The Carleton Ravens men’s basketball team has another accolade to add to the list.
The team won male team of the year for the ninth time in 12 years at the Ottawa Sports Awards banquet held Jan. 28 at Algonquin College.
In 2013-14, the team boasted a 22-0 record in the regular season and a tenth national championship, their fourth consecutive.
“We feel a connection to the community,” Ravens forward Thomas Scrubb said. “It really helps us feel good about what we’re doing, which gives us confidence playing.”
While winning male team of the year, the Ravens were unlucky in other categories.
Phil Scrubb was once again nominated for male athlete of the year, but lost to professional speed skater and track cyclist Vincent De Haitre.
“I’m sure [he] deserved it more,” Philip Scrubb said. “Last year we had a great team and there were a lot of guys who could have got the MVP.”
It was a successful season for the Scrubb brothers, with Phil winning Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) male athlete of the year, and Thomas winning CIS defensive player of the year.
Phil Scrubb did win in the individual category for men’s basketball player of the year at the awards ceremony.
In the battle between the coaches of the two Ottawa university basketball teams, James Derouin from the University of Ottawa (U of O) beat Dave Smart for coach of the year, a five-time winner.
“He’s really turned around the program. He’s done a good job, so he definitely deserves to win an award like that,” Thomas Scrubb said.
Derouin has been with the U of O Gee-Gees as coach for the past four years, coaching his team to an impressive 20-2 regular season and the CIS final in 2014.
The Gee-Gees handed the Ravens their only loss of the season in the 2014 Wilson Cup, ultimately losing 79-67 to them in the CIS final.
Currently, the Gee-Gees sit at number one in the country with a perfect 14-0 record.
Phil Scrubb said the most important thing for the Ravens to climb back is to refocus and continue to be competitive.
In the category for female team of the year, the Carleton women’s curling team was nominated but lost to the Rachel Homan Ottawa Curling Club Rink.
In addition to Scrubb, Ravens rower Matthew Fournier and Carleton graduate Ben Tardioli won in the individual categories.
Fournier won for rowing and Tardioli won for canoe/kayak.
