2021 FIBA Under-19 World Cup Draws Reaction
The Canadian men's and women's teams have now found out their tournament paths when they both take to the court in their respective FIBA Under-19 World Cups this summer.
The men's tournament, beginning on July 3rd and finishing on the 11th, will take place in Latvia. The women's world cup, to be staged in Hungary from August 7th to the 15th, will follow. The draws for both were held concurrently in Berlin.
Each team will be looking to better their most recent results: a quarter final finish in both tournaments last time out. The 2021 edition will be played under a different set of circumstances: the fifteen teams joining the host nations did not qualify, but the highest ranked teams from each region were chosen to play, the ongoing pandemic making continental qualifying tournaments impossible.
There will be some expectation behind both Canadian teams in their respective tournaments this time out, as in both instances they were one of the top seeds. This leaves them open to some scrutiny when the tournament gets underway, but each outfit will no doubt seeking to prove that their ranking has been earned.
In the men's draw, Canada were placed into an intriguing Group A. Their toughest opposition in the early phase of the tournament will likely come from European basketball giants Lithuania. While the junior teams have not seen the same levels of consistency and success as the senior squad, the last time the Under-19 World Cup was held in Latvia they took home the top prize.
Also set to take on Canada are Japan and Senegal, appearing in the tournament for the fourth and third time and, in Senegal's case, were an opponent of Canada last time out. These teams are both known for surprise results and if left underestimated by Canada, they could be in for a challenge.
Whatever the outcomes against their first round opponents, in the knockout round Canada will be up against a team from Group B, in which hosts Latvia will be playing one of the most efficient basketball nations in Serbia, one of Asia's most competitive outfits in Iran and the ever-dependable FIBA tournament mainstays, Puerto Rico.
South Korea were the unluckiest team in the draw: placed into Group C with powerhouse teams of Spain, France and Argentina. The lowest-rated of the four teams, they will have to dig deep if they are to set themselves up for a successful run in the tournament, while sparks are likely to fly between the three others.
Defending champions the USA find themselves in a tantalizing set-up in Group D - they face three teams from eternally skillful nations who always rise to the occasion: Turkey, Australia and Mali, the African underdogs who stunned in 2019 by reaching the tournament final, denied the gold medal by the American team. Plenty of quality basketball is likely to be seen in this group.
The women's tournament meanwhile will see Canada playing in Group D and facing very different opposition in their first three opponents.
Japan are a country steadily improving its basketball stock who are poised to finally make their mark on this tournament having reached the last eight on their four previous appearances. Similarly, Mali are Africa's most successful team at Under-19 level and come back to the World Cup off the back of their best result, seventh place, last time out. Finally, the Czech Republic's pedigree is still to be recognized despite inconsistent results in recent times. (This is their first time in the Under-19 World Cup since 2009.)
Progressing from this group, Canada will then be taking on one of the four Group C contingents - any one of them a frightening prospect. Made up of the two best sides in Europe, Spain and France, as well as dependable outfits of South Korea and Brazil, it is hard to know for certain which way the results will fall in this pool. Any and all outcomes will be possible when it gets underway in August.
In Group A the USA, returning champions of the Women's World Cup, have an interesting line-up in African Under-19 champions Egypt, emerging basketball stronghold Italy and recurring rivals on the world stage Australia. This group should make for some of the most spectacular sights of the first free World Cup gamedays.
Host nation Hungary's Group B prospects aren't as scary: they will be taking on 2017 champions Russia along with Argentina and Chinese Taipei, two teams who have never been as far as the tournament's quarter finals. 2015 was the last appearance for Chinese Taipei, in which their only win was against Argentina by a final score of 60-56 - showing that the unexpected is always possible.
Prior results, however, are not much of an indicator of how each nation will perform in 2021. As each and every team will be entirely different from the one that took to the court in previous editions, results can be entirely dependent on the twelve that have been chosen to represent their country year on year. Whatever happens between now and when both tournaments get underway, Canada are likely to face equally determined teams in their bid for Under-19 World Cup glory.
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