Olynyk, Canada lose opener

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Kelly Olynyk and Team Canada began their chase for gold Wednesday night at the FIBA U-19 world championship in Auckland, New Zealand.
Unfortunately for followers of the Maple Leaf, it didn't go well.
Canada fell behind early (15-2, 17-4) and never fully recovered as it dropped an 88-77 decision to Australia.
Olynyk, who played last season at South Kamloops, was in foul trouble early — he picked up his third foul with 2:48 left in the second quarter — and played only two minutes 45 seconds in the first half. He finished with 11 points and five rebounds in 22:45.
Mangisto Arop led Canada with 27 points.
Canada and Australia are in Group C, along with Spain and Syria. Earlier in the day, in the group’s first game, Spain beat Syria 79-53.
Canada will play Syria on Friday in Auckland. Game time is 12:30 p.m., which is actually Thursday, 5:30 p.m. Pacific time.
Before playing Australia, Olynyk was in touch with The Daily News, saying he has seen a lot rain so far.
“The city of Auckland reminds me a lot of Vancouver,” he wrote, adding that “for the first two days we were here it poured rain nonstop. . . . It is their winter which is weird to think because it is about 8-12 degrees out, and not typically what I would consider winter.”
After arriving in Auckland on Sunday, Team Canada practised twice a day and scrimmaged against Greece, the European Zone champions, and the United States.
“We didn't keep a running score but we played our better game against Greece, beating them in two of the three quarters we played,” Olynyk noted.
The Canadians took part in the opening ceremonies — they were pleased to find out that they were “friends” — and now it’s on to the tournament.
“The tournament officially started with an official New Zealand welcoming that included tribal dances and songs that welcome newcomers to the island,” Olynyk observed. “I believe the Haka was performed as well as other ceremonial things that the natives use to determine whether the incomers were friend or foe . . . we were deemed as friends.”
In other opening-round games, the U.S. crushed Iran 106-55, Croatia dropped Kazakhstan 104-74 and Puerto Rico got past Lithuania, 80-73.
After Team Canada left for New Zealand, Canada Basketball announced that it was halting its National Elite Development Academy for budgetary reasons. As a product of that program, Olynyk, who has accepted a scholarship to Gonzaga U in Spokane, admitted sadness.
“This doesn’t affect me too much because I’m off to Gonzaga next (season),” he noted, “but I feel bad for the up-and-coming kids who will no longer have that opportunity. It is really too bad they can't keep it running because I strongly believe it has helped improve basketball in our country.
“The France tournament is proof of that.”
Team Canada, including Olynyk and a handful of other NEDA products, won the prestigious Mondial Juniors de Basket tournament in France last month. Olynyk was named the tournament’s MVP.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com