LAS VEGAS - Nearly a month into his unorthodox NBA journey, with less than three games of Summer League experience on his brief resume, Bruno Caboclo sat on the Raptors bench, towel draped over his head as he wiped the tears that were building up in his eyes. Its been a week of firsts for the young Brazilian, a roller coaster of emotions that culminated in a frustrating evening. Five days ago he signed his first NBA contract, a "dream come true" as he described it. Three days ago he played in his first NBA game - scoring the first bucket for Torontos Summer League entry in Las Vegas - and on Monday he had his first real NBA learning experience, one he wont soon forget. With his team down by almost 30 points late in the third quarter, frustration already starting to boil over after committing his seventh turnover, Caboclo went up to contest highflying Mavericks rookie C.J. Fair, who would end up putting the 18-year-old on the wrong end of a poster. To make matters worse, he was assigned a technical foul for his reaction after being dunked on. Still unfamiliar with all of the leagues rules and hindered by a significant language barrier, Caboclo believed he had been ejected, heading straight to the bench where he remained for the duration of the game. "I wanted to get him back in the game," said Jesse Mermuys, Raptors assistant and Summer League head coach, following his teams lopsided 88-57 loss to Dallas. "I wanted him to get back out there but he was definitely overwhelmed at that point." For all the upside and the justifiable excitement surrounding the intriguing, albeit mysterious Brazilian here at the leagues annual summer tournament - his athleticism, competitive spirit, impressive defensive instincts and a wingspan you have to see to believe - this served as a reminder. Nothing about his learning process is easy, there are going to be bumps along the way. "Weve got to remember Bruno is 18-years-old," Mermuys cautioned. "He is a kid who does not speak English, this is his first experience. I cant tell you guys how proud I am of that kid." "Im super pleased that he was put in this position, the fight that he showed and that he showed an emotion and you could tell how much he cared and how much he felt bad that they were losing like that," Mermuys said of the Raptors 20th overall selection in last months draft. "You find out what a kids like and what a players like in those types of situations, you really find out who they are. And we have a great kid and a great competitor. And so from that standpoint today was a big success." With the exceptional, life-changing opportunity Caboclo has been offered by Masai Ujiri and the Raptors, comes the challenge - in his case, a unique challenge - that inevitably goes with it. Caboclo, the leagues youngest player, is just weeks into the extensive and trying process of learning the game, his coaches, teammates and a new language in a continent hes only visited once before. His translator and closest advisor Eduardo Resende has returned home, leaving for Brazil on Sunday after helping to ease Caboclos transition. Now, hes on his own. "The best way to learn is by being thrown into the fire," said a member of the Raptors front office, who has been impressed and pleasantly surprised with Caboclos quick progress. Through three games in Vegas, Caboclo is averaging 11.3 points, 1.0 steal, 3.7 turnovers and 5.3 fouls, shooting 41 per cent in 25.0 minutes per contest. He has been confident and assertive, showing flashes of what he can become with some seasoning, hard work, and added muscle. On the court, communication issues have been noticeable, as you might expect. Often, his coaches will point to the spot on the floor hes expected to be, with teammates directing him and screaming out his name. Lucas "Bebe" Nogueira, his teammate and countryman, has been an asset, serving as a translator on the floor and relaying information to Caboclo in his native Portuguese. Sitting next to an emotional Caboclo on the bench, Nogueira was the first to console the Raptors forward, offering him words of encouragement and advice. "Its American basketball, its not Brazil, its not Europe," the 21-year-old Nogueira told Caboclo. "Here, everybody [can] jump. Keep playing, think about [the] next play. Dont think about the last play. If youre thinking about the last play, you are giving up. Never give up. Use that dunk on you [to] grow up. Mermuys admits he may have overextended Caboclo a bit in the second half but didnt want to take him out of the game because he was playing so hard. Although the frustrations of the moment and the high standard hes set for himself may have played a part in Caboclos emotional outburst, Nogueira offered up another interesting explanation. "In Brazil you dont have athletic players like C.J. Fair and other guys," Nogueira said. "Americans are amazing, its amazing, everyone can jump here. In Brazil, no. Nobody dunk on him there, because he is big and hes athletic. And hes 18-years-old, so its normal he is sad." By all accounts, Caboclo is a sponge both on and off the floor, eager to learn and highly motivated to get better. Hes about three weeks into his English lessons, spending 90 minutes with his tutor almost every day before games and practices. In the hopes of better communicating with his coaches and teammates, the first sentence he asked to learn was, "Where do I go?," a question he asks frequently in practice, to the delight of the team. A lesson is only as good as what youre willing to take from it. The Raptors are confident that Caboclo will continue to evolve with each roadblock he faces. As for the emotional outpour, they see it as positive quality rather than a sign of weakness. "I just think the kid has a big heart," Mermuys said. "He tried to put us on his shoulders, he was battling out there and his emotions came to the surface because of the situation we were in. I would be frustrated if I was him too, I was frustrated as the coach. We didnt get much fight, we were down 30 and thats a tough situation in front of a crowd for your third NBA game. Its tough." "I think Bruno, he has a good head and I think thats going to help him to grow up," Nogueira echoed. "I know he is young, but a great guy. I think that play will help him in the future. He is never giving up." Chukwuma Okorafor Steelers Jersey . 