TWO MANITOBANS NAMED TO THE
2016 U17 MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM
By Adam Wedlake, Photos courtesy of Basketball Manitoba and Canada Basketball
Canada Basketball has
announced the 2016 U17
men’s national team which
includes for the first time in a
generation, two Manitobans
on the same national team in
Emmanuel Akot and Daniel
Sackey
Emmanuel Akot
Emmanuel Akot is coming off
his attendance at the Bio-Steel
All-Canadian Game in April
and spent the last year in Utah
at the Wasatch Academy and
recently has been involved in
the AAU circuit with teams
throughout the US.
Daniel Sackey spent the
last year in Missouri and is
currently at St. Louis Christian
Academy and the Canada
Elite club program based out
of Toronto.
“We’re pleased with the
Daniel Sackey
players’ progress and have
put together a strong team,”
said Dave DeAveiro, head coach. “We look forward to
building off of last year’s silver medal finish in Argentina and
Daniel Sackey
representing
Canada on the
world stage.”
The squad
will complete
training camp
in Toronto
and head to
Toulouse, France
for a threegame exhibition
Emmanuel Akot
tournament against the
Emmanuel Akot
French hosts, Australia
and Argentina. The
team will then head
to Zaragoza, Spain to
represent Canada at the
2016 U17 FIBA World
Championships from
June 23rd- July 3rd.
In 2015, the U17 team
won a silver medal at
the U16 FIBA Americas Championships – the programs
best-ever finish. Canada is currently ranked 3rd worldwide
in the FIBA youth men rankings. l
Niyah Becker Selected to Canadian
National U17 Cadet Team
Canada Basketball’s 2016 U17 women’s national team roster includes
Manitoban Niyah Becker who will represent Canada at the 2016 U17
FIBA World Championships
Niyah has been
Niya Becker
to a number of
National Team
Identification
Camps over the
past year and
was selected as
an alternate on
this same team
in 2015. She
was invited to
the Basketball
Without Borders
Camp as part of the NBA All-Star festivities in Toronto
back in February and recently wrapped up the high school
12 / sportslife
Niya Becker
season as a
AAAA provincial
finalist with
Vincent Massey
Collegiate. The
grade 10 student is a member of the Manitoba Provincial
Team and the Centre for Performance program.
The team will finish training camp and will then head to
Spain for a three-game exhibition tournament. The team
will tip-off against Nigeria on June 22nd at the U17 FIBA
World Championships in Zaragoza from June 22nd-July 3rd.
In 2015, the U16 national team won the U16 FIBA
Americas Championship, capturing Canada’s first gold
medal at a FIBA Americas tournament. Canada is currently
ranked 4th worldwide in the FIBA youth girls rankings. l