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World Cup basketball qualifier coming to Vancouver Island this summer

The Aug. 25 game will see Team Canada play at Victoria’s Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre
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Team Canada’s Thomas Scrubb of Richmond, eyes up a shot during action against the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2021. FIBA Olympic qualifying men’s action is returning to Victoria at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre on Aug. 25. (Courtesy Canada Basketball)

Canada’s Senior Men’s National Basketball Team is returning to Victoria this summer for a world cup qualifier game.

On Aug. 25 at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre, Canada will play a second-round qualifier against an opponent which will be determined in the yet-to-be-played first round of qualifiers but is anticipated to be either Venezuela or Argentina, according to a news release.

The game will mark the return of FIBA Olympic basketball to the city, which last hosted a similar match in July 2021.

“After the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, we promised that we’d bring our senior men’s national team back to British Columbia,” said Michael Bartlett, president and CEO of Canada Basketball. “We saw firsthand last summer the passion for basketball not only in the City of Victoria, but across all the surrounding municipalities that make up the Greater Victoria area. We’re thrilled to come back later this summer as we continue our journey towards qualifying for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, and ultimately the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.”

The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, set to take place from Aug. 25 to Sept. 10, 2023, will see the group phase in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. The final phase will follow in the Philippines’ capital city of Manila.

General ticket sales will launch to the public on July 15 at selectyourtickets.com. To keep up to date with game day and ticketing information, follow @wethewestfest on social media, or visit wethewestfest.com.

READ MORE: Steve Nash headlines list of inductees to Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame


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