack Donohue International Classic and can be purchased on line at
www.ticketmaster.ca or www.basketball.ca <http://www.basketball.ca/> .
Canada’s Junior Men’s National team will also be playing in the series,
with exhibition matches slated to tip off at 4pm, prior to each Senior
Men’s game in Toronto. Prices start at just $25 and include access to
all the games in each city (Hamilton or Toronto).
Complete training camp rosters for Team Canada and Team USA are
attached.
-30-
www.basketball.ca <http://www.basketball.ca/>
that their Senior Men’s National Teams will face each other in an
exhibition game as part of the 2008 State Farm USA Basketball Challenge
on July 25, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“It’s a great challenge any time you get to play against the Dream
Team,” said Leo Rautins, Head Coach of Team Canada. “All the players and
myself are appreciative of the opportunity and look forward to it.
Hopefully, we’ll be playing the game in preparation for the Beijing
Olympics.”
While the USA, featuring superstars Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Chris
Bosh and friends, has already secured its spot in the Olympics, Canada
is one of a dozen teams vying for the final three spots at the FIBA
Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Athens, Greece July 14-20. The Olympic
Games will be held in Beijing, China in August.
Canada’s Senior Men’s National Team, nicknamed the “Road Warriors”, will
kick off its summer tour with the Jack Donohue International Classic at
McMaster University in Hamilton on June 30 (7 p.m. EST) vs. Lebanon and
July 1 (4 p.m. EST) vs. New Zealand. Team Canada will then head to
Toronto’s Ricoh Coliseum for match ups on July 4 (7 p.m. EST) vs. New
Zealand and July 5 (7 p.m. EST) vs, Lebanon. Afterward, Canada’s men’s
team will travel to Germany for a two more exhibition games before
competing in Greece. The game against USA Basketball at the Thomas &
Mack Center marks the finale of Team Canada’s exhibition schedule for
summer 2008.
Conversely, “the 2008 State Farm USA Basketball Challenge is the launch
of the USA Senior National Team’s 2008 tour,” stated Jerry Colangelo,
USA Senior National Team Managing Director. “This will be the only
domestic game played by the USA team in 2008 and promises to once again
offer basketball fans a rare chance to see many of the best players in
the world compete together and represent the United States,”
Tickets are on sale now for Team Canada’s domestic games as part of the
Jack Donohue International Classic and can be purchased on line at
www.ticketmaster.ca or www.basketball.ca <http://www.basketball.ca/> .
Canada’s Junior Men’s National team will also be playing in the series,
with exhibition matches slated to tip off at 4pm, prior to each Senior
Men’s game in Toronto. Prices start at just $25 and include access to
all the games in each city (Hamilton or Toronto).
Complete training camp rosters for Team Canada and Team USA are
attached.
-30-
www.basketball.ca <http://www.basketball.ca/>