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They're all abuzz back northeast about Canadian big man Rob Sacre.
Toronto Star
From the Montreal Gazatte:
National Post
Toronto Star
A group effort lifts Canada
Don’t expect to be impressed with the names on jerseys when you tune in to see Canada at the World Basketball championships later this month in Turkey.
That’s not what this team is about. And to a man, every person wearing a jersey is more than fine with that.
There is no one guy who is going to take this team on his shoulders and get them to where they want to be. That’s a fact.
But as a unit, this group feels they can collectively get the job done.
Don’t expect to be impressed with the names on jerseys when you tune in to see Canada at the World Basketball championships later this month in Turkey.
That’s not what this team is about. And to a man, every person wearing a jersey is more than fine with that.
There is no one guy who is going to take this team on his shoulders and get them to where they want to be. That’s a fact.
But as a unit, this group feels they can collectively get the job done.
“I think we have to be more physical and I think we can be,” Rautins said. “That has to be our staple. We have to be a team that gets after you and makes everything difficult for you for us to have a chance.
“I think we have the players that can do it.”
And Rautins knows exactly who can set the physical tone for his team.
“Robert did a great job out there,” Rautins said of 7-foot centre Robert Sacre. “He’s like the energizer bunny. He’s talking all the time. It’s a huge asset for Joel, if he needs a blow, Robert is there.”
But what has Rautins really jazzed about this 21-year-old Gonzaga student who hails from B.C. is his attitude.
“Shaquille O’Neal could walk in the room and he would just say, ‘Let’s go.,’” Rautins said. “He doesn’t care. There is no fear and I like that. I like his energy and the fact that he just wants to play.”
Asked after the game the last time he remembers being intimidated, Sacre reacted like he had just been offered a bottle of prune juice.
“Intimidated? There’s no such thing as being intimidated. Come on now,” he said. “You have to be ready to fight anybody.”
And to look at Sacre, he is— from the time his alarm clock goes off until he closes his eyes for the night.
“I hope we see the U.S. and Spain and all top teams (in Turkey),” he said. “This team is tight and I’m not worried about anybody on this team. We’re all ready to fight. “
“I think we have the players that can do it.”
And Rautins knows exactly who can set the physical tone for his team.
“Robert did a great job out there,” Rautins said of 7-foot centre Robert Sacre. “He’s like the energizer bunny. He’s talking all the time. It’s a huge asset for Joel, if he needs a blow, Robert is there.”
But what has Rautins really jazzed about this 21-year-old Gonzaga student who hails from B.C. is his attitude.
“Shaquille O’Neal could walk in the room and he would just say, ‘Let’s go.,’” Rautins said. “He doesn’t care. There is no fear and I like that. I like his energy and the fact that he just wants to play.”
Asked after the game the last time he remembers being intimidated, Sacre reacted like he had just been offered a bottle of prune juice.
“Intimidated? There’s no such thing as being intimidated. Come on now,” he said. “You have to be ready to fight anybody.”
And to look at Sacre, he is— from the time his alarm clock goes off until he closes his eyes for the night.
“I hope we see the U.S. and Spain and all top teams (in Turkey),” he said. “This team is tight and I’m not worried about anybody on this team. We’re all ready to fight. “
From the Montreal Gazatte:
Canada wins ugly in hoops tune-up
TORONTO — You cannot shut Robert Sacre up.
The Canadian national basketball team centre has confessed to making life difficult for his teachers, chirping through their classes. Opponents, surely, get tired of his chatter. Even his teammates get frustrated.
“He’s like an Energizer bunny,” head coach Leo Rautins said of the excitable 21-year-old big man after a 69-58 win over France at the Air Canada Centre last night. “He’s talking all the time. At one point, Joel (Anthony, the team’s starting centre) even looked at me. He goes, ‘He just doesn’t stop.’ ”
It is on nights such these that Sacre is especially useful. With just 2,652 fans on hand in the 19,800-seat arena for the first national team game at Air Canada Centre in more than a half-decade, crowd noise was at a minimum.
TORONTO — You cannot shut Robert Sacre up.
