IRVINE, Calif. – Wins have been tough to come by this week at The Big One for the Canarias Basketball Academy, but the eclectic group of European and African teenagers undoubtedly leads the tournament in long stares from spectators and participants.
With seven players on the roster over 6-foot-6 — including a 7-foot Bosnian and a 6-10 hulk from China — the team passes the eye test in a big way.
The program's mission and backstory adds to the intrigue.
Former college basketball coach Rob Orellana helped get things off the ground in 2007. Location was a big selling point early on as the Canary Islands are Europe's No. 1 vacation destination — the continent's own version of Hawaii.
Enrollment for the tuition-based academy started at 18, jumped to 42 in 2008 and is now maxed out at 85 from 35 different countries.
Boris Bojanovsky (7-foot-3 Florida State senior), Shane Hammink (Valparaiso) and Ryan Richards (drafted by the Spurs in 2010) are a few of the success stories among 70 players who have made the move to Division I schools in the United States.
"We try to keep their options open — every kid is different," Orellana said. "But 90 percent of our kids have the goal of coming to the states to play college basketball."
Canarias Basketball Academy has made four trips to the United States since November.
"The overall speed of the game is the biggest adjustment our kids have to make here," Orellana said. "If we were here from June 15 and did the whole summer gauntlet, we would be a different animal (competitively)."
Basketball isn't the only aspect of the trip that gets the CBA players excited.
"They saw a Corvette at the car rental place and were like ‘Wow.' Ford Mustangs, Chargers are a big deal," Orellana said.
And the food?
"El Pollo Loco was a big success for lunch yesterday. In-N-Out Burger, had to have that."
A glance at CBA standouts at The Big One
- Ivan Aurrecoechea, a 6-7 forward from Madrid, Spain, who knows how to operate around the bucket.
- Elroi Butler, a 5-11 guard from Israel. Butler's father, Gabriel Butler, is a famous R&B singer in Israel (you can see his
discography here). Orellana indicated that Elroi may be in some hot water back home due to Israel's military service mandate and probably won't be returning in the near future.
- Levy Miguel, a 6-2 guard from Angola. His father, Fernando Miguel, is Angola's ambassador to the Phillipines.
- Dimitrije Nikola, a 6-10 forward Serbia.
- Li Shengzhe, a 6-10, 255-pound specimen from China. He's a work in progress but looks the part in a big way and is fairly mobile for his size and age.
- Milan Stakic, a 7-footer from Bosnia with good skill and mobility.
- Issa Thiam, a wiry 6-9 wing from Senegal. Showed range to the 3-point stripe and was a hound on the defensive end.
- Josh Tomaic, a 6-foot-9 2017 prospect from the Canary Islands, undoubtedly drew the attention of college coaches in Irvine. Like many of the CBA players he's an unfinished product, but was one of the team's primary ballhandlers and moves fluidly for someone that size. Major potential.
