“I was Steve Nash before Steve Nash,” said Price, with a chuckle.
So perhaps it’s only fitting Price, now head coach of the University of North Carolina-Charlotte 49ers, brought his NCAA Div. 1 collegiate team to Nash’s hometown on Monday night in what is now a truly world game.
The 49ers defeated the University of Victoria Vikes 92-73 in an exhibition game at CARSA Gym to finish their B.C. tour 3-0 after beating the Trinity Western Spartans 96-58 in Langley and UBC Thunderbirds 89-71 in Vancouver.
It was UVic’s first game of the exhibition season.
NCAA teams are allowed a trip outside the U.S. every four years and most take advantage.
“The game is global now,” said Price, who has gold medals from both the 1994 FIBA worlds and 1983 Pan Am Games in Caracas.
Further evidence is that both Charlotte’s post players are from outside the U.S. — Benas Griciunas of Lithuania and Lukas Bergang of Sweden.
But even though Australia and France played the U.S. tough in Rio, the Americans are still heavily favoured for men’s hoops gold at the 2016 Olympics this week.
“The U.S. should probably win, but it’s not a given,” said the amiable Price, best known in the NBA for his nine seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“Most Olympic teams at Rio have multiple NBA players.”
The hyped Canadian team, now managed by former national team captain Nash, didn’t make it to Rio but the rise of Canadian players hasn’t been lost on Price.
“There is no question you are seeing more and more Canadians not only going in the NBA draft, but going very high in the draft,” said Price.
“That speaks volumes for the coaching and development that is happening here in Canada.”
Monday’s game was the first at home for the Vikes against an NCAA Div. 1 opponent since losing 101-67 in 2010 to a Minnesota Golden Gophers Big Ten team that was coached by Tubby Smith and coming off two consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.
Shooting-guard Braxton Ogbueze, as he has done in all three games in B.C., led the 49ers in scoring. He had 19 points.
Guard Wayne Tucker Jr. from Oakland, California, the Alberta colleges player of the year last season, led UVic with 15 points. Guard Scott Kellum, a true freshman recruit out of high school in Issaquah, Washington, scored 14 points for the Vikes. Both showed some things in their first career games at CARSA.
“For our first game, and having had just five practices, I thought we showed lots of promise,” said UVic head coach Craig Beaucamp, following the contest.
“I am quietly very optimistic,” added Beaucamp, assistant coach for Canada this summer at the U-18 FIBA Americas in Chile, out of which Canada qualified for the 2017 FIBA U-18 worlds in Cairo.
CIS/NCAA NOTES: Callum Montgomery of Victoria was part of a standout class at Nash’s alma mater SMUS, along with current UVic basketball players Graeme Hyde-Lay and Jason Scully, that won B.C. basketball and soccer titles. Defender Montgomery is now a Charlotte 49er in soccer, entering his sophomore season after making the Conference USA all-freshman team last season and leading the 49ers into the NCAA tournament.
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