Morrison Selected National Junior Men's Assistant
April 19th, 2012
Author: Hugh Mullally
(With files from Basketball Canada)
The 2012 Junior Men’s National Team will participate in the FIBA Americas U18 Championship in Brazil from June 16-20th. The event will serve as a qualifier for the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship, with the top four finishers in the FIBA Americas U18 Championship securing a berth in the prestigious world event.
The team will be led by head coach Roy Rana (Toronto, ON). Rana served as the cadet head coach from 2009-2011 and was an assistant coach with the senior men in 2009. During his tenure as head coach of the cadet team, Rana led Canada to three consecutive podium finishes, including capturing a bronze medal at the inaugural 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship. Rana is the head coach at Ryerson University where he led the Rams to a berth in the 2012 CIS Final 8.
Assisting Rana will be Jamie McNeilly (Toronto, ON) and Scott Morrison (Morell, PEI). McNeilly previously served under Rana as an assistant coach in 2011 with the cadet team and currently works as a Student-Athlete Development Specialist with the men’s basketball program at Marquette University. McNeilly represented Canada as a player in two Summer Universiades (2005, 2007). Morrison, in his first year as an assistant coach in the national team program, is the head coach at Lakehead University where he has led the Thunderwolves to three consecutive appearances in the CIS Final 8 and was named OUA Coach of the Year in 2010.
"I am very honored to have been selected by Canada Basketball and Coach Rana to be a part of the Junior National Team staff," say Morrison. "This opportunity would not be possible were it not for the years of support I have received from my family as well as my coaching staff, players, and supervisors at Lakehead. It will be a great life and learning experience to be involved with the coaches and players at this high level while representing Canada Basketball in Brazil. I am looking forward to working hard and doing whatever I can to contribute to the team`s goal of winning a medal at the FIBA Americas and qualifying for the 2013 World Championships."
The coaching staff was selected by a 10 person committee made up of the senior leadership of the men’s national team program, including Managing Director, Maurizio Gherardini, Council of Excellence members, Steve Konchalski, Jay Triano and Director of Youth Player Development, Rowan Barrett.
“The growth of the game and of Canada Basketball is possible with the commitment of our entire basketball community. Canada has quality coaches to support such growth and success at every level on the international basketball stage. We are thankful that so many coaches take great pride in developing our Canadian basketball players,” commented Maurizio Gherardini.
The teams begin their respective 2012 schedules with open tryouts being held Thursday, May 17th at Ryerson University (Toronto, ON) and invitational tryouts from Friday, May 18th to Monday, May 21st.
