adidas Nations Global Camp: Day 3

The semifinals matched up USA 2011 vs Canada and Europe vs USA 2010. Both games were close throughout, and were played at a high level, but in the end Canada prevailed against USA 2011 and USA 2010 beat Europe.

Tomorrows finals will showcase the talented Canadians versus the very athletic and deep USA 2010 squad. There will be a live webcast of the game at www.eastbay.com/adidasnations at 4:30 PM EST.

Evan FournierEvan Fournier 6’5 SG 1992 France

Amidst all the size, athleticism and swagger that is present in the gym, the young Frenchman has come out and shown that he is the most complete player of the bunch. Off the court he looks skinny and timid, but when he steps on the court his full game comes on display very quickly. He has a lanky frame with wiry strength, and very underrated explosiveness. All week long he has been able to get any shot that he wanted, without anyone posing a true test defensively. His outside shot is very good, he has the ability to shoot from deep as well as off the dribble. Going to the basket he has an awkward euro step that leaves his defenders moving in the opposite direction of him. He can comfortably finish with both hands and he knows how to play the angles as well as use his body to shield the ball and draw fouls. Through round robin play he has been the leading scorer in the tournament, but for someone so efficient scoring the ball he is also very team oriented and unselfish. He lacks the prototypical body of an NBA wing, and doesn’t have the freaky athleticism, but when it comes to playing the game the right way and getting the job done, he has been above the rest throughout the week.

Daniele Sandri 6’5 SG 1990 Italy

A very good athlete and a slasher, Sandri has the ability to score in a nice variety of ways. He has good size and nice length, and can comfortably shoot from long range, off the dribble or finish at the basket against the help defense. He is a bit inconsistent in terms of his effort, at times he takes plays off or he simply disappears for stretches of the game, but when he decides to turn it up he can definitely do some good things.

Nick Stauskas 6`4 SG 2012 Canada

Stauskas whom we saw last week at the All Canada Exposure Camp was able to step into the starting 5 due to injury and prove that even at such a young age he can do some nice things on the court. He had his jump shot working and he was also able to get into the pain on a few occasions and finish at the basket. He has a good feel for the game and knows how to move without the ball, which allows him to get open looks without forcing the issue. He is a bit undersized, and athletically not at the level of some of the older guys, but he has time and has proven to be very effective.

Renardo Dixon 6`7 Canada

A bit of a hybrid forward, Dixon prefers to catch the ball in the mid post, face up and attack his man. He isn`t the best with his back to the basket, nor is he comfortable working on the perimeter, but he knows how to pick his spots and can do so very effectively. He has a nicely built body with wide shoulders, and he knows how to use his strength to clear space when finishing inside. In terms of superb athleticism or explosiveness, he doesn`t have that, but he definitely knows how to pick his spots and score the ball when he get his chance.

Notes: Ryan Harrow has continued to play well, using his speed and quickness to get to the paint where he can create opportunities for himself of teammates. Rakeem Christmas has played fairly well, but has not been consistent nor has he shown the ability to create his own shot. He is a bit skinny and doesn`t like to mix it up, but his length and athleticism are definitely something that will help him stay on the radar. Brandon Knight has been in attendance but he is wearing a cast due to a broken foot.