TORONTO (April 6, 2023) – After helping Canada qualify last summer, head coach Patrick Tatham returns as head coach to lead Canada at the upcoming FIBA U19 Men’s Basketball World Cup 2023 this summer.

“It’s definitely a blessing to get the chance to represent our country on a world stage with talented, elite Canadian athletes,” said Tatham. “I definitely cherish the opportunities to coach the future athletes of basketball in our country, but to be able to do it at a world level is invaluable.”

Last summer, Tatham coached both the U17 and U18 age-groups for Canada, as the teams captured bronze at the FIBA U18 Men’s Americas Championship 2022 and finished ninth at the FIBA U17 Men’s Basketball World Cup 2022 in Malaga, Spain. Tatham is also currently the head coach of McMaster University’s men’s basketball program, a position he’s held since 2017.Tatham also previously spent time as an assistant coach with Canada’s Senior Men’s National Team during several windows of the FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup Americas Qualifiers 2019.

Assistant coaches Justin Serresse and Nathan Grant, who were both part of Tatham’s U18 staff, will also return.

This will be Serresse’s third straight year on the bench for Canada as he was an assistant coach on Tatham’s staff for both the FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup 2021 and FIBA U18 Men’s Americas Championship 2022.   Serresse is also the Manager of Men's Basketball Operations and Head Coach at Wilfrid Laurier University, a position he’s held since 2016.  This season, he guided the Golden Hawks to a 21-11 record and OUA quarter-finals appearance.

After making his FIBA coaching debut for Canada last summer, Grant returns coming off a 9-7 season and an RSEQ semifinal appearance with the Laval Rouge et Or.  Grant has been actively involved provincially with Basketball Quebec, and led the U17 team to the Canada Basketball National Championship title in 2019. 

Also joining the staff as an assistant coach is Craig Beaucamp. Beaucamp, who is in his 20th year as head coach of the Victoria Vikes, is fresh off a Canada West championship with the Vikes — their second-straight title — and a U SPORTS Final 8 appearance.

“We have a dynamic staff who will assist in putting together a group of athletes to accomplish the mission of earning a medal this summer. It's such an honour to represent our country, it's an honour that no coach or athlete will ever take for granted," said Tatham.

The FIBA U19 Men’s Basketball World Cup 2023 will take place from June 24 to July 2, 2023 in Debrecen, Hungary and will feature the best 16 teams in the world.  Canada’s best finish in the competition came in 2017 as the team captured a historic gold medal, the country’s first in an international FIBA competition.

Canada is in Group A and will face Spain (June 24, time TBD), China (June 25, time TBD) and France (June 27, time TBD).  All 16 teams participating in the event will advance to the competition's Final Phase with a single-elimination format in place from the Round of 16 onwards.

Starting on Friday, Canada Basketball will host a Men’s High Performance National Team Age-Group Assessment Camp at Humber College from April 7-10, 2023.  Bringing together top athletes from across the country, the camp provides a national training environment with an international focus for top identified athletes in a variety of age groups ranging from those born in 2004 and later.  

“Heading into this weekend, I can't help but look forward to assisting in the advancement of many of these elite athletes and their basketball journey. They’re all vying for a spot on our 12-player roster this summer,” said Tatham.

Canada is currently ranked 7th overall in the FIBA boy’s age-group rankings, presented by Nike, following the conclusion of the FIBA 2022 Youth Events.