Xaivian Lee Competes at Global Jam
Recently, Xaivian Lee participated in the Global Jam, a live exhibition tournament where Canada fielded an under-23 team alongside an NCAA representative and two international teams. This year, Canada featured an all-Division 1 roster, showcasing many of the country’s top talent, including Lee, as opposed to the usual low-major and university players from previous seasons.
The NCAA was represented by the Georgetown team, which is anticipated to be a strong competitor in the Big East. The other teams included Brazil and Japan. Before discussing Lee’s individual performance, it’s essential to outline how the tournament unfolded for Canada.
The Tournament Format and Canada’s Journey
With a collaborative effort between Canada Basketball and the NCAA, expectations were high for both entities. The tournament followed a straightforward round-robin format, leading to a gold medal match between the top two teams. Unfortunately, things did not unfold as planned for Canada.
Canada opened its campaign against Brazil, suffering a defeat with a score of 85-78 due to Brazil’s strong defensive play. This loss set the stage for a crucial match against Georgetown, which Canada managed to win 65-62. They believed that defeating Japan by a significant margin, contingent on the USA beating Brazil, would secure their place in the gold medal match.
The Dramatic Turn of Events
In a surprising twist, Brazil figured out that even if they lost to the USA by more than 2 but less than 13 points, they could advance. This strategy became pivotal as Canada and the USA both achieved overwhelming victories against Japan. In a tense final moment against the USA, Brazil committed an intentional foul, allowing the USA to score, which ultimately ensured Brazil’s advancement despite their loss.
Unaware of Brazil’s strategy, Canada entered their match against Japan hoping to win by 34 points, believing it would grant them advancement by point differential. However, they soon learned that it was no longer possible to advance, resulting in a lackluster start against Japan. They managed to secure a 15-point victory but finished the tournament in third place with a 2-1 record, including a win over Georgetown.
Lee’s Performance in the Tournament
In terms of individual performance, Lee played significant minutes across all three games, showcasing his value to the Canadian team. His contributions included strong passing and an ability to find open teammates, especially through skip passes that led to corner threes. However, he occasionally hesitated to take advantage of scoring opportunities in the paint, which is an area he can improve.
He demonstrated solid shooting skills, finishing 7 of 19 from three-point range, indicating potential for his performance at Florida. Lee hit a mix of difficult shots off the bounce and more straightforward opportunities off screens, highlighting his shooting versatility. However, his defensive skills were a concern, as he struggled with lateral movement and navigating ball screens, an area he will need to focus on to develop into a top SEC guard.
Conclusion
Despite Canada’s overall disappointing finish, Lee’s performance was commendable and will serve him well in his off-season conditioning. His ability to log significant minutes throughout the tournament will prepare him as he heads back to Gainesville to gear up for the upcoming college basketball season.
