It was, pardon me, Tuto Domination.

Canada goes 4-0 down in Puerto Rico after beating the host country last night and while it’s a darn sight better than, say, 0-4, the reality of it is that the results really don’t matter.

What matters, and this is a point Jay Triano continues to make when we chat this week, is that no matter what happened results-wise this week, the only concern is that Canada is playing well next week when it counts.

That’s indisputable and I would presume in the intervening days before the FIBA Americas tournament begins that Jay hammers home the point that the last thing Canada can do is get even remotely comfortable off this week’s games.

The key is, and always has been, to be playing well and healthy next week in Mexico and these four games were played with that entirely in mind.

As he said before he left, they had an idea what combinations would work coming out of camp but that was only against each other and he had to find out what worked against legitimate competition.

It would seem that he’s settled on a predictable starting five – Joseph, Stauskas, Wiggins, Bennett and Olynyk, who banged a knee early in the Tuto but they say he’ll be fine for Mexico.

Behind them, though, the men have found that the women’s template works equally well, that depth is a key and being able to run out 10 or 11 or maybe even 12 guys a night keeps the pressure on opponents and gives Canada a decided advantage.

You’d think that would be a huge benefit when the grind in Mexico begins – for Canada it’s eight games in nine days before they even get to the semifinals – and it could be a boon.

But – and this is one of the stark realities of events like these – veteran teams that aren’t as deep know how to massage the schedule to their benefit. They know days when it really doesn’t matter whether they win or lose and that they can take some of the night off to get what’s in reality “active rest.”

They know the one true secret to events like a FIBA Americas championship and it’s not who you lose to but when you lose that counts the most. A first-round defeat at the right time is not necessarily a killer and players who’ve been around know that.

I like this Canada team an awful lot and having watched a fair amount this week – albeit on a computer screen and not in person – it’s re-affirmed that it is the most talented team Canada has ever put on the court.

Now we have to find out how collectively smart it is, how it manages emotions and a non-stop series of games that will be rough and intense and hostile.

I think they’ve been through enough this week to give them some idea but the reality of an Olympic qualifier is far, far different than the reality of the Tuto pretend event.

That’s what’s going to make next week so fascinating to me, to see if this collection of talent can truly become a team when it matters most.

-

I haven’t ventured anywhere near the Ex and don’t plan to but I might have been convinced to go see this guy in the area last night.

The Official Music Video for "American Woman" by Lenny Kravitz

-

Don’t forget the mailbag and the weekend and whatever’s been rattling around in those minds of yours.

Not much over at askdoug@thestar.ca and I’d be glad to hear from you all.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Thanks.

-

Was really nice of Encarnacion to hit that grand slam to blow open another Jays game a minute or two after 10 p.m. east so I can switch off and catch Criminal Minds and just flip back during commercials to see what I’d missed.

It’s getting like that with that baseball team: You tune in to start to catch the first few innings but there’s always a sense that inevitably, you’re going to be able click away to see what else is going on because often or not, the game gets out of hand and it’s time to move on with life.

Kinda fun in the “best of both worlds” kind of way.

And an afternoon tilt today is outstanding, I would imagine there’ll be an awful lot of late lunches happening and with the way this Jays team have been closing out games, people might actually get back to the office at some point.

That’s win-win for sure because there’s nothing like midweek day baseball every now and then.

-

So, Mexico City.

First time I’ve ever been there starts this weekend for the tournament.

Won’t be a lot of downtime and we’re staying by the airport because that’s apparently near the arena and the FIBA Americas people got us what seems to be a really good rate.

What advice have you got for me? Any must-see things for one of the two off-days? I imagine once the tournament gets going it’ll be long days in the arena but there are two dark days on the calendar and it might be possible to check some things out.

-

I see there are only five days left in the current European soccer “transfer window” and all I can think of is thank goodness that doesn’t happen on this side of the Atlantic because I don’t think any of us could handle days and days and days of marathon Transfer Deadline TV coverage.

-