Ontario Athletes Power Canada to Fourth-Place Finish at FIBA U17 Men’s World Cup

Canada’s U17 Men’s National Team took home fourth place at the FIBA U17 Men’s Basketball World Cup 2018, losing to Puerto Rico, 90-77, in the bronze medal game on Sunday, July 8 in Argentina.

Canada (5-2) went 3-0 in the group stage before dropping two of its four games in the knockout round. Canada’s first loss of the tournament came in the semi-finals as they were defeated 120-71 by the United States.

Ontario athletes made a definite impact at the tournament; Canada’s 12-person roster featured nine Ontario athletes, including Addison Patterson (Milton) from the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association’s (OSBA) Athlete Institute. After helping Canada earn a silver medal at last month’s FIBA U18 Men’s Americas Championship in St. Catharines, Patterson occupied a prominent role for Canada’s U17 squad. The six-foot-five guard displayed excellent scoring prowess, posting a game-high 31 points in Canada’s bronze medal loss. In seven games, Patterson averaged 17.3 points on 50 per cent shooting, ranking sixth amongst all qualified scorers.

Toronto’s Cashius McNeilly, meanwhile, chipped in with 17 points and seven rebounds against Puerto Rico, elevating his offensive output to 10.9 points per game.

See the full box score for Canada versus Puerto Rico.

The OSBA’s Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe (Lakeshore) also enjoyed a breakout tournament, posting averages of 11.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. The Orangeville Prep product was dominant for Canada in the Round of 16, tallying 22 points and 11 rebounds in a convincing 102-62 win over the Philippines.

Despite missing out on the podium, Canada’s fourth-place finish represents the nation’s best showing at the event since 2010—the inaugural iteration of the tournament—when they earned a bronze medal.

Canada is currently ranked second in the FIBA Men’s Youth Rankings.

Visit the Canada Basketball website for the full team roster, including the coaching staff.