CIS Hoops.ca

AUS mid-season grades by Chad Lucas on his Posting Up blog

Brandon weekend preview from Brandon Sports

Kevin Mitchell of the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix covers the recent milestones reached by 6'8" Andrew Spagrud Spagrud quietly coasts into CIS record book

Wayne Thomas previews Calgary at Brandon... Bobcats Lair is Well Protected Unwary visitors to the lair of the perennial Great Plains champion Brandon Bobcats are regularly mauled and spit out by the dangerous 'Cats. The Calgary Dinos come into the dingy, battle-scarred gym with hopes of solidifying their #2 CIS ranking, and giving themselves a preview of a possible Canada West Final in March. Brandon is 8-0 at home, and they will be the Dinos toughest opponent of the regular season with home court advantage. The Bobcats have a veteran team led by their two high scorers, Adam Hartman (18.4 ppg) and Dany Charlery (18 ppg); Hartman is a 6'5" post who flies a little under the radar when you think of the 'power players' in Canada West, but his guile and toughness are at the centre of Brandon's success. Charlery is a slashing wing player who will be a tough match-up for the Dinos, and he has saved some of his best games for Calgary in the past. Point guard Yul Michel, scoring at 11.4 ppg and leading the 'Cats in assists with 5.3 pg, is also primed to play his best when facing Calgary, and the match-up with Jeff Price will be one of the best of the season. Brandon has the size to match the Dinos with 6'7" Stevens Marcelin, a former winner of the Canada West rebound title (7.3 pg this season), and he is joined by the muscular Yuri Whyms, at 6'8", another big load on the glass , who has 7.9 boards a game. Tarik Tokar, another talented guard can be called upon to score and create hoops with his fine passing. Calgary will counter with their 'big 3' up front, and Henry Bekkering will be the top scoring threat with help from Robbie Sihota and Price. Ross Bekkering is leading Canada West in rebounding with 10 boards per game, and he throws in 12 pts. as well. Calgary leads the league with an average of 87 a game, with an average spread of 10.6 pts., while Brandon leads in scoring margin with 11.4, with the league's 2nd best defensive record of 71.8 pts. against. There really isn't much to choose between these two Division leaders, with home court, perhaps, being the deciding factor, but the Dinos may well be up for this mid-winter challenge against the winningest team in CIS Basketball over the past 20 years.
Match-ups ...
Calgary Brandon
Point Jeff Price 5'11" Yul Michel 6'
2 guard Cody Darrah 6'4"/Tyler Fidler 6'8" Tarik Tokar 6'3"
3 man Henry Bekkering 6'6" Dany Charlery 6'3"
4 man Ross Bekkering 6'8" Adam Hartman 6'5"
5 man Robbie Sihota 6'6" Yuri Whyms 6'8"/Stevens Marcelin 6'7"
Calgary will bring Josh Lovestone (6'5") and Joe Schow (6'9") in at the post, and Jeremy Odland will play some minutes at the wing spot. Brandon uses Nathan Grant as a back-up guard, but the big three of Charlery, Michel, and Hartman will control the action for the home team. Game time is 7:00 pm Mountain on Saturday with a broadcast TBA
Notes ...
> Live stats for the Dinos-Regina clash tonight starting at 7:00 pm MTN ... check in to the Cougars website.
> Interesting comments from Coach Don Horwood of the U of A Golden Bears regarding the NCAA aspirations of some Canadian Universities. Horwood, whose own school has expressed some interest, asks 'Why would we want to play NCAA Division II with teams like Carroll College, Montana Tech and the like?" Horwood suggests that move would not benefit his program or Canadian basketball. "The fans would not get an improved quality of play, and why would we want to go to Montana and Washington State for league games?" He also points out that eligibility rules in sports like hockey would not allow any of the players on the present roster of the vaunted Bears hockey squad to play in the NCAA. A very good interview with thoughtful comments from the veteran coach on this timely topic.
> Another big match-up this weekend in Canada West has UBC traveling to Victoria with 1st place on the line in the Pacific Division. Also interesting to see how SFU, 88-73 winners at UBC on Tuesday, will fare as they hit the road at Alberta and Saskatchewan Friday and Saturday.
> Par for the course on the Plains this weekend ... lows of -27C in Regina tonight and -31C in Brandon Saturday ... bundle up Deano ! Crank the heat up at the old 'Super 8' !