2nd Annual BioSteel All-Canadian Basketball Game
American high school basketball has the McDonald’s All-American game at the end of the season and for the third consecutive season Canada now has the BioSteel All-Canadian game.
Tony McIntyre, who is the co-founder of the CIA Bounce AAU program and one of the main reason that the game takes place, told sportsnet.ca why this game is important for Canadian players:
“I think it’s something that we really needed here, and our kids really needed.”
“Obviously with the McDonald’s [All-American Game] and the Jordan [Brand Classic] there’s a platform for American kids. [But] we needed to give our kids a chance to showcase their talents and all 24 of them [in the BioSteel game], instead of hoping we get one or two of them into those games each year.”
This April (10th) BioSteel will again sponsor the game to be played at the University of Toronto Goldring Centre, the third year for the event. Just like the McDonald’s game the players are selected for the game by a committee of Canadian high school basketball experts from across the country.
One item that is different, of the 24 players selected, only 8 imports can be a part of the game. An import is a Canadian that is currently playing at a US Prep school, which makes the game unique from the McDonald’s game.
The announcement of participants will be announced soon.
Game Selection Criteria
- Players will be selected by a committee of 10 individuals
- A ballot will be created of Top 50 players in Canada (decided by committee)
- Selections will be reduced through meetings to the Top 36 players
- Final ballot will be filled out voting in 24 players for the game.
- Ballot will include mandatory positions of integrity
All-Canadian Player Selection
- 8 Imports – Canadians playing abroad (US Prep Schools)
- 16 Canadians – Players enrolled in a Canadian school
2016 Players Who Competed Who Played in US
First Name City School Emmanuel Akot Winnipeg Wasatch Academy (Utah) O’Shae Brissett Mississauga Findlay Prep (Nev) Nate Darling Bedford DeMatha Catholic High School Isiaha Mike Toronto Trinity International Prep (Nev) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Hamilton Hamilton Heights Christian Academy Nickeil Alexander-Walker Scarborough Hamilton Heights (TN) Anthony Longpre Montréal Glenelg Country School (Md.) Howard Washington Jr. Buffalo Montverde Academy (Fla.) Koby McEwen Toronto Wasatch Academy
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