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OUA NEW & VIEWS

The Guelph Gryphons have announced twelve new recruits for their basketball team for the upcoming season. This constitutes almost a whole new roster given that many of last year's team had some eligibility left. While no one would dispute that the Gryphons needed a talent upgrade, one has to wonder whether a sense of panic has set in with coach Chris O'Rourke. While I like some of their new additions, turning over a team to this extent may not be an improvement at all. With this many new bodies, it will be extremely hard to build any team chemistry. Given the turnover in personnel, it's really hard to see the Gryphons making the playoffs this upcoming season.

The Brock Badgers got a shock in August when their best player Clinton Springer-Williams, the 2010 CIS Rookie of the Year, decided to transfer. The Springer-Williams family did not want to go through a year in a sour lockeroom atmosphere at Brock. Springer-Williams was loyal to coach Murray and wanted a clean slate for this year. He could have transferred and sat out the year but wanted to play right away and settled on Division II power Gannon where he is eligible right away and could be an All-American at that level before his career is finished. This is obviously a huge loss for the Brock program and the CIS itself. Springer-Williams was one of those rare Division I talents that initially spurred the lures of a U.S. scholarship to stay and play in Canada.

The talented but troubled Ryan Christie, who almost single-handedly destroyed an excellent McMaster Marauder team last year, has transferred to St. Mary's University in Halifax, N.S. and will be eligible to play in January 2011. Coach Ross Quackenbush is the latest coach who thinks he can bring out the best in the 6'7" power forward, who's petulant attitude has had him in trouble throughout this high school and university career. Quackenbush has had a mixed history with transfers. Some have performed well at St. Mary's and others have either flunked out or gotten into trouble in the community. I am always amazed at how far talent and potential will get an athlete. I have never met a coach who doesn't think he can turn an athlete's career around.

Ottawa fans are in for a treat in mid-October when Carleton and Windsor meet in the House-Laughton pre-season tournament at Ottawa University. This could be a sneak preview of the Wilson Cup in March as both Carleton and Windsor are heavily favoured to win the OUA East and West respectively. With eight new bodies on campus plus four starters returning coach Chris Oliver looks like he is going hard after a national championship this year or the next. The Lancers could easily be the biggest and most athletic team in the country and should be ranked in the top five when league play starts in November.

Their are no expectations on the McMaster Marauders this year with new coach Amos Connolly taking over from long time former coach Joe Raso. There is considerable talent on the roster with one of the best recruiting classes in the country and some quality returning players. The Marauders have a lot of home games in October and if the team gels early they could finish as high as second in the OUA West or in the middle of the pack. The OUA West is very well balanced this year and I predict these three OUA West teams will be in the CIS Top Ten all year.

I don't see anyone in the OUA East really challenging the Carleton Ravens this year. Their dedication to defence and rebounding will always make them the favourites in the East. What they may not have this year is a go-to guy on the squad who can step up and make the big shot consistently. Budding sophomore Tyson Hinz who is coming off a stellar freshmen season may be the man. Finding a consistent scorer who produces at crunch time will be the key to their search for a CIS crown in March 2011.

OUA East fans will see one of the best freshman point guards in the country right away in Jahmal Jones who will start from day one for the Ryerson Rams. Jones has Division I skills and athletic ability and could be CIS rookie of the year in March. Look for him to have a huge impact on the OUA playoff race this winter.

HIGH SCHOOL TIDBITS

Look for the Whitby Anderson H.S. team to be the heavy favourites to take OFSAA Triple "A" gold this season. With two of the best high schools players in the province in point guard Justin Edwards 6'2" and swingman Tyshawn Pierre 6'6" alongside sweet shooting two-guard Dean Huthcroft 6'1", Anderson can play with most Quad "A" teams within the province. Edwards and Pierre can play at a low Division I level and have numerous offers from CIS schools.

The Fr. Henry Carr Crusaders, who are always one of the best high school teams in the province, have been crippled this year by the defection of six prominent last season players going the prep school route in the States. Coach Paul Melnik's teams always have great junior age talent but have been plagued in recent years with a stampede of their best players to the prep scene south of the border.

The Oakville Loyola Hawks lose two starters this year but retain the dynamic trio of Rohan Boney 6'3", Adam Pressoti 6'1" and Mike L'Africain 6'0" who are all highly sought by CIS programs across the country. They add a great shooter in Peter Rusic 6'3" and should have the best perimeter shooting team in the province. The question is whether they have enough size to compete on the boards with bigger, stronger GTA schools.

The Ontario prep school phenomenon continues to grow as Hamilton's REDA program enters its second year with a better talent base and more size. New prep schools are popping up at White Oaks H.S. in Oakville with club team Next Level and at Vaughn C.I. in Toronto in conjunction with Phase 1. A new prep program has been rumoured all summer at Fr. Henry Carr in Etobicoke but has yet to be approved by the Toronto District Catholic Board.

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