Bunce to Toronto for Junior National Team Canada Tryout

Kelowna basketball player Braxston Bunce is one step closer to being named to Team Canada's Junior National Development Team.

Bunce will leave for Toronto Saturday morning for a week-long training camp in advance of the FIBA Americas Basketball Championships in Brazil June 16 to 20.

The 6-foot-11 Bunce is among 17 hopefuls still remaining in Team Canada's training camp with 12 expected to make the trip to Brazil. The final cuts will be made sometime next week. Bunce survived the first set of cuts after a three day tryout in Toronto late last month.

"I feel confident in my spot but there is no guarantee," said Bunce, a KSS grad who is among three players vying for what is likely two spots at the centre position. "If I go in and keep doing what I did last week I think I will be fine. I'm optimistic going into camp."

Bunce may have a hand up on the other centre hopefuls as last summer he made the Team Canada Junior Development squad that played in the World Championships. This year he feels like he can play more of a roll.

"I definitely feel a lot stronger this year," said Bunce, who was named the B.C. high school basketball player of the year this season. "I'm a lot more confident in my game and overall I'm stronger and my body feels better."

Bunce will begin an NCAA basketball career at Cornell University this fall.

Fellow KSS basketball star Mitch Goodwin was also at the first set of tryouts but failed to make the cut.

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