Saved from the distant lands surrounding the Canadian Tire Centre out in Kanata, this years annual Capital Hoops Classic will take place at TD place on Feb. 7. U-Sports’ biggest basketball rivalry will tip off its 13th edition–for the first time without legendary Carleton head coach Dave Smart.
Taking place in the same arena as this years’ national championships–in little over a month’s time–this game serves as a preview to the tournament.
Despite the change in head coach, the Carleton University Ravens are looking as formidable ever and have sat atop the national standings for the entire season with a 19-0 record.
Freshmen Lloyd Pandi has stood out in his first year of action in the OUA, pushing himself to the front of the line in rookie of the year race. He leads the OUA in field goal percentage at 66.7 per cent. Connor Vreeken, also in his first year of eligibility, has been shooting 39 per cent from beyond the arch.
Their opponents, the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees, have put together a respectable 15-4 record this season. They have struggled since losing in a tight four point encounter to Carleton back in December, and have lost three of their last ten games including a blowout loss to Ryerson. They are currently standing sixth in the nation and have an automatic berth to nationals.
The Gee-Gees are led by Calvin Epistola, the fifth-year senior who recently tallied 1,000 career points in his U Sports career. Despite individual success, he’s had a mixed bag of form against Carleton and has not won Capital Hoops since 2016 when he was a rookie.
Epistola’s support act is comprised of wing forward Guillaume Pepin, the six-foot-six Montreal native who averages 14.2 points per game. He will look to contribute on both ends of the floor and rack up the defensive plays to work on boosting his two steals-per-game average.
Bringing some attack off the bench will be rookie Kevin Civil, the guard playing the third most minutes on the team despite only starting in three games. He’s been productive on the court this season, averaging 12.1 points per game.
But the key for the Gee-Gees will be getting the ball in Epistola’s hands, and hoping he goes off, in the face of the stingiest defence in the league.
The game is posed to be a hotly contested one, with several Carleton players making their final bow in the rivalry game.
Two time defensive player of the year Marcus Anderson, Fredericton native Stanley Mayambo and Glebe Collegiate graduate Yasiin Joseph have been pillars of the team in the past five years–but this may well be their last chance to win one over their crosstown rivals.
With student tickets sold out, expect a lively atmosphere. Carleton is 11-2 all time in Capital Hoops games.
Feature image from file.
