CIS Hoops.ca

After a couple of days away from anything and everything wired, we're back temporarily but tomorrow morning will be leaving on an extended excursion to the Maritimes during which time we hopefully will check in with a few CIS basketball personalities and hopefully have time to communicate our thoughts along the way.

Canada's men's entry at the FISU Games posted a pair of pre-tournament victories in the lead up to tomorrow's opening game against Thailand. On Saturday, Canada came away with a 12 point victory over Australia and yesterday defeated China by 19. According to Head Coach Chris O'Rourke, Canada got strong performances from their guards, who were all good at different points in the game. O'Rourke also added that Theo Davis was very good off the bench. Canada begins play tomorrow at 5:30 AM eastern time against the host Thailand team. As of now, it appears Canada will start 6'1" Tristan Blackwood at the point, 6'3" Jamie McNeilly and 6'3" Garry Gallimore on the wings and 6'7" J.P. Morin and 6'10" Neil MacDonald up front. Thus far, with 3 CIS players starting and another, Josh Gibson-Bascombe, in the 11 man rotation, our league is well represented. We hope to have a report on the game prior to getting in the car to go out East.

Thanks to Wellsie for passing along this link from today's Calgary Herald by Kristen Odland which highlights Ross Bekkering, a member of Canada's FISU games men's team Bekkering battles his way to Bangkok

Good friend Craig Norman, starting his fourth season at McGill this coming fall, has a solid incoming class of recruits that he passed along to us recently. Headlining the class is 6'3" Moustafa El Zanaty, who spent his first 3 seasons of eligibility in the U.S., most recently with NAIA Fresno Pacific, where he averaged 10.1 ppg in 2005-06. El Zanaty is also a tremendous student, studying business managemet and was named one of only five NAIA Men's Basketball All-America Scholar Athletes in 2005-06. In his final season of CEGEP play in the earlier this decade, El Zanaty led Champlain St. Lambert in scoring with over 27 points per game. He will have 2 seasons of eligibility remaining. McGill was also able to attract another U.S. player to their roster in 6'2" Sam Goulet 6’2” PG (Las Vegas, NV/Bishop Gorman). Goulet was described as "a lead guard with excellent court instincts and legitimate ability to knock down perimeter shots" by a Western U.S.A. scouting service after his junior season but suffered through an injury-plagued senior year during which he played in only 8 games, averaging 9 points per game. In 6'4" Kyle Bernard 6’4” G (Montreal, QC/John Abbott), the Redmen get a leader-type who was captain of the CCAA Bronze medal winning John Abbott club, garnering not only Quebec league all-star status but CCAA Academic All-Canadian status. In Cole Allinger 6’5” F (North Vancouver, BC/Handsworth), the Redmen get a big, tough (230 pound) forward who has played at the highest levels of the B.C. basketball system and teamed with 6'11" Robert Sacre (headed to Gonzaga) in high school. Rounding out the newest Redmen are 6'1" Jeff Cummings G (Victoria, B.C./ Champlain St. Lambert) and 6'1" Sebastien Gatti G (Montreal, QC/Dawson College AA)

Finally, Canada has sent a makeshift team to a top international tournament in Argentina. Originally scheduled to send our Sr. Men's team to the Argentina Super 4 tournament that includes defending world champions Spain, Uruguay and the host Argentina squad as a lead up to the FIBA Americas Olympic qualifier, Canada Basketball apparently felt sending the senior team to this event may have meant too many lead up games, especially with the "Tuto Marchand Cup" tournament, slated for Puerto Rico between August 16th and August 18th in which Canada will meet Argentina, Puerto Rico and Brazil, coming up next week. In a recent press release, Canada Basketball announced the selection of a "Development National Team" that will now represent Canada at the Super 4 Tournament in Argentina. The first game of the tournament for Canada was today against the defending world champions from Spain in Santa Fe. Here is the roster which includes current or former CIS players 6'8" J.R. Bailey (Guelph), 6'2" Osvaldo Jeanty (Carleton), 6'5" Kevin Kloostra (Windsor), 6'5" Paul Larmand (Carleton), 5'10" Domenic Marcario (McGill), 6'9" Will Njoku (St. Mary's) and 6'8" Greg Surmacz (Windsor). The team will be coached by a pair of successful Ontario high school coaches: Roy Rana (Toronto Eastern Commerce) and Richard Gallacher (Scarborough Mother Theresa).

NAME POSITION HEIGHT LAST SCHOOL/CLUB HOMETOWN YOB
JR Bailey Forward 6'8" University of Guelph (CIS) Toronto, ON 1983
Sefton Barrett Forward 6'6" Central Michigan (NCAA) Brampton, ON 1983
Sean Denison Centre 6'11" Santa Clara (NCAA) Nelson, BC 1985
Dejan Grkovic Forward 6'8" UNC - Wilmington (NCAA) Hamilton, ON 1984
Adrian Hynes-Guery Guard 6'4" Dawson College (CCAA) Montreal, QC 1987
Osvaldo Jeanty Guard 6'0" Carleton University (CIS) Ottawa, ON 1983
Kevin Kloostra Guard 6'4" University of Windsor (CIS) Sarnia, ON 1983
Paul Larmand Forward 6'6" Quebec City (ABA) Victoria Harbour, ON 1980
Domenico Marcario Guard 5'10" Roanne (France) Montreal, QC 1979
William Njoku Forward 6'9" F. Rabotnicki (Macedonia) Halifax, NS 1972
Jordan Sabourin Centre 7'0" Bielefeld (Germany) Sarnia, ON 1981
Greg Surmacz Forward 6'8" University of Windsor (CIS) Peterborough, ON 1985
Team Staff
Name Position School/Club
Roy Rana Head Coach Eastern Commerce(HS)
Richard Gallacher Assistant Coach Mother Theresa (HS)
Travis Hind Manager Toronto Raptors
Tahir Khan Athletic Therapist N/A