International Intrigue: Here is your FIBA Americas and Eurobasket Update

Basketball-starved as we are, it's refreshing to know that somewhere out there the sport is being played with vigour and passion. As we tumble into September, there are two international tournaments of note. The FIBA Americas tournament, which we've written about before, continued on this past weekend, with Canada playing in three games. Meanwhile, across the ocean, Eurobasket 2015 officially got under way.

Let's recap.

FIBA Americas

Unfortunately no one let the FIBA Americas organizers know this past weekend was a long one. Despite the holiday, Team Canada squeezed in three games over four days, playing on Friday, Sunday and Monday night. Did the team go 3-0 in those games? Why, yes they did!

First, Canada faced down the whirring onslaught of J.J. Barea to beat Puerto Rico 112-92, then dismantled poor Panama 103-66 behind Brady Heslip's 23 point shooting expo, and then capped the weekend with a thorough 109-82 drubbing of Uruguay.

As expected, Andrew Wiggins is generally leading team Canada in at least one category every night: holy shit moments.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">That look from Wiggins... <a href="http://t.co/Xely9JXPfk">pic.twitter.com/Xely9JXPfk</a></p>&mdash; Zach Harper (@talkhoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/talkhoops/status/641042167214026752">September 8, 2015</a></blockquote>

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Oh, and by the way, the Raptors new backup PG, Cory "Don't spell it Corey" Joseph put up nights of 15 points and 5 assists, 15 and 3, and, um, 4 and 6. Forget that last game and instead remember he only had four turnovers for the entire weekend.

Tonight, Canada is on a collision course with the 4-0 host country Mexico to decide who goes to the Finals. (I think; this tourney is confusing.)

Game time is 20:30. Wait, I mean, 8:30 pm.

Eurobasket

Meanwhile, in everyone's second favourite European showdown (behind Eurovision, obviously), the Raptors newly paid centre Jonas Valanciunas is competing with his home country of Lithuania. So, how's that going?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Raptors going 22-60. <a href="https://t.co/i93Kgf3ENq">https://t.co/i93Kgf3ENq</a></p>&mdash; Tweetgame #9God (@IamHarshDave) <a href="https://twitter.com/IamHarshDave/status/640689236878888960">September 7, 2015</a></blockquote>

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Oh.

In JV's defense, that was Kyrylo Fesenko, last seen not playing for the Indiana Pacers. I realize this sentence does not sound good.

Second try: In JV's defense, after three games, he's second in tournament scoring (to Omri Casspi!) and tied for first in rebounding. His team is also 2-1 after a close win against the (strong) Ukraine, a beatdown of Latvia, and an inexplicable loss to Belgium. (There are basketball players in Belgium?)

Let's all just try to keep our heads here. Valanciunas is fine.

Lithuania takes on Estonia tomorrow at... Well, probably when you are asleep thanks to the time change. Check the schedule here for results.

What do you guys think of the two tournaments?