With national championships right around the corner, the Charlatan breaks down the competition. Here are the eight teams competing from March 13th – 15th at Scotiabank Place.
1. Carleton Ravens
For the first time in five years, the host Carleton Ravens will not be introduced as defending champions. After losing to the Acadia University Axemen in the semifinals of last year’s tournament. The team finished off the regular season with a 22-1 record and trounced the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees and the University of Western Ontario Mustangs in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) playoffs en route to the OUA crown.
The Ravens’ defence, led by Defensive Player of the Year Rob Saunders, is sure to cause fits for any team. Without a doubt, the Ravens enter the tournament as the heavy favourite.
The Ravens boast two of the nation’s best men in forward Aaron Doornekamp and swingman Stuart Turnbull. This will be the final tournament in which fifth-year players Saunders, Doornekamp and Turnbull will compete.
2. University of Calgary Dinos
The U of C Dinos enter the tournament as the number 2 seed, and barely survived a stunning 21-point comeback by the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in the Canada West final to earn their berth at the National Championships.
The Dinos boast a solid starting five, led by second team all-star Henry Bekkering, who averaged over 20 points a game in the regular season. The Dinos have a large line-up with six players measuring in at 6’6 or taller.
3. UBC Thunderbirds
The UBC Thunderbirds stunned the University of Calgary Dinos in the Canada West final, storming from a 21-point deficit in the second half to tie the game with four minutes left, before ultimately succumbing to a late three-pointer.
The team is led by Canada West all-star Chris Dyck, who shone in the Canada West final with 23 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.
4. University of Western Ontario Mustangs
The nationally third-ranked Mustangs limp into the National Championships on the heels of a 14-point loss to the top-ranked Carleton Ravens in the OUA final, a game in which the Mustangs shot a dismal 29 per cent from the floor.
They are a threat with a strong inside game, outscoring the Ravens 28-18 in the paint in the OUA Final. The Mustangs most important player is OUA West Defensive Player of the Year Alex Brzozowicz.
5. Ottawa Gee-Gees
The Gee-Gees will play in front of a home crowd for the first time at the National Championships after earning the OUA Bronze Medal against the Windsor Lancers. The Gee-Gees are a strong team bolstered by midseason transfer Josh Wright.
Centre Dax Dessereault played a strong second half in the Bronze Medal game, and will be looking to be a dominating force in the paint at Scotiabank Place, while guards Josh Gibson-Bascombe, Jacob Gibson-Bascombe and Wright can paralyze teams with their speed. The Gee-Gees have never advanced past the semifinals at Nationals, and will be looking to make a major impression.
6. Dalhousie University Tigers
The Dalhousie Tigers were the unexpected winners of the Atlantic University Sports (AUS) final, defeating the AUS’s top-ranked St. Francis Xavier University X-Men 72-60. The Tigers received 47 points from star guard Simon Farine in the quarterfinals and a 25-point contribution from guard Josh Beattie in the final.
The Tigers are on fire heading into the national championships. Farine and Beattie are players to watch out for, as both can explode from the three-point arc.
7. Concordia University Stingers
The Concordia Stingers return to Ottawa for the National Championships after earning a berth by staging an impressive comeback over the Université de Québec à Montréal Citadins in the Quebec final. The Stingers were down 10 at the half, but rookie forward Evens Laroche shot 11/12 on his way to a 28-point game, and Quebec league MVP Damian Buckley contributed 21 points and 11 assists to the cause.
Balanced scoring is one of the Stingers’ strengths, so receiving timely defensive stops will be a key to success at the National Championships. The Stingers can depend on Buckley, but will require secondary scoring from the supporting cast if they want to succeed on the national stage.
8. St. Francis Xavier X-Men
The X-Men were shocked by the Dalhousie Tigers victory in the AUS final, leaving the country’s coaches to decide if the X-Men would garner a wildcard spot. As a result the X-Men will walk into Scotiabank Place as the 8 seed.
The X-Men boast two AUS first team all-stars in guards Tyler Richards and Christian Upshaw, who averaged 19 and 20 points per game, respectively. However, they lack size and will be in tough against some of the bigger teams in the tournament because of it.