Canadian men’s basketball team improvises when bus break down at Pan Ams

TORONTO – The Canadian men’s basketball team is ready to roll at the Pan American Games. Its bus was not Monday.

Unfazed when told their bus had broken down en route after practice, the team hailed cabs.

That led to the sight of seven-foot-five Sim Bhullar folding himself into the front seat of a taxi across the street from the Mattamy Athletic Centre. The big man from the Sacramento Kings did it with surprising grace.

A truer test awaits Tuesday when Canada, ranked 25th in the world, opens its Pan Am campaign against the 20th-ranked Dominican Republic in Pool B. Games against No. 3 Argentina and No. 19 Mexico follow.

With semifinals Friday and medal matches Saturday, Canada could face five games in as many nights.