The UBC Okanagan men’s basketball team will look to show that the gym on the Okanagan campus of UBC is no fun place to play as they host prairie division foes University of Manitoba Bisons and the University of Winnipeg Wesmen this weekend, Jan 6-7. Friday night the 1-5 Heat host the 4-4 Bisons and then on Saturday the Heat host the 2-6 Wesmen. Both games tip-off at 8 p.m. PST.
GAME TIMES
Friday, January 6 – University of Manitoba Bisons at the UBC Okanagan Heat (8 p.m. PST in the Gymnasium on UBC’s Okanagan campus, Kelowna)
Saturday, January 7 – University of Winnipeg Wesmen at the UBC Okanagan Heat (8 p.m. PST in the Gymnasium on UBC’s Okanagan campus, Kelowna)
HEAT (1-5)
CIS National Ranking: N/A
CanWest Standings: 6th in the Pacific division
Last Week (Nov. 25-26): 1-1; Fri 78-76 win over UR, Sat 88-61 loss to BU
Streak: 1 loss
2011 CanWest Record: N/A
2011 CanWest Championship: N/A
2011 CIS Tournament: N/A
Last CanWest Title: N/A
Last CIS Title: N/A
UBC Okanagan is not entirely unaware of their most geographically distant foes. The Heat travelled to Winnipeg over the winter break to take part in the 45th annual Wesmen classic basketball tournament. The Heat came away with a win at the tournament, beating Minot State and then losing to the Brandon Bobcats and the same Wesmen they face on Saturday. Although the Heat did not face the Bisons, Darren Semeniuk and his coaching staff was able to get a good scout on the Manitoba team.
Coach Semeniuk describes Manitoba as a team that “will get quite a few guys involved,” with a “point guard that is extremely fast and go, go, goes.” He continues, mentioning that they just “keep coming at you.” To combat the potential matchup problems, the team has added a few new defenses to their playbook and Semeniuk plans to “roll in a bunch of different looks” to upset the Bisons’ offensive flow.
Manitoba is the definition of a .500 team with a record of 4-4. They give up almost exactly the same as they score, 86.5 ppg. and 85.1 ppg. respectively. From the field they shoot .439 (244-556) and allow .430 (256-595); from three they shoot 36% (64-177) and give up 34.5% (61-177). Rebounding is exactly even, as the Bisons pull down an average of 42.8 rpg. and allow 42.8 rpg.
This high scoring team boasts four players scoring in double figures (Jonar Huertas, Stephan Walton, Kurtis Sansregret, and Kevin Oliver) and two averaging 9.6 ppg. in Keith Omoerah and Braedon Speer. These six have been joined by a 6’6” 245 pound forward, Yigit Ozsayiner from Istanbul. He is in his first year of eligibility after developing his game with a powerhouse Turkish club squad. In the Wesmen classic, Yigit led his team in scoring in two of the three games. Coach Semeniuk likened his game to Bargnani of the Raptors, noting the passing and shooting so typical out of European big men.
With Manitoba being the high scoring up-tempo team that they are, the Heat will have to try to slow them down or try to keep pace. If the game becomes a shootout, look for UBC Okanagan guard Yassine Ghomari (Vancouver, BC) to be a leading scorer. This third year guard is sixth in the league in scoring, averaging 19.2 points per game and the only member of the Heat in double figures. Other players that may be able to score if the game becomes a shootout could be three point threats Bret Macdonald (1st year, Port Coquitlam, BC) or Mack Roth (2nd year, Port Coquitlam, BC). Both have great range on their shot with Bret leading the league in three point field goal percentage at 58.3 percent.
The Heat lost 80-51 to the Wesmen just last week in Winnipeg at the Wesmen annual Christmas tournament, but Semeniuk hasn’t given it too much thought, noting that he played all 12 guys in the tournament, as did most teams. By the third game both squads went with different looks, knowing that they would see each other so soon in league play.
The Wesmen have also added a player for the second semester, or so it must seem to them as starting point guard Andrew Cunningham has come back for injury and suited up in the Wesmen Classic. “Winnipeg’s new guy is a difference maker and can blow games open with steals, he can really put the pressure on,” says Semeniuk.
Pressure hasn’t been a problem for Winnipeg this year; rather, their trouble has been scoring. The team shoots a league worst 36 percent from the field. The Wesmen are also the worst rebounding team in the league, just slightly worse than the Heat with a -7.8 per game rebounding differential, while the Heat are at -7.5.
When the Heat and Winnipeg played last week, UBC Okanagan was the team that couldn’t shoot the ball, shooting a dreadful 32.7 percent for the game and turning the ball over 28 times.