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He also returned two kickoffs for 79 yards including a 61-yarder.OTTAWA, ON: Canada will send 11 entries, for a total of 16 athletes, to the 2014 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei. The event takes place from January 20-26, 2014, at the Taipei Arena. The Canadian team will have three entries in mens, ladies, and ice dance, and two entries in pair. Elladj Baldé, 23, Pierrefonds, Que, representing Club de Patinage des Deux-Rives, will be the first entry in the mens category. Baldé finished 18th at this event in 2013. This season, he placed fourth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, and seventh at Skate Canada International. He trains out of the Detroit Skating Club with coaches Yuka Sato and Jason Dungjen. Nam Nguyen, 15, Burnaby, B.C., will be the second Canadian entry in mens. This is his first international assignment at the senior level. Last season, he placed 12th at the 2013 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Nguyen most recently placed fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Figure Skating Championships. He is coached by Brian Orser at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club. Jeremy Ten, 24, Vancouver, B.C., will also represent Canada in mens. Representing the North Shore Winter Club, Ten has previously competed at this event in 2012, placing 14th, and 2009, placing seventh. This season, he placed third at the 2013 Nebelhorn Trophy, and sixth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. He is coached by Joanne McLeod and Neil Wilson at the BC Centre of Excellence. In ladies, veteran Amélie Lacoste, 25, Delson, Que., will lead the way. Representing CPA du Roussillon, the 2012 Canadian Champion has previously competed at this event six times (2005, 2009-2013). This season, she placed fifth at Skate Canada International, sixth at Trophée Eric Bompard, and earned bronze at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Lacoste is coached by Christy Krall in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Véronik Mallet, 19, Sept-Îles, Que., is the second Canadian entry in ladies. This will be the first time competing at this event for the representative of CPA Sept-Îles. This season, Mallet placed eighth at Skate Canada International and fourth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Mallet is coached by Annie Barabé and Sophie Richard at CTC Contrecoeur. Alaine Chartrand, 17, Prescott, Ont., rounds out the Canadian entries in the ladies category. This will be her first international assignment at the senior level. The 2013 Canadian bronze medallist also placed eighth at the 2013 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Most recently, she placed fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. She is ccoached by Michelle Leigh and Leonid Birinberg, and trains at the Nepean Skating Club.dddddddddddd Natasha Purich, 18, Sherwood Park, Alta., and Mervin Tran, 23, Regina, Sask., are one of two Canadian pair entries. Representing Ice Palace FSC and CPA Saint-Léonard, the pair placed sixth at Nebelhorn Trophy and Trophée Eric Bompard this season. Purich and Tran also placed fourth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They train at CPA Saint-Léonard and are coached by Richard Gauthier and Bruno Marcotte. Margaret Purdy, 19, Strathroy, Ont., and Michael Marinaro, 22, Sarnia, Ont., will be the second Canadian entry in pair. Representing Watford FSC and Point Edward SC, the pair placed eighth at both of their international assignments this season, Skate America and Skate Canada International. Purdy and Marinaro also placed fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They are coached by Scott Rachuk and Alison Purkiss at the Competitive Skating Centre of Strathroy. Two-time Canadian medallists Piper Gilles, 22, Toronto, Ont., and Paul Poirier, 22, Unionville, Ont., are the first of three Canadian entries in ice dance. Last season, they placed fifth at this event. This season, they placed fifth at NHK Trophy, sixth at Rostelecom Cup, and fourth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They are coached by Carol Lane and Juris Razgulajevs at Ice Dance Elite in Scarborough, Ont. Nicole Orford, 21, Burnaby, B.C., and Thomas Williams, 22, Okotoks, Alta., are the second Canadian entry in ice dance. Representing Inlet SC and Calalta Community FSC, they are the 2013 Canadian bronze medallists. This season, they won bronze at the 2013 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic, and placed fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They are coached by Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe at the B.C. Centre of Excellence. Kharis Ralph, 21, Toronto, Ont., and Asher Hill, 22, Pickering, Ont., will also represent Canada in ice dance. They previously competed at this event in 2010, placing sixth. This season, they placed fourth at the Cup of Nice, won bronze at NRW Trophy, and placed sixth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Ralph and Hill train out of Scarboro FSC and are coached by Carol Lane and Juris Razgulajevs. The team leaders for this event are Petra Burka of Toronto, Ont., and Manon Perron of Boucherville, Que. Dr. Ed Pilat, Winnipeg, Man., will be the Canadian team doctor and Agnes Makowski of Toronto, Ont., will be the team physiotherapist. Canadian officials at the event are Susan Blatz of Burlington, Ont., Pam Chislett of Grand Prairie, Alta., Andrea Derby of Windsor, Ont., and Jeff Lukasik, of Calgary, Alta. 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