Warriors…come out and play: The Best Canadian club team Ever Assembled?
Follow Tariq Sbiet on Twitter @Tsbiet and NPH @NorthPoleHoops
BRAMPTON, ON–Before NPH presents this roster, strap on your seatbelts…the talent that comprises this list is mind-boggling and extremely exciting if you’re a basketball fan at any level!
CIA-Bounce has been a power house club program in Canada for the last decade. If you’re not aware, get familar! Lebron James-Dwayne Wade-Chris Bosh who? If you want to talk about a “super team” lets talk. With every player on the roster possessing NCAA D1 abilities, it’s extremely difficult to question this team’s potential as much as it will be to defend the fire power on the hardwood.
Not only is this squad a compilation of the elite, but also possesses every facet that you look for in a team. The most intriguing characteristic of this roster is SIZE. CIA-Bounce has great height at each position with all 14 players above six feet, eight of those players being over 6’6 and the man in the middle of course, Sim Bhullar at 7’5.
Another asset is the team’s depth and youth. Each player is capable of the uptempo game and can handle pressure well, being their high school team’s top players; essentially rolling 14 deep. Quebec’s Kevin Zabo along with phenom Andrew Wiggins (both 2014) will be gaining invaluable experience as the youngest on the team. Don’t get me wrong, the boys can more than hold their own.
“It means a lot, we re going to be great. I have the chance to play with some of the best players in the 2012 class, it’s an honour. Im goin to learn a lot,” explained Kevin Zabo.
Zabo is the only player on the roster from outside of Ontario, originally a native of Montreal, Quebec and currently playing prep school basketball at St. Mark’s in Massachusetts.
CIA Bounce will be led by Findlay Prep’s Anthony Bennett, Louisville commit Negus Webster-Chan, and 7’5 beast Sim Bhullar; all of which are representatives of the 2012 class.
This summer, the team will take part in the EYBL (Elite Youth Basketball League) which will include the top club teams across America. CIA-Bounce is the first Canadian team to ever participate in this league. They will play in Division C. Click Here to view the teams they will be up against.
NPH presents, the 2010-2011 CIA-Bounce EYBL Roster:
2011 NIKE EYBL ROSTER
Name/School/Height/Class- Interested Schools
C- Sim Bhullar, Huntington Prep (WV) (7-5, 2012)- Syracuse, Texas, Villanova, West Virginia
C- Richard Peters, Westwind Prep (AZ) (6-9, 2012)- Oklahoma- Committed
F- Anthony Bennett, Findlay Prep (NV) (6-7, 2012)- West Virginia, UConn, Florida, UNLV
F- Stefan Jankovic, Huntington Prep (WV) (6-10, 2012)- Wake Forest, Georgetown, Pittsburgh, Miami
F- Dyshawn Pierre, Anderson CVI (ON) (6-6, 2012)- New Mexico, St Bonaventure, Elon, Duquesne, St. Francis
F- Andrew Wiggins, Vaughan (ON) (6-7, 2014)- LSU, Kentucky, North Carolina, Duke, Wake Forest
F- Nick Madray, Stephen Lewis (ON) (6-9, 2013)- Syracuse, Gonzaga, Santa Clara, Boston College
G- Negus Webster-Chan, Huntington Prep (WV) (6-6, 2012) Louisville- Committed
G- Martin Dixon-Green, Vermont Academy (VT) (6-3, 2012) UConn, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech
G- Jarryn Skeete, Wasatch Academy (UT) (6-2, 2012)- Florida State, Santa Clara, Utah
G- Naz Long, Findlay Prep (NV) (6-2, 2012)- Boston College, LSU, Santa Clara
G- Nick Lewis, Our Savior (NY) (6-2, 2012)- Detroit, Tulane, East Carolina
G- Kevin Zabo, St.Mark’s (MA) (6-1, 2014)- UConn, North Carolina, Washington State, NC State
Is this the best Canadian club team ever assembled? You decide.
NOTE: Let’s not forget about a particular team which captured Canada’s first ever Super 64 Championship in Las Vegas in 2008. The Grassroots Canada squad featured the likes of Tristan Thompson, (Texas) Jason Calliste (Detroit), Junior Cadougan, (Marquette) and Dwight Powell, (Stanford) to name a few. A team of this calibre is extremely rare to come by, yet with the explosion of talent that continues to blossom at all ages in Canada, get use to it!
If you’re aware of any AAU teams in the past, that have boasted this level of talent or more, I would definitely love to hear about them! Please feel free to leave a comment below.
