Road to the 2018 FIBA World Cup | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Road to the 2018 FIBA World Cup

Kia gets the lead back! 66-65 with 1:09 to go..
 
Nurse cuts to the hoop and gives Canada the lead. A ragged but close game.
 
The Argentines are going bonkers. Heaven knows what if they win. And they very well might. Canada by 1 with just seconds left. Time out.
 
Canada hangs on, barely, 67-65. Kia was leading scorer for Canada with 12.
 
Kia's go-ahead basket stands up. Nirra Fields made 1 of 2 FTs, and Argentina's 30-footer to win went off the back rim. Canada wins the gold medal game by 2.
 
.-.
Another five minutes of that madness and Argentina likely wins. The home crowd nearly willed them to the win. Both teams missed bunnies in the second half that cost them. Where have you heard THAT before...
 
Very sad that an Argentinian player seems to have severely injured her knee. Their team was completely wiped out emotionally after that. T
 
Wow. There is nothing quite like international competition and crowds. Some of those young Canadian guards showed some nerves but fortunately Nurse and steady Marie-Langlois settled things down and made some key shots. That last basket by Nurse was incredible; I still don't know how she caught that ball.

I still see Canada as a 6th-7th place finisher (at best) at the World Cup but another nice win.
 
I wasn't impressed with the athleticism or level of play, but I totally agree with Cat--playing against Argentina in Argentina, against Turkey in Turkey, or against Spain in Spain is harder than a Final Four or WNBA championship game. The crowds are loud and rowdy, almost beyond imagination.
 
MilfordHusky said:
I wasn't impressed with the athleticism or level of play, but I totally agree with Cat--playing against Argentina in Argentina, against Turkey in Turkey, or against Spain in Spain is harder than a Final Four or WNBA championship game. The crowds are loud and rowdy, almost beyond imagination.
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I agree. Plus there's something about playing for your country that raises the stakes. That's why I thought the Team Canada coach made a mistake not starting Nurse and Marie-Langlois, 2 guards who've played in that type of atmosphere. At least she had the good sense to play them most of the 2nd half.
 
I am glad to see Canada doing so well. As most have pointed out, it's not likely they are one of the top 4 teams in the world but they certainly are trending in the right direction. Kia Nurse is not only a gutsy player, but she's smart, has ice water in her veins, has an intensity that few can match, and is a great leader. I am SO glad she chose UCONN. While I wish she would average 10-12 PPG and 5-6 APG, it's doubtful that on a team filled with scorers extraordinaire that she will be "needed".

Having said that, she had among the best, if not the best, 3 point % on the team last year, and it would be a mistake IMHO for her to NOT look for her shot when open. I hope she does not simply defer to the "better" scorers on the team. That's not what a leader does anyway. I hope the international experience has helped her this summer and that she comes to UCONN for her last year ready to help lead her team to a NC AND push for AA votes for her personally.
 
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So, the field for the FIBA 2018 World Cup is almost set. Up next is FIBA Afrobasket which begins later this week. The field so far:

USA
Spain (host)
France
Greece
Latvia
Turkey
Belgium
Japan
Australia
China
Korea
Canada
Argentina
Puerto Rico
 
First training camp under Dawn Staley will be held out in Sept 30-Oct 2 in Santa Barbara. Approximately 30 players expected to participate. The players will be announced at later date and will not include those playing in the WNBA finals.

Court coaches have been named and include Jennifer Rizzotti, Sue Semrau, Jeff Walz and Michelle Clark-Heard.

2017 USA National Team Training Camp Court Coaches Announced
 
UConnCat said:
First training camp under Dawn Staley will be held out in Sept 30-Oct 2 in Santa Barbara. Approximately 30 players expected to participate. The players will be announced at later date and will not include those playing in the WNBA finals.

Court coaches have been named and include Jennifer Rizzotti, Sue Semrau, Jeff Walz and Michelle Clark-Heard.

2017 USA National Team Training Camp Court Coaches Announced
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Nice location!!
 
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UConnCat said:
The FIBA 2018 World Cup field of 16 is now set with Nigeria and Senegal qualifying from Afrobasket 2017.

USA
Spain (host)
France
Greece
Latvia
Turkey
Belgium
Japan
Australia
China
Korea
Canada
Argentina
Puerto Rico
Nigeria
Senegal
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I sent FIBA an email last week asking where the games will be. I haven't heard back. The host cities were supposed to be announced in July.
 
MilfordHusky said:
I sent FIBA an email last week asking where the games will be. I haven't heard back. The host cities were supposed to be announced in July.
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I'm wondering if FIBA will announce the venues at the one-year-to-go milestone in September.

The FIBA men's world championships were held in Spain in 2014 and there were 6 venues (Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Granada, Seville and Canary Islands with the medal rounds played in Barcelona and Madrid. The men's field included 24 teams rather than the 16 teams in the women's tournament.

As we know, the 2014 tournament in Turkey included Istanbul and Ankara with the medal rounds in Istanbul. There were 3 venues for the 2010 women's world championships in the Czech Republic; the early rounds were in Brno and Ostrava and the medal rounds were held in Karlovy Vary. Interestingly, Prague was not one of the venues.

I expect Barcelona to be one of the host cities.
 
FIBA released its latest world rankings a couple of weeks ago. Canada moves up a spot to #5!!

1. USA
2. Spain
3. France
4. Australia
5. Canada
6. Czech Republic
7. Turkey
8. Serbia
9. Brazil
10. China
11. Russia
12. Belarus
13. Japan
14. Cuba
15. Argentina
16. Korea
17. Senegal
18. Angola
19. Croatia
20. Greece

Teams not ranked in the top 20 that qualified for the World Cup include #22 Puerto Rico, #26 Latvia, #28 Belgium and #34 Nigeria.

Teams ranked in the top 20 that failed to qualify include #6 Czech Republic, #8 Serbia, #9 Brazil, #11 Russia, #12 Belarus, #18 Angola and #19 Croatia.
 
UConnCat said:
FIBA released its latest world rankings a couple of weeks ago. Canada moves up a spot to #5!!

1. USA
2. Spain
3. France
4. Australia
5. Canada
6. Czech Republic
7. Turkey
8. Serbia
9. Brazil
10. China
11. Russia
12. Belarus
13. Japan
14. Cuba
15. Argentina
16. Korea
17. Senegal
18. Angola
19. Croatia
20. Greece

Teams not ranked in the top 20 that qualified for the World Cup include #22 Puerto Rico, #26 Latvia, #28 Belgium and #34 Nigeria.

Teams ranked in the top 20 that failed to qualify include #6 Czech Republic, #8 Serbia, #9 Brazil, #11 Russia, #12 Belarus, #18 Angola and #19 Croatia.
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Thanks! Some teams may have over-achieved and others under-achieved relative to their ranking. In addition, each part of the world gets a certain number of slots, so the competition may be tougher in some places (Europe) than others (Africa).
 
The FIBA website has the countdown at 373 days! But still no word on which cities in Spain will host. I'm making 2018 plans now. :D
 
.-.
MilfordHusky said:
Yep. Do I want to stop in Morocco??
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Maybe we could go Barclona for a few days during the early rounds and then head over to Tenerife for the final 3 rounds (maybe spend 5 days there?). Definitely will make us rethink the trip!
 
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