Carleton Ravens guard Munis Tutu said he was “surprised” when he heard that he would represent Canada at the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
Both Tutu and Ravens women’s basketball forward Catherine Traer are currently in Australia training for the Games, which take place from April 6-15.
“One day I was just going through my email,” Tutu said. “I was surprised but it was also a good feeling. Just playing here at Carleton opens up so many of these opportunities. It was definitely something I was happy about and thankful for.”
Tutu said he hadn’t heard from Canada Basketball since he represented the nation at the U-18 FIBA Americas Championship in 2014. It’s also his first time going to Australia.
Traer said she was “really really excited” to represent Canada, having donned the red and white at the Summer Universiade in Taipei last summer.
“I knew all year I was on a long list so [Canada Basketball] wouldn’t tell us who was on that long list and how many people were on it,” the Chelsea, Que., native noted. “It was in the back of my head all year although my main focus was playing for the Ravens and winning a championship.”
She has accomplished that and will now head for an even higher level of competition, according to her.
“Obviously, playing on the court is so different,” she said. “The level is different, the speed is different. The players are bigger, stronger, are more skilled. You definitely have to adapt to that.”
Tutu said he doesn’t know what to expect from the international competition.
“I’m going to go in there open-minded and play my role for the team and contribute to getting wins,” he said.
He also noted how, unlike his U-18 experience where he knew a number of teammates, he will team up with players he never played with before.
It includes a couple of rivals in Ryerson’s Ammanuel Diressa and Jean-Victor Mukama. However, he says they’ll all get along.
“I definitely wish one or two of my [Carleton] teammates could have been there with me because I think a couple of them deserve it,” Tutu added.
Both players explained how playing against international competition makes them better. Traer highlighted the emphasis on fitness and treatment, including stretching and therapy.
“You really become a smarter and more mature player after you’ve played for them just because they put a lot of focus on those little things,” she said.
It’s also a matter of heightened work ethic and confidence for both of them.
“Playing against better players, you will try a bit harder,” Traer pointed out. “You have to. You can’t just get away with being mediocre and being better than everyone—not that I do that before.”
The women’s team is made up of a mix of players from U Sports, the NCAA, high school and Europe-based professionals. The men’s team consists entirely of U Sports players.
“Being on these teams, it’s all the top players throughout the country,” Tutu added. “Just going into practices and doing workouts and stuff, you just want to show that you deserve to be there.”
For Tutu and Traer, it’s also a valuable learning experience.
“I think it’s going to be a great experience for me,” Tutu said. “I’ll come out a stronger player and I think the experiences . . . I’ll be able to see where I stand and where I can get better at and then, knowing that, I can bring that back to Carleton and become a better leader.”
“The game is a lot faster but your mind slows down because you’re making better decisions and you’re finding ways of being successful that might not be what you do in a normal game in U Sports,” Traer said.
Both squads are in Pool A, which means they are ensured a spot in the playoff rounds, with a bye to the semifinals up for grabs.
The men’s team will be in a group with Australia, Nigeria and New Zealand. The women’s team is with Australia, England and Mozambique.
For Traer, the tournament also an opportunity for redemption after a “bit disappointing” seventh-place finish at the Universiade. It also signals the end of her university basketball career.
“Really hoping to cap off with a win and I think for me, that’d be the best year ever after winning nationals with Carleton,” she said.
