Neues » ain for the WBO 147

With the Ides of March Madness upon us, one man seems to be at the epicentre of many young Canucks chasing that One Shining Moment beneath the 49th-parallel. Today is the eve of many a Big Dance dream being shattered and powerhouses upset as conference tournaments and, for some, college careers end before Selection Sunday. Canadian Junior Mens and Ryerson Rams Mens head basketball coach Roy Rana is no stranger to winning on almost every level, having been instrumental in the growth of some of the top players who will play in the 2014 NCAA Tournament . I sat down with Coach Rana to better understand his journey and connection to eras past, present and future in Canadian basketball, as we all prepare to fill out brackets for a chance at a cool billion of Warren Buffetts dollars, win office pools, while giving the impression of productivity at work, and cheer on our favorite teams. Is perception about the level of play/competition in Canadian high school ball changing at all? Dramatically. There is a serious respect internationally for the talent we produce here. It used to feel like people looked at Canada as a third-world basketball country, but I believe weve answered a lot of questions there. There is a general perception that the level is down, mostly because many of our best head off to Findlay [Prep] in Vegas or other prep schools in the US for higher end competition and visibility. But many credible, hard-working, talented young players are making names for themselves in this country, too. By scheduling perennially exceptional NCAA teams like Wisconsin and Syracuse for his Ryerson Rams to test their mettle, Roy Rana continues to strengthen the program with an unyielding commitment to basketball in this country. Coach Ranas ability to mold young talent was never more evident than when he led the Cadet National team to a bronze medal finish, the highest honor a Canadian team has ever achieved at the U-16 World Championships last year in Uruguay. What made that cadet team so special? Canada had never fielded that age group before for international play. Expectations were low. We just wanted to give our young guys a chance to compete on the international stage. They were a very exceptional group: so strong… focused… selfless… no egos whatsoever. The way they shared the ball and played the right way was great for us. What gets you most excited about the future of the Canadian National Team system? The depth of our talent. Were young and will take some lumps early, but the experiences will help us grow. What are some things youd like to see changed? We just have to keep working, at every level: Senior National, Junior National, Cadet… every level. We have to stay hungry and never get complacent. Are the 2016 Rio Olympics a realistic goal? Its going to be challenging. Not many have expectations for us to do well. The experience we gain internationally in developing our system is a huge factor. Well take our best shot and see where we land. In addition to major coaching success internationally, Coach Rana also helped the World Select Team to back-to-back titles at the 2012 and 2013 Nike Hoop Summit vs. the USA Basketball Mens Junior National Select Team. Beating any US team in a major basketball tournament is serious. You did it twice in a row. How? Young men like Andrew Wiggins, Dante Exum, who will be incredible, as well as the multitalented Dario Saric. If you havent heard of Exum and Saric, you will soon enough. With very little practice time together, they gelled well enough and played with the kind of effort any basketball fan would respect. The journey thus far has taken Roy Rana all over the world, but dreams of a higher station in life and through coaching are real. To what college coach would you compare your style? Thats a great question. Ive never really thought about it. Honestly, I couldnt tell you. I really love what Billy Donovan does at Florida. Im a big fan of Bo Ryan at Wisconsin, Bill Self at Kansas. Really admire Gregg Marshall at Wichita State for what hes done with that program. Hard to compare… These guys are in a different world. With all of your international experience, have you ever thought about coaching abroad, say in the US, Europe or other basketball-developing ports? Man, I always dream about learning more about my coaching abilities in different situations and circumstances. I wouldnt rule out the possibilities, but I love the city of Toronto and this country. I am blessed for what I have now and the jobs in front of me at Ryerson and within the Canadian National Team system. What about the NBA? Thats the ultimate dream, you know? Just to be able to touch that level, contribute in my way would be incredible. It would definitely have to be the right situation… right fit… What is Roy Ranas ultimate coaching goal? Max out completely with what I have before me now. Everything is about my team. Any and everything else that comes my way will be as a result of efforts of a great many people, not just me alone. At some level, Roy Rana has coached scores of players who will be chasing the NCAA Mens Basketball Championship. Pinning down his favorite player or team was difficult, but enlightening as Coach Rana showed Canadian love across the board. Best player in the country is…? Well, Doug McDermott (Creighton), with all hes done with his career, is probably the most worthy, but its tough to pick a "best player" in the country. There are close to 10 guys in that conversation. Three Canadians in Andrew [Wiggins], Tyler [Ennis] and Nik [Stauskas]… Joel Embiid, Jabari Parker, Marcus Smart, Julius Randle. Its very tough. Should Andrew Wiggins really stay at Kansas for another year of seasoning? No. If youre a top-three lottery pick and you know it, why not go? Sure, you sacrifice a bit of that college experience, which Im sure is special to him, but if the NBA thinks youre