1. At times like these, it’s worth taking a few breaths and looking at the big picture. First of all, Canadian basketball has never been in better shape. They went 7-2 this summer (all games) and absolutely dominated at FIBA America’s last summer. And while they didn’t have their full compliment of Canadian NBA players with them in Manila, the participation of the NBA contingent has been pretty robust, overall.

There doesn’t appear to be any conflict within the basketball community that seems to be preventing any of Canada’s best from playing as a point of principle as may have been the case when Jamaal Magloire passed on the national team for years or even when Steve Nash himself stopped playing for Canada after Jay Triano was let go as coach in 2004. The pool of players is pretty deep. Canada had six NBA players not with them in Manila, four of them first-round picks. The national team is organized, ambitious and it’s hard to find imagine more qualified leaders than Jay Triano, Steve Nash and Rowan Barrett.

They have international pedigree, NBA credentials and with Barrett’s son, Rowan Jr. gaining recognition as an elite NBA prospect at age 16, strong ties to the development side of the game. Had Canada avoided disaster against Venezuela a year ago, chances are their problem would be who not to take to Rio, rather than who didn’t show up in the Philippines.

2. But they still lost and this generation of Canadian players, led by Triano etc. is now 0-3 in opportunities to qualify for major international competitions, having missed out making it the Worlds in the summer of 2013 and the 2016 Olympics twice. Does something need to change? I can understand that sentiment, but the question is always: what is the alternative? I suppose there is some international guru who could come in as a hired gun and theoretically do a better job than Triano, or someone from the Canadian community who might have better luck, but objectively it’s tough see how you would quantify why you would make the change.

My sense is that if Triano didn’t exist we’d be crying about the need for someone like him: an individual with international success as a player and coach, who has been recognized as a valuable voice by three NBA teams and who absolutely bleeds Canadian basketball. There were quibbles about his rotations at times in the first three games but in the against France he went pretty brand-name down the stretch – Bennett, Thompson, Cory Joseph and Tyler Ennis were all on the floor in crunch time — and France simply proved the better team.

3. I’ve said this before: I’m not going to rip on players who don’t play for Canada, in particular ones that have played for Canada in the past. I’d rather recognize the one’s that do play. In part this is because I don’t feel right – and this is a personal thing – vilifying people for not giving up their time risk to their health for what is essentially a volunteer mission. Also because it will feel weird to make a big deal about guys not playing this summer and then shower them with praise if and when they do play and they lead Canada to a silver medal or something.

Of the Canadian NBA players not playing this summer Andrew Wiggins and Nik Stauskas are taking their share of heat because they’re healthy and under contract. It is very much their choice not to play – Triano made clear before the tournament that NBA players who want to play internationally don’t need the permission of their clubs (although you’d have to think it’s best for all concerned if it’s done cooperatively). You’d like to think that Stauskas and Wiggins feel like they had some unfinished business this summer after each of them struggled against Venezuela – Wiggins with four tentative turnovers; Stauskas essentially a no-show with food poisoning. But each had their reasons and you have to respect that.

I will say this: Canada is going to need players who are willing and able to make some sacrifices if they are ever going to win a medal internationally. That’s why what Thompson did this summer was so important and Joseph too. They jumped in after long tough NBA seasons. Things will never line-up perfectly for everyone. Contracts will always be an issue. Life events will come up. The circumstances may not be ideal. But you either want to experience international success or you don’t. And given how prominent international basketball has become and it will be awkward if at the end of their careers some of the best players Canada has ever had have a big hole on that part of their resume. I thought Nash’s comments, post-game, on the issue, were interesting: “I’m not sure overall if the Olympics resonate with the younger generation like it did, especially in certain spite have the sports. The world is changing all the time that it’s just one of those things. Kids have so many more options now to use and outlets. It doesn’t quite have the same resonance that it did before.”

Bonus time: Give credit to those who did make the trip. Levon Kendal and Joel Anthony in particular. Each played for Canada when the odds were truly stacked against them having any success and it was a great example for two men, both fathers with new kids, to play for Canada this summer with no guarantee that they’d even be on the Olympic roster if Canada qualified. Kendall didn’t even get to play in Manila and Anthony only got a few minutes against Senegal but their contributions shouldn’t be overlooked.

Cory Joseph plays so hard it’s impossible not to appreciate him, but he knows his faults. Even as he was keeping Canada close with France thanks to 20 points and six assists, you could see France increasing the pressure on him. Even with the Raptors Dwane Casey has pointed out Joseph’s tendency to ‘get sped up’ under pressure. What happened against France? He coughed the ball up seven times, many of them at critical moments: “We had a lot of turnovers, they sped me up a little bit and I had a lot of turnovers today,” said Joseph. “So that’s something I have to work on and get better for the next time.”

Nash identified shooting as an area of concern for the national team and it was glaring in this tournament. Canada shot 26 per cent from three for the tournament. Phil Scrubb and Brady Heslip – Canada’s best shooters — finished the week shooting 4-of-25 from deep.

And finally, Melvin Ejim is signed to play in Italy next season and is most likely at the beginning of what will be a long and lucrative European career that will see him gravitate to the best clubs in the world. He was Canada’s best player in the final, finishing with 19 points and making all four of his threes. It would be great to see him get a true NBA look, but regardless he’s clearly a special basketball player, with smarts, skills and athleticism that could help any team at any level.