Men's hoops off to CCAA's in Truro
After capturing the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) provincial title the Fanshawe Falcons men's basketball team will travel to Truro, Nova Scotia (N.S) when the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA) national competition begins on March 12 running to March 14.
Ironically, the Falcons leading scorer (15.46 points per game) and OCAA Player of the Year, Pat Sewell will be competing in the same location where his father won the national championship nearly 30 years ago.
Sewell's father, Bill helped lead the Falcons to the CCAA national title in 1980 when they defeated Vancouver Community College in the gold medal game also at Nova Scotia Agricultural College (NSAC), in Truro, N.S.
Glen Johnston, the Falcons head coach hopes the 2007 version of the squad can follow the same path as the 1980 team. Johnston said he is confident with the Falcons chances of competing for a championship in Truro and is excited to head out east.
“I can't wait to get there,” Johnston said on the court after his team defeated St. Lawrence College 71-65 in the OCAA gold medal game.
Jabari Cooper, OCAA Rookie of the Year said he feels the Falcons have a legitimate shot at capturing the gold medal in the CCAA championship.
“I think our chances are pretty good,” Cooper said. “If we stick together, do what we have been doing all year long, play hard, I think we could be the number one team in the country.”
Point guard Omar Sybbliss said he was ecstatic over the teams OCCA win and he felt that the teams unity and cohesion was a key element to their success provincially and will help tremendously in the national tournament.
“This here is a team of family and that's how we did it, chilling everyday together on and off the court,” Sybbliss said.
The seeding for the tournament left the Falcons ranked third, while Douglas College from New Westminster, British Columbia and Dawson College from Montreal, Quebec were selected as the number one and two seeds for the championship.
Mount Royal College from Calgary, Alberta, Mount Saint Vincent University from Halifax, N.S., John Abbott College from Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, UBC Okanagan from Kelowna, British Columbia, and the host NSAC from Truro round out the seeding, number four to number eight.
Judy Smith, tournament director and athletic director for NSAC, said that her school is eagerly anticipating the CCAA championships, as well as the Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) men's basketball championships, which NCAC are also hosting from March 16 to March 18.
“NSAC is ready to rumble,” Smith said.
“Now that the winners are known and wildcards are selected, we will make the final preparations for our CCAA guests. The community and local basketball enthusiasts are looking forward to seeing the best in the country. These CCAA Nationals and followed by the CIS Men's Basketball Championship in Halifax, truly bring March Madness to Nova Scotia.”
The Falcons will have to adjust to different rules in the CCAA tournament, as FIBA (International Basketball Federation) rules and regulations are used in the championship.
Manager of Athletics for the Falcons, Mike Lindsay said adjusting to the different rules will make a major difference for the team.
Ontario is the only province in the CCAA that plays by National Collegiate Athletic Association rules throughout their competitions, the remaining abide by FIBA rules.
The Falcons left London for Truro on Saturday, March 10 and attended the CCAA All-Canadian banquet on Sunday, March 11 in Jenkins Hall at NSAC.
The medal games for the championship will be carried live via satellite from Truro, courtesy of EastLinkSports Television. EastLink will provide full coverage of the bronze medal game at 7 p.m. and the gold medal game at 9 p.m., Atlantic Time, on Wednesday, March 14.
Locally, the games broadcast can be heard live streaming on the Internet on the CFRL web site, www.1069fm.ca.
