The announcement of the Ravens to the preliminary roster for the qualifying event is the latest milestone in Carleton’s two decade-long dominance of men’s university basketball.
Since 2003, Carleton has won 15 of 17 national championships, more than any Canadian or American top division school has won in that time period. Carleton also has the most men’s national basketball championship wins of all time, seven more than the second place Victoria Vikes.
Carleton’s dominance of U Sports events has stretched to the Canadian men’s national basketball team as well. Carleton had five players named to the preliminary roster for this year’s qualifying event, with four of those players now on the active roster. No other university has had more than two players on Canada’s active basketball roster.
What makes the team so great is unclear. Analysts have attributed it to a series of great coaches, an emphasis on scouring Canada for the best junior players, and even sheer luck.
However, by combining Carleton’s domination at the U Sports level and its being the best-represented team on Canada’s qualifying roster, the message is clear: Ravens men’s basketball is a dynasty that dominates regardless of the setting.
It also must be said that this accomplishment bodes especially well for the team amidst the pandemic. Though the Ravens might have been held back from championships, training sessions and recruitment for much of the past year, its players’ talent and skill cannot be exaggerated in how they’ve managed to represent themselves at the national level.
Should its current players be cut from the same cloth as those selected for Canada’s active basketball roster—which is likely, given the dynasty has rarely let Carleton down in the past two decades—a strong return to U Sports can be expected in the (hopefully) near future.
On this subject, the Charlatan wishes to make its opinion known: Go Ravens Go!
Featured graphic from file.