That Guy, you go, no question. Is Tyler Ennis ready to run an NBA team now? No, probably not right now. Can he come in at what 19, 20 and be a contributor immediately? Absolutely. But over time in a couple years, I believe hell be more than capable of running a team in the NBA quite well. Name your All-Canadian NCAA team. Can I have two first teams (laughs)? All of these young guys are great, but Id go with Ennis, Wiggins, [Melvin] Ejim (Iowa State), Khem Berch (UNLV) and Nik Stauskas, who had a fantastic season. I coached all of them at some point, so I dont want to leave anyone out. All had incredible years in their own right: Daniel Mullings (New Mexico State), Kevin Pangos (Gonzaga), Jordan Bachynski (Arizona State), Dwight Powell (Stanford)… Whos that darkhorse Canadian who will shine in March Madness? DyShawn Pierre of Dayton. He fills the stats sheet. Hes exciting, can do it all, multi-talented. I believe he can win a game virtually on his own in the tournament. DyShawn has real NBA potential. Who do you think will make the Final Four? Hopefully, four teams with Canadians on them. Then itll be real tough for me to pick a team to win it all! I wish all the young people well, but I cheer for the Canadians! Cheap Rams Jerseys . Howard had 17 points and a career-high-tying 26 rebounds in his Houston debut, James Harden added 21 points and the Rockets cruised to a 96-83 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday night. Cheap Rams Jerseys Authentic . Quarterback Drew Willy appeared to injure his throwing hand on the third last play of practice Thursday. http://www.cheapramsjerseyselite.com/ . Five straight losses (and six in the past seven) now dot the schedule – matching their longest skid of the year – after they fell again in New Jersey on Sunday night, topped 3-2 by Cory Schneider and the Devils. Cheap Rams Jerseys China . Vonn had another scary moment at Saturdays World Cup downhill in Val dIsere, ending up clutching her knee in pain after losing her balance and missing a gate. But she gave a reassuring answer shortly afterward, saying no new damage had been done to the surgically repaired knee, and that her plans for the Sochi Olympics were still intact. Wholesale Rams Jerseys .ca. The NHL Play of the Year showdown kicks off with some slick moves going head-to-head with a combination of soft hands and endless patience.BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley intend to leave no doubt this time. Nearly two years after Bradley beat the Filipino congressman in a hotly disputed split decision, the welterweights both seemed uncommonly confident Tuesday as they began promotional work for their April 12 rematch. Thats because each man is still unshakably certain he won their first meeting. "I want to maintain my name at the top and prove I can still fight," Pacquiao said. "My career is not done yet." The June 2012 decision was savaged by fans, media and even Bob Arum, both fighters promoter. They all believed Pacquiaos power and combinations had beaten Bradleys elusiveness and tactical approach. Bradley (31-0, 12 KOs) still feels wronged by the reactions to the biggest win of his life, ranging from catcalls on the street to death threats in the mail. "With all the controversy, this fight is about redemption," Bradley said. "I want to redeem what I didnt get, which is the credit. Its important for me to make the win decisive in the peoples eyes this time. Ive already got a win. This is so I can walk down the street and nobody says, Hey, you didnt win that fight, man. That hurts me." Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KOs) and trainer Freddie Roach both believe Pacquiao won essentially every round in the first bout. But the Pacman still wants to prove hes back on top of his game by avenging the loss that snapped his 15-fight winning streak. "Im not angry anymore," Pacquiao said. "I was surprised by the decision, but Im the kind of person that I respect the decision of the judges." But did Pacquiao agree that Bradley gave him "a boxing lesson," in the infamous words of judge Duane Ford? "I think I gave hhim a boxing lesson, and the judges gave him that," Pacquiao said with a smile.dddddddddddd Pacquiao and Bradley will meet again for the WBO 147-pound title at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas. Bradley is opening camp in his native Palm Springs area on Monday, while Pacquiao will train in the Philippines before moving back to Freddie Roachs Wild Card Gym in Hollywood in March. "To be honest, I wasnt as motivated when I was training for our first fight," Pacquiao said. "I guess I didnt take him seriously enough." The split decision was so reviled that the WBO hired five independent judges to re-score the bout on video, and all five favoured Pacquiao. The WBO didnt overturn the result, but asked for a rematch -- and after both fighters boosted their careers with victories last year, they were ready to do it again. Pacquiao was knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez a few months after the Bradley bout, and he took nearly a year off before returning to dominate Brandon Rios in Macau. Bradley watched both fights, but wasnt impressed. "He still has all the skill sets," Bradley said. "I just feel like that killer instinct is gone." Bradley turned himself into one of boxings biggest names in 2013 with a sensational brawl against Ruslan Provodnikov and a classy decision win over Marquez. Bradley acknowledges being a bit star-struck before he got in the ring with Pacquiao, but he was surprised how easily he could handle the man who was on top of the sport at the time. Bradley feels he won the first fight, but believes he can win the rematch clearly enough for everybody to see. "I know what to expect this time," Bradley said. "Its like when you learn to ride a bike. The second time is easier." 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