The Canadian national basketball team centre has confessed to making life difficult for his teachers, chirping through their classes. Opponents, surely, get tired of his chatter. Even his teammates get frustrated.
“He’s like an Energizer bunny,” head coach Leo Rautins said of the excitable 21-year-old big man after a 69-58 win over France at the Air Canada Centre last night. “He’s talking all the time. At one point, Joel (Anthony, the team’s starting centre) even looked at me. He goes, ‘He just doesn’t stop.’ ”
It is on nights such these that Sacre is especially useful. With just 2,652 fans on hand in the 19,800-seat arena for the first national team game at Air Canada Centre in more than a half-decade, crowd noise was at a minimum.
So, the team will need to make its name on grit and defence, and that was in effect in the first of two games on successive nights against France.
In a game that lacked much aesthetic appeal — a few air balls, along with a shot off of the side of the backboard — the two Canadian big men held their own inside. Of course, France helped out, turning the ball over 17 times in the 40-minute game. But Anthony’s shot blocking and Sacre’s elbow-swinging rebounding style made the paint an uncomfortable place to be.
Sacre collected a team-high six rebounds while Anthony had a pair of blocks.
“I think we have to be more physical,” Leo Rautins said, challenging his team. “I think we’re capable of being much more physical than we played tonight. That has to be a staple. We have to be a team that gets after you and makes everything difficult for you. Otherwise we’re not going to have a chance.”
Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/sport...#ixzz0wSPHAngf
In a game that lacked much aesthetic appeal — a few air balls, along with a shot off of the side of the backboard — the two Canadian big men held their own inside. Of course, France helped out, turning the ball over 17 times in the 40-minute game. But Anthony’s shot blocking and Sacre’s elbow-swinging rebounding style made the paint an uncomfortable place to be.
Sacre collected a team-high six rebounds while Anthony had a pair of blocks.
“I think we have to be more physical,” Leo Rautins said, challenging his team. “I think we’re capable of being much more physical than we played tonight. That has to be a staple. We have to be a team that gets after you and makes everything difficult for you. Otherwise we’re not going to have a chance.”
Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/sport...#ixzz0wSPHAngf
Talk is cheap for national team
TORONTO — As halftime wound down Thursday night, Canadian centre Robert Sacre, the gregarious Gonzaga student, came bounding back to his bench. He offered a love tap to a few of his teammates, his ever-present grin, well, present.
It is nights like Thursday when Sacre is especially useful. He creates his own energy, and as Canada played France in a warm-up game leading up to the world Championship later this month, there was not much energy in the Air Canada Centre. (There were only, in fact, 2,652 fans.)
Players such as Sacre and the Miami Heat’s Joel Anthony t might have to define the Canadian team in Turkey. As evidenced by their 69-58 win in the first of two games against France, they will not always be able to count on their offence.
In a game that lacked much aesthetic appeal — it had a few airballs and a shot off of the side of the backboard — the two Canadian big men held their own inside. Of course, France helped out, turning the ball over 17 times. But Anthony’s shot blocking and Sacre’s elbow-swinging rebounding style made the paint an uncomfortable place to be.
Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/T...#ixzz0wSQLek5f
TORONTO — As halftime wound down Thursday night, Canadian centre Robert Sacre, the gregarious Gonzaga student, came bounding back to his bench. He offered a love tap to a few of his teammates, his ever-present grin, well, present.
It is nights like Thursday when Sacre is especially useful. He creates his own energy, and as Canada played France in a warm-up game leading up to the world Championship later this month, there was not much energy in the Air Canada Centre. (There were only, in fact, 2,652 fans.)
Players such as Sacre and the Miami Heat’s Joel Anthony t might have to define the Canadian team in Turkey. As evidenced by their 69-58 win in the first of two games against France, they will not always be able to count on their offence.
In a game that lacked much aesthetic appeal — it had a few airballs and a shot off of the side of the backboard — the two Canadian big men held their own inside. Of course, France helped out, turning the ball over 17 times. But Anthony’s shot blocking and Sacre’s elbow-swinging rebounding style made the paint an uncomfortable place to be.
Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/T...#ixzz0wSQLek5f
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