| The Thomas Report |
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Written by Jim Thomas on Sunday, 07 December 2008 It's great to hear legendary former Acadia head coach Dave Nutbrown is back in coaching as an assisstant at Dalhousie University in Halifax. It's great to hear legendary former Acadia head coach Dave Nutbrown is back in coaching as an assisstant at Dalhousie University in Halifax. Nutbrown, who was unceremonously dumped by Acadia in 2005 will be a great asset to the Tigers with his knowledage and passion for the game. Nice to see you back contributing to the game Dave. Speaking of the Tigers, they look to be the odds on favourite to win the AUS title this year but will get great competition from Cape Breton and St. FX in the always tough AUS. Dalhousie is led by 6'2" point guard Simon Farine who is acknowledged as the best at his position by most CIS observers. Farine is from Toronto and about half the Tigers' roster is from Southern Ontario. The best basketball team in Canada outside of the Toronto Raptors may be the NEDA Developmental team in Hamilton. They already have wins over Ottawa, Windsor, Guelph, Laval, Bishop's and held Carleton to a virtual draw in Ottawa with no clock or scoreboard. If NEDA played in the CIS, they would be in the top three in the country in most polls and don't have a layer on the team over the age of eighteen. The OCAA league has seen some interesting coaching changes this year especially in the Eastern Conference. High profile high school and AAU coaches Wayne Dawkins and Ro Russell have been hired at Seneca College and Centennial College. Neither had much time to recruit this year so both coaches may have to take their lumps this season. The key at the OCAA level is to try and persuade high school players who want to play south of the boarder to stay here even though there is very little in the way of scholarship help in the OCAA. Academic standards across the league are very tight and neither coach is on faculty meaning they have limited control over whether players attend class and pass the courses they are enrolled in. The Brock Badgers are much better this year than anyone suspected after losing almost their whole roster from last years CIS championship. Freshman guards Didi Mukendi and Joel Whitty have been outstanding and sophomore forward Jordan Johnson has been solid. The rebuilding process may not be as steep for Badger fans as most observers thought before the season started. The triple "A" tournament is usually more competitive than Quad "A" and more reflective of competition across the province. Burlington Assuption has the best talent at this level but need to prove they can do it on the floor come March. Other teams that should be in the mix are Orchard Park from Hamilton, Vaughn from York Region, Martingrove from Toronto, St. Patrick's, Glebe and St. Matthew's from Ottawa. THE RECRUITING TRAIL The Brandon Bobcats, after an absence of about half a decade are starting to recruit Ontario's high school talent again. Under legendary coach Jerry Hemmings, the Bobcats used to brim with Ontario basketball talent. New coach Keith Vassell is returning to his Toronto roots and is involved with a lot of high profile Toronto high school players. New Acadian coach Steve Baur is after some high profile big men in Ontario including Rob Dewar 6'11" of NEDA, Murphy Burnatowski 6'6" from NEDA, Lucas Nugteren 6'10" from Woodstock Huron Park and John Brutto 6'8" from London's St. Thomas Aquinas. Ottawa Gee Gee coach Dave D'Aviero has had NEDA forward Murphy Burnatowski and London swingman Clinton Springer Williams from Regina Mundi in for visits this fall. The Western Mustangs are all over the province to fill a front line that will be devastated by graduation next spring. They have Kingston area forwards Greg Faulkner 6'5" and Owen Klassen 6'7' on their priority list as well as Burlington forward Matt Howlett 6'7" and London Westminster forward Dejan Kravic 6'8" in their sights. Kravic also has interest from Cornell, Eastern Kentucky, Windsor, McMaster, UPEI, Guelph, UBC and Waterloo. McGill University in Montreal is heavily involved with Owen Klassen and Tyson Hinz 6'6" from St. Matthews H.S. in Ottawa. Hamilton St. Mary's point guard Zach Angus has major interest from Toronto, Guelph and Western. London shooting guard Enrico DiLoreta has interest from Cornell, Holy Cross and New Jersey Tech with Canadian schools Carleton, Windsor, York and McMaster in the mix as well. Waterloo Sir John A. MacDonald swing man Justin Tomas has interest from Western, Windsor, Laurier, Waterloo, McMaster and Guelph. London power forward Brian Nahimana 6'8" from Montcalm H.S. has interest from Cornell, Central Connecticut State, Rhode Island and Canadian schools Windsor, McMaster, Brandon and York. Toronto Eastern Commerce H.S. teammates Alwayne Bigby 6'5" and Marvin Binney 6'2" visited Northeastern University in Boston and Rhode Island in Providence the first weekend in November. Both may commit early. Hamilton area big man Mike Allison 6'9" will wait until the spring signing period to go south as scholarship offers to Niagara and Buffalo University dried up this fall. Allison could write his own ticket to any CIS team in the country but wants to go and play in a warmer climate. Hamilton power forward Ryan Christie 6'7" from St. Thomas More H.S. has a spot on the McMaster Marauder roster next year if he can qualify academically. He has Division I potential in football and basketball. A lot of schools are put off by Christie'simmaturity but if he begins to mature the upside is special as a CIS basketball player.
Those coaches you speak of are no better than he is so there is no credibilty. I take the word of the players. No one wants him there. He is a cancer. I watched ryan play this past year on an ofsaa winning football team and a AAA OBA championship team. He was a captain on both provincial championship teams. His coaches had nothing but good things to say about him, aforementioned he was named captain to two extremely talent and leadership laden teams. The constant here is STM basketball, Ryan's fault or not, things have neever worked out with that team and those coaches. So to say that he will never change and hasn't changed is false, you just have chosen not to see it. Jim keeps talking about Ryan Christie being immature and if he can change he'll be great. I think the kid is done. Look at his recent actions at his school. He won't work with his team or coaches and was subsequently kicked off the team, for the upteenth time. Does that sound like someone that is trying to change? It isn't immaturity, it's obnoxious and egotistical behaviour that's been allowed to go unchecked for years. The same comments were made last year about his immaturity and he still won't change his ways. Time to accept that this young man's head is set and he will be Raso's cross to bear, if he gets that far. No one else, in their right mind, would take him on. Powered by !JoomlaComment 3.23
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