Canada coach Rana: U19 title is my greatest win
Roy Rana guided Canada Basketball to their greatest moment in men's basketball by winning the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017. The coach said the Final was the greatest win of his career.
TORONTO (FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017) - Canada's title at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017 was the country's biggest accomplishment in the men's game. And Canada's veteran head coach Roy Rana said the victory over Italy in the Final was the greatest win of his long career.
"It's got to be the greatest win that I've had in my life just because it is the (FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup)," the 48-year-old Rana said when the Canadian sports portal Sportsnet asked where the victory ranks on the list of his personal basketball accomplishments.
Rana was coaching at his third FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup and had twice failed to get past the Quarter-Finals before coming to Cairo - in 2013 and 2015.
"I never dreamed in my life that I would (win it). My goal was to win a high school championship and OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations) was the ultimate. It is certainly the biggest win I've had in my career just because of the magnitude of where it was and how it happened. To be able to say you're a world champion is something special."
Rana had led Canada to the podium at the world stage before this, guiding Andrew Wiggins, Kevin Pangos and Anthony Bennett to third place at the first FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup in 2010.
Rana also has won back-to-back Ontario University Athletics titles with the Ryerson Rams and has coached the annual World Select Team at the Nike Hoop Summit since 2011, winning three titles in 2012, 2013 and 2015.
FIBA