MBB | Gray Called to National Team

The national team came calling and Kadre Gray was more than happy to answer.  The reigning U SPORTS Male Athlete of the Year and current leader in the country in both points and assists has been called in to the men’s senior national team for a pair of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Americas Qualifiers games against Venezuela and Brazil.

Canada visits Venezuela on November 30 at 5:15 PM ET in a battle for the group's top spot, before travelling to Brazil to conclude the fifth window on December 3 at 5:00 PM ET.

Gray will be one of 12 players on the squad that includes the likes of former NBA player, Joel Anthony, Kyle Wiltjer, who played at Kentucky and Gonzaga, Baylor’s Brady Heslip and former Carleton standouts, Phil and Thomas Scrubb.

Coach Shawn Swords, a former national team player himself, is nothing but excited for his star point guard.  “Any time you get the chance to wear the maple leaf on your chest it is an honour, even more so when it is the senior national team.  Add to the fact that he just turned 21 and it is a very exciting moment in his career.  I have no doubt that Kadre will represent himself, Laurentian and Canada well.  The timing is unfortunate in that he will miss a pair of our games but we have players who can step up to fill that void and the experience that Kadre will gain and bring back to our locker room will only benefit the team in the second half of the season.”

While Gray will be helping Canada in their goal of qualifying for the World Cup 2019, his teammates will be battling Windsor and Western on Friday and Saturday night as they close out the 2018 portion of their schedule.  Tip-off is scheduled for 8pm both nights.