Canada faces tough rebound challenge to get past Czechs

Two wins down, but now the real tests arrive.

Canada's quest for its first appearance in the men's draw of the Olympic basketball tournament since 2000 has gone extremely well to this point.

Wins over both Greece, after some familiarity issues, and a more convincing win over China, have the Canadian side sitting in the optimum position.

But if you think anyone is resting easy with that knowledge, think again.

Greece and China are both solid international programs but they are not on the same level with the personnel they have at this tournament as either the Czech Republic, which Canada will meet in the semifinals Saturday, or Turkey, the likely Finals opponent should they get past the Czechs.

The good news is Canada is not close to approaching its ceiling. There was plenty of room for improvement coming out of the abbreviated training camp, which did not feature a single tune-up game, and there remains plenty going into the semifinal round.

“I think we knew coming in we had some things to learn,” head coach Nick Nurse said Friday. “We didn't really know what this team looked like. It was going to be a pretty sharp learning curve. We learned some things in the first half and got to the locker-room and learned some things against Greece. I think we're seeing a little bit more about how our team fits, the roles, what some guys are capable of, more things our team is capable of defensively, more things we're capable of offensively, figuring out rotations as far as who's in, who's out, who fits together.

“There's been a lot because we didn't know anything,” Nurse said. “We've learned a lot. I think we've come a long way and still have a long way to go.”

Canada has improved with each and every step. The threepoint shooting took a large jump from the Greece game to the China game while the defence started to lock in with the second half of that opener against Greece and got better through China.

Perhaps the biggest surprise has been how well a Canadian lineup that doesn't have a lot of size has fared on the boards.

They go into the semifinal against the Czech Republic Saturday (4 p.m. ET) leading the tournament in rebounding and doubling the next best team in offensive boards.

Canada's rebounding success will be challenged by a Czech team that boasts two seven-footers, who are individually No.

1 and No. 6 in the tournament in rebounding. Ondrej Balvin stands 7-foot-1 and through two games has pulled down a tournament-best 17 rebounds. Jan Vesely, a former NBA player, stands at 7-feet tall and has 15 rebounds through two games in the tournament.

Canada's defensive focus though Saturday will centre on point guard Tomas Satoransky, the proverbial straw that stirs the Czech Republic drink. Satoransky, who plays with the Chicago Bulls in the NBA is one of those guys whose international game, for whatever reason, is just more advanced than his NBA game.

Through two games in this tournament he has averaged 17 points and seven assists a night and is in the middle of everything the Czech team does.

Nurse remains very confident in his club regardless of who the opposition is.

“The heart is the key to this team and it's there,” Nurse said. “Just like in any playoff situation there is a big picture out there, but you've got to zero in on what's in front of you because that's all that matters and we've all been through a lot of these, so we zero in pretty good.”