Guarasci nets Kelowna’s High School Athlete of the Year for team’s third CIS outing

Kelowna Christian product Ryan Linttell has committed to playing for Heat men’s basketball coach Pete Guarasci this upcoming season. A 6-foot 4 multi-sport athlete, Linttell won provincial gold in both volleyball and basketball and will come to the Heat with a winning pedigree, while also adding depth and versatility on the wing.

“I’d have to say my greatest strength is my versatility,” Linttell said, “I can shoot from the outside or drive inside, score and rebound. I also see the floor well and I’m an unselfish player. I work hard on defense and keep my man in front of me.”

Linttell is versatile enough to lead his school volleyball team to a BC Provincial title and be named the tournament MVP, and then a few months later lead his Knights basketball squad to a provincial championship and earn a first team all-star. For his stellar achievements throughout the year in athletics Ryan recently received the Augie Ciancone Memorial Award as the City of Kelowna high school male athlete of the year.

Not your average wing player, Ryan was called on at times to run the point from the forward spot for his Knights squad as he averaged 17 ppg., 8 rpg., and 5 apg. while shooting an impressive 63% from the floor and 38% from three-point range. He will join last year’s Augie Ciancone award winner, Mitch Goodwin, as a core of strong local high school players that signed with the Heat.

Linttell plans to enter the Bachelor of Human Kinetics program, and believes that UBC’s Okanagan campus “is a highly reputable school.” He currently seeks to become an optometrist and boasts a 93% average while residing on the Principle’s List and Work Ethic List at the high school level. He hopes that his academic success will also translate into university success.

Ryan is fortunate in that he has an older brother, Tyler Linttell, who currently plays in the CIS and who has been able to lend advice to his younger brother for the jump in competition. “It’s much more physical than high school,” Ryan said was Tyler’s advice, “and I have a lot to do to get my body ready for next year.” He adds, however, that “I always like to play with players who are better than me so I can step my game up.”

Second-year coach Pete Guarasci is excited to add Ryan to the basketball program at UBC’s Okanagan campus. “He’s a local talent who helped lead his KCS [Kelowna Christian] team to a AA Championship. Ryan is a well-rounded basketball player with good size, athleticism and basketball IQ. We believe he has a chance to develop into a strong CIS wing player. On top of Ryan’s athletic abilities, he’s also an excellent student and teammate.”

A large part of Ryan deciding to come to UBC’s Okanagan campus after sifting through offers from other CIS schools was his familiarity with coach Guarasci. “I feel UBCO is the best fit for me. I really like coach Guarasci’s game style and he explains himself well,” said Ryan and, “I think I will grow as a player and person under his direction.”

Linttell will join redshirt transfer student Mike Zayonc, a 6-5 post player with good athletic ability and a nose for rebounding from Capilano University this fall. Zayonc red-shirted for coach Guarasci this past season while he was rehabbing an injury.

HEAT NOTES: Heather Semeniuk’s women’s Heat basketball team has also signed the Augie Ciancone Memorial Award winner, on the female side, in Olivia Johnson.  Johnson is a 5’6” guard that led Immaculata to their first ever provincial championship in girls’ basketball. This is also the second year in a row a women’s Heat team has brought in the top Kelowna high school athlete; Justin Drosdovech from Immaculata Regional plays for the Heat soccer team.

 

Ryan’s Achievements and Participation

Media Links

 

• http://www.ryanwatters.ca/ryan-linttell-kcs-knights-basketball/
• http://www.ncsasports.org/college-recruiting-videos-highlights/