Canada going deep in bid to reach World Cup

TORONTO Joel Anthony rarely turns down a chance to suit up for Canada.

The 35-year-old from Montreal will lead the Canadian men’s basketball team at the FIBA AmeriCup tournament that tips off Sunday in Argentina, which is preparation for qualifying for the 2019 World Cup in China.

“I really do just love the opportunity to represent my country,” said Anthony, a 10-year NBA veteran. “It’s like coming back home. I’m usually in the States, so to be able to come back and be with everyone, see old friends, it’s kind of like Thanksgiving. I enjoy it.”

FIBA has completely overhauled the qualifying format for both the World Cup and Olympics. The new schedule, with games falling smack dab in the middle of the NBA season, calls for some creative personnel moves.

So while Anthony and fellow NBA veteran Andrew Nicholson might be on Canada’s roster in Argentina, they know they’re part of a revolving door of Canadian players and there’s no telling what the roster will look like if Canada qualifies for the World Cup.

“It’s a reality,” Anthony said. “It’s something the guys understand. It’s obviously a different format, something no one’s ever seen before, so it’s hard to say (whether it will benefit Canada or not). With us, honestly, it could be more difficult because of our presence in the NBA now, and them not being able to play during different parts of the tournament season.”

This FIBA AmeriCup has become merely an exhibition tournament, with no qualifying ramifications. Qualifying for the 32-team World Cup now features a two-round tournament of home and away games. The World Cup, in turn, is a major qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Canada is in Group D in the Americas zone for World Cup qualifying, with first-round games against the Virgin Islands, Bahamas and the Dominican Republic. Canada will host the Bahamas on Nov. 24 in Halifax in its first qualifier.

Roy Rana, Canada’s head coach for both the FIBA AmeriCup and the Halifax game, said the players have bought into the new format.

“They’re going to have to be invested in a different way because we’re going to have such a larger pool of players available, just as there is for coaches,” said Rana, who coached Canada’s U19 team to a world title last month. “This has opened a unique opportunity for myself, just as it has for some of them.”

Jay Triano remains the men’s head coach, but handed the reins to Rana for upcoming qualifiers because of a conflict with the NBA season. Triano is an assistant with the Phoenix Suns.

“There’s a tremendous amount of trust between us, we have some great basketball conversations,” Rana said of his relationship with Triano. “He’s been really, really good at allowing me to use my own strengths and some of the things I’ve done with teams, and blending in a lot of the things he’s done with his team. It’s not about my way, it’s about ‘let’s find the best way.’ ”

Canada’s first-round World Cup qualifying action will take them to the Dominican Republic on Nov. 27. They’ll be back in action in February with games at the Virgin Islands and Bahamas. The next block of games are next summer, with the