TORONTO (FIBA U16 Americas Championship 2017) - Cashius McNeilly and Luka Sakota are expected to be the leaders of the next group of Canadian hopefuls at the FIBA U16 Americas Championship 2017.

McNeilly and Sakota, who were both ranked in the top three of the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association (OSBA) coaches poll for this year's province freshman class, were among the 12 players selected by head coach Craig Beaucamp for the U16 tournament which runs from 14-18 June in Formosa, Argentina. 

"We're pleased with the competitiveness of this tryout and we're excited to continue working with these young men as we prepare for the FIBA Americas," Beaucamp said after the first stage of training camp.

"This competition will provide the opportunity to develop our next wave of athletes, as we look to qualify for the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018," added Michael Meeks, Manager of Canada Basketball Men's Youth Player Development.

Canada will train in Toronto until 9 June and head to Argentina, where the North Americans will face off against hosts Argentina, Paraguay and Venezuela in Group A. The top two teams in each group advance to the Semi-Finals and thereby also qualify for the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup. Canada have finished on the podium all four U16 continental championships, reaching the final for the first time in 2015 before losing to the United States.

Thornlea Secondary School's McNeilly played at the recent Jordan Brand Classic Global Showcase while Sakota starred at King's Christian high school. Also in the top 10 of the coaches' poll was Paris Schand from Bill Crothers.

6'4 Cashius Mcneilly is probably the best player of the class 2020 in Canada. He did work at the FHC early bird @Canada_Elite @ShaneJames23 pic.twitter.com/ankIyenTTY

— Universal Hoops (@Universal_Hoops) March 13, 2017

Two major talents are missing from the Canada team as both Addison Patterson - the other player ranked in the OSBA poll - and Josh Hemmings also played at the Jordan Brand Classic Global Showcase, with Patterson taking home the MVP trophy.

The squad is also representative of the rise of other states in developing talent in Canada. Toronto and the province of Ontario still dominate with nine of the players, but Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec also have players included in the list.

Montreal, which is Quebec's biggest city and the second-largest in Canada, is quickly emerging as a major talent producer. Jefferson Koulibaly calls metropolitan Montreal home as do distinguished alternates Keeshawn Barthelemy and Emile Rioux.

Benjamin Krikke is from Alberta's capital Edmonton while Victor Radocaj is from Richmond in the western Canadian province British Columbia.

Radocaj and Rioux are two of three bottom level players born in 2002, along with Charles Bediako. The 6ft 9in (2.06m) Bediako is the younger brother of Jaden Bediako, the 2000-born big man who will likely play for Canada at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017.

The 12-player list features one other younger brother of a Canadian international as Shemar Rathan-Mayes' older brother Xavier Rathan-Mayes, who played at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2013 and has declared for the 2017 NBA Draft. 

FIBA