With big names out, Pangos steps up to lead unbeaten Canada to another win

There are not many national teams that could lose three NBA guards from one game to the next in international basketball and not miss a beat.

But that’s the luxury that the Canadian men’s team has as it gets closer to qualifying for the 2023 FIBA World Cup with an eye towards the Olympics in Paris in 2024.

If Canada is going to make any noise at the World Cup or the Olympics, it is going to likely need every member of their NBA-laden ‘summer core’ -- but even now the team shown the type of program depth that most countries can only dream about.

Case in point: only four days after a signature win over No. 7-ranked Argentina in Victoria that was led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with notable contributions from Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Cory Joseph, Canada travelled to Panama City, Panama and simply overwhelmed the host country with a 106-50 win on Monday. Canada is now 8-0 through the first four qualifying windows, the only undefeated team among the 12 remaining countries in the Americas vying for seven spots in the World Cup.

With Gilgeous-Alexander, Alexander-Walker, and Joseph all away from the team for excused absences, coach Nick Nurse turned the team over to Kevin Pangos with ultimate confidence.

Pangos has played at the highest level in Europe, fulfilled his dream in making an NBA roster last season -- even if it didn’t work out very well for him with the Cleveland Cavaliers -- and been a welcome contributor to the senior men’s team in the past when contracts and injuries have allowed.

Nurse was eager to have him sign on to be part of the 14-member summer core committed to playing this summer, next summer and -- presuming Canada qualifies for the Olympics in Paris -- the summer after that.

“He certainly knows the FIBA game,” said Nurse of Pangos as his team was getting prepared in Victoria last week. “ … And he’s a very good player in that style. What does that mean? Well, he understands the tempo. He understands the full-court pressure. He understands the physicality. He’s very good at making reads and he’s a true point guard that will run the team, make the right plays, and then will score just enough to keep you honest.”

All of those attributes were in full display Monday night as Pangos led Canada from the opening tip, starting the scoring with a runner in the lane, chipping in a quick early three and then quickly finding Melvin Ejim for an open three. In the blink of an eye, Canada was up by double figures.

Nothing changed from that point. In addition to the early and simple offence, Canada continued its habit of extreme defensive disruption. Pangos was a feature there too as he picked up the ball early, forced his man into pressure that helped spark a series of turnovers and defensive stops that saw Canada jump out to a 33-7 lead after 10 minutes.

It was a true team effort, especially defensively. Canada was up by 64-25 at half as it held Panama to 27-per-cent shooting in the first half while forcing eight turnovers and committing just nine personal fouls.

But Pangos helped set the tone. He scored 14 of his 17 points in the first half and chipped in four of his five assists. When he was on the floor, the offence flowed and the ball popped.

It was the kind of performance Nurse was doubtless looking for and Pangos was eager to provide. He played for Canada and Nurse at the 2019 World Cup but was plagued by plantar fasciitis that in turn spoiled most of his professional season the following year. Then came the pandemic and then came his 21-22 season with Cleveland where he got buried in a deep guard rotation and never earned head coach BJ Bickerstaff’s trust. He was waived and signed to play in Russia in the week before the invasion of Ukraine. Pangos stayed back in North America and began a long battle to get released from his contract before finally signing to play in Italy this coming season.

Between the injuries and the uncertain contract situations, Pangos hasn’t played on the national team since 2019. No wonder he was looking forward to getting on the floor and the opportunity and play significant minutes. The absences of Gilgeous-Alexander, Alexander-Walker and Joseph gave Pangos a chance to take the ball and run with it.

“It’s been a while,” told me while training in Victoria last week. “Every chance I get to play for Canada, I cherish it.”

Pangos is one of the few Canadian men who has won a medal at a major international competition as he led Canada to a bronze at the 2011 u17 World Championships on a team that featured a pair of No. 1 overall NBA draft picks in Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett. Pangos made his senior team debut before he finished high school and went on to star at Gonzaga University where he played alongside fellow national team member Kelly Olynyk. He never made the NBA out of college but with so many others matriculating to the best league in the world, it only seemed to be a matter of time before Canada made a splash international basketball.

Like almost anyone who has followed basketball in Canada for the past decade or so, he thought it would have happened by now.

“I think we expected to be in the Olympics at a certain point,” Pangos said. “The time hasn't come yet, but I think we're all ready for it. I think everyone's mindset is that we're ready to make noise on the global stage and, and we’re ready to get over the hump and do something special and I think everyone's got the mentality here, and that's what it takes. … we haven't been able to accomplish that feat yet. And I think getting over the hump, being able to do something special just to show that Canada has basketball players and can come together. International basketball is a different game, it’s going to take a whole team, not just one guy in order to do that.”

Which is the beauty of where Canada is right now: they have plenty of guys. In addition to Pangos’ big night, all 12 of the players who hit the floor scored, with five different players chipping in double figures and only Olynyk topping Pangos’ output with 18 points, while seven-foot-four soon-to-be college junior Zach Edey showed how he has the chance to be a real weapon for Canada as he recorded 15 points and seven rebounds in 23 minutes off the bench.

But it was the defensive intensity and cohesion that travelled with Canada to Panama all the way from Victoria -- although the chartered flight probably helped in that regard.

Canada’s pressure wouldn’t let Panama breathe as it held the home team to 26-per-cent shooting and forced 20 turnovers.

Conversely, with a player of Pangos’ quality at running the point in lieu of so many absences, Canada could breathe a whole lot easier.