For both games this weekend look for the Heat to really try to slow the two prairie teams down, while Winnipeg and Manitoba will both be looking to establish themselves as potential playoff teams and try to take out the Heat in early January basketball action.
MANITOBA BISONS (4-4)
CIS National Ranking: N/A
CanWest Standings: 3rd in the Prairie division
Last Week (Nov. 24, Dec. 1): 2-0; Nov 24 (87-70 win over UW), Dec. 1 (99-80 win over UW)
Streak: 2 wins
2011 CanWest Record: 9-15, 8th place
2011 CanWest Championship: 0-2
2011 CIS Tournament: N/A
Last CanWest Title: N/A
Last CIS Title: 1976
Some more info from CanadaWest.org:
MANITOBA BISONS
Key additions: Stephan Walton, Kurtis Sansregret, Xavier Smith, Yigit Ozsayiner
Key returnees: Kevin Oliver, Richard Reimer, Jonar Huertas, Keith Omoerah
Key departures: Eric Garcia, Josh Ogden, Sean Maxwell
WINNIPEG – After snapping a seven-year drought of not playing in the playoffs by qualifying last season, the Manitoba Bisons look to build on that success with a young team under third-year head coach Kirby Schepp and prove that the leap to the post-season was not a one-year burst.
There are six newcomers out of the 15-player roster, with no fifth-year players and only four players in their fourth.
Manitoba lost its top three scorers from last season to graduation and now must rely on new co-captain fourth-year forward Kevin Oliver (10.6 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game last season), fourth-year forward Richard Reimer (9.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg), fourth-year guard Jonar Huertas (8.9 ppg) and second-year guard Keith Omoerah (6.1 ppg) to continue their growth from last season. The team is poised to utilize its strength with speed and athletic ability by playing a fast, up-tempo game. A major difference for this season’s edition is the depth at numerous positions that will assist in running a deeper rotation throughout the season.
The Bisons have also added firepower in new recruits starting with co-captain guard Stephan Walton coming from Valdosta State. He has been directing the offence during the 2011 pre-season along with guard Kurtis Sansregret from Red River College, guard Xavier Smith from Brandon University and power forward Yigit Ozsayiner of Turkey.
WINNIPEG WESMEN (2-6)
CIS National Ranking: N/A
CanWest Standings: 8th in the Prairie division
Last Week (Nov. 24, Dec. 1): 0-2; Nov 24 (87-70 loss to UW), Dec. 1 (99-80 loss to UW)
Streak: 3 losses
2011 CanWest Record: 6-18 (11th missed playoffs)
2011 CanWest Championship: N/A
2011 CIS Tournament: N/A
Last CanWest Title: N/A
Last CIS Title: N/A
Some more info from CanadaWest.org:
WINNIPEG WESMEN
Key additions: Eric Zimmerman, James Horaska, Mark McNee, Dominique Brown, Andrew Cunningham
Key returnees: Kelvin Smith, Benny Iko, Craig Sharpe, Brayden Duff, Pawel Gacon
Key departures: Nick Lother, Lynden Drayton-Barrow
WINNIPEG – Entering his second season at the helm of the Wesmen, head coach Mike Raimbault is looking to improve on last season.
The team will feature six players from the 2010-2011 season. After a successful rookie season, forward Kelvin Smith will look for better things in his second season. Smith finished third in team scoring with 12.0 ppg. Benny Iko (4th year) was a force last season, leading the Wesmen in rebounds with 6.6 rpg while scoring 10 points per game. Third year forward Brayden Duff, one of the hardest workers on the team, was second in rebounds on the team (5.5 rpg) and he will be looked upon to provide leadership on and off the court this season. Pawel Gacon (3rd year) has two years under his belt and he will be expected to provide scoring and rebounding with increased playing time. The team features a pair of fifth year players in guard Craig Sharpe and forward Joshua Stolar. Both players will look to make an impact in their final seasons. Guard Nolan Gooding, another player expected to have a big year, suffered an injury last season and will miss the entire season. The team lost point guard Nick Lother, but did pick up a pair of players with previous CIS experience. After a year off, Eric Zimmerman (4th year) and James Horaska (5th year) return to the Wesmen with high expectations heading into the season.
Coach Raimbault was successful in recruiting four players, all of which have previous playing experience at Junior Colleges/Universities. Mark McNee and Dominique Brown (3rd Years) join the Wesmen after playing at Lakelands College. Point guard Andrew Cunningham (3rd Year) last played at Redlands College (Oklahoma, USA). Sharp shooting guard Travis Krahn from Winkler, Man. joins the team after playing one season with Briercrest College.
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