Olynyk, Canada finish seventh

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Kelly Olynyk isn’t all that disappointed in the Canadian men’s under-19 basketball team’s performance at the FIBA world championship that wrapped up Sunday in Auckland, N.Z.
“We ended up being seventh in the world,” he wrote in his regular report to The Daily News, “and had our chances to improve that mark.
“Being in all the games made it a more enjoyable ride and we know that we’re not far separated from the rest of the pack. If we have a few more shots fall and get a couple more stops here and there we’re right there with the medal-round teams.”
Canada finished seventh by beating France 82-74 on Sunday. That left Canada with a 4-5 record.
The U.S. won the tournament, beating Greece 88-80 on Sunday to finish 9-0. Croatia beat Australia 87-81 in the third-place game.
“France is a big, physical team that has quick guards and good spot-up shooters,” Olynyk wrote. “We came out well in the first half playing them almost evenly and taking a three-point lead into half time.
“We continued to build on our lead as they came out with pressure in the full court to try and create some havoc and instant offence. We held off the pressure and took the game . . . securing seventh place in the tournament.”
The 6-foot-10 Olynyk, who graduated from South Kamloops Secondary last month, had eight points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
Canada ended up in that game after dropping a 67-65 decision to Puerto Rico in a qualifying match Saturday.
“It was a hard-fought battle the whole way through with the lead going back and forth a lot,” Olynyk wrote. “We had a two-point lead at halftime that disappeared fast as we found ourselves down by as many as 10 in the second half.
“We kept fighting and ended up taking the lead with just over a minute to go.”
Puerto Rico scored and Canada was down two with 20 seconds to play in the fourth quarter.
“The ball was inbounded to me where I got fouled,” Olynyk wrote. “I made both free throws tying the game up at 65. Puerto Rico then ran out the clock for the last shot which was a penetrating tough lay up by (guard Jiovanny) Fontan, putting them up by two with less then three seconds left.”
Canada was out of timeouts, so inbounded the ball and Mangisto Arop put up a half-court shot “that rimmed out.”
Olynyk finished with 12 points and six rebounds.
For the tournament’s nine games, Olynyk averaged 11.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. He was fifth in the tournament in rebounds.
Olynyk was scheduled to leave for home today at 9 p.m. (Auckland time).
With the time change — Auckland is 19 hours ahead of Kamloops — he wrote: “We get back the same day at night there . . . I’m pretty sure.”
Olynyk isn’t certain what is next for him — other than getting some rest.
“I think I’ll take a little time to rest for sure,” he wrote. “I may go down to Gonzaga for a week or so and get familiar down there.”
Olynyk has committed to attend the Spokane school and play basketball there for the Bulldogs.
Prior to traveling to Auckland, Olynyk and Canada won a prestigious tournament in France. Olynyk was named the tournament MVP.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com