OTTAWA, Aug. 29, 2017 /CNW/ - The official match schedule for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Basketball competition has been unveiled, with the opening games of the tournament taking place on Thursday, April 5th, 2018. Canada's men will play their first ever Commonwealth Games basketball game against powerhouse Australia April 6th, while the women will face off against England on the same day.
Basketball has only been on the Commonwealth Games program once, at Melbourne 2006 (Canada did not enter teams in the tournament), and Australia won both the men's and women's tournaments at those Games. The 2018 men's tournament includes 4 Teams in Pool A: Australia, Nigeria, New Zealand and Canada and 4 Teams in Pool B: England, Cameroon, India and Scotland. The Canadian women are also in Pool A, with Australia, England and Mozambique, while Pool B features New Zealand, Jamaica, India and Malaysia.
"We welcome Canada Basketball to Team Canada 2018 and to the Commonwealth movement", said Claire Carver-Dias, Chef de Mission of Team Canada 2018. "These Gold Coast Games will be one of a kind and I wish both teams an optimal performance as well as a memorable experience while in Australia."
There will be a total of 12 preliminary matches held in Townsville and Cairns from April 5-9, 2018, with semi-finals and finals being held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre April 13th to 15th.
"The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games will be a great opportunity for our players and coaches to not only represent Canada but also gain valuable international experience along the road to the upcoming FIBA World Cup and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games," said Michele O'Keefe, Canada Basketball President & CEO.
Canada's basketball teams are making their mark internationally, with strong recent performances such as gold at the U19 Men's World Cup, bronze at the U19 Women's World Cup and gold at the FIBA Women's AmeriCup.
The full schedule of the 2018 Commonwealth Games Basketball tournament is available at https://www.gc2018.com/sites/default/files/GC2018_Basketball_Schedule.pdf. In addition to Basketball, Team Canada 2018 will be taking part in 17 sports and 7 para-sports at the Gold Coast Games, with over 260 athletes expected to be named to the Team. The 2018 Games will take place April 4th to 15th in Gold Coast, Australia.
ABOUT COMMONWEALTH GAMES CANADA
Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC) is the franchise holder for the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth movement in Canada, and an active, contributing member of the Canadian sport community. The mission of CGC is to strengthen sport within Canada and throughout the Commonwealth by participating in the Commonwealth Games and by using sport as a development tool. CGC builds a better Commonwealth through sport. Visit www.commonwealthgames.ca for information.
ABOUT CANADA BASKETBALL
Canada Basketball is the National Sporting Organization for the sport of Basketball in Canada. Canada Basketball is respected worldwide and is recognized by the International Amateur Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the Government of Canada as the sole governing body of the sport of amateur basketball in Canada. Canada Basketball, a not-for-profit organization, represents all basketball interests, provides leadership, coordination and direction in all areas of the sport of basketball.
Our thanks to CNW Group for sponsoring this announcement.
SOURCE Commonwealth Games Association of Canada
Commonwealth Games Canada, Sylvie Bigras, Communications Chief - Team Canada 2018, 613.298.1625, [email protected]; Canada Basketball, Matthew Walker, Communications Manager, 289.244.9993, [email protected]; Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC), Adam Gardini, Communications and Media Lead, [email protected], +61 402 487 575
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