Canada welcomes Argentina in men's basketball World Cup qualifier Thursday in Victoria

The last time Canada's men's basketball team travelled to Victoria, the trip ended in deep disappointment.

Entering a last-chance qualification tournament for the Tokyo Games, there were high hopes that a Canada squad led by Golden State Warriors star Andrew Wiggins would clinch the team's first Olympic berth since 2000. Those hopes were scuttled by a surprising overtime loss to Czechs in the semifinals.

Just over a year later, Canada is back in the B.C. capital looking to move on from that stunning loss and keep rolling toward qualification for the FIBA 2023 World Cup.

Canada (6-0) faces its toughest task yet in qualifying when it hosts No. 7-rated Argentina on Thursday at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre, which is expected to be awash in red for the 'We the West' promotion.

After a strong showing in the first round, Canada is pooled in the second round in Group E with Argentina and Venezuela (both 5-1), Dominican Republic (4-2), Panama (2-4) and Bahamas (2-4).

"They're a well-organized group that has been together for a while. They're going to compete and be physical and it's going to be a 40-minute game, through and through," Utah Jazz guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker said of the Argentines.

"We've got to do the small things correctly, respond to runs and ultimately defend the country and the land, being at home."

This current group, which also includes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Kelly Olynyk and Cory Joseph of the Detroit Pistons, Oshae Brissett of the Indiana Pacers and Dwight Powell of the Dallas Mavericks, gathered Monday in Victoria. After Thursday, Canada travels to Panama for a game Monday.

"We've gotten, at times in this camp, the last camp and the last two games, to build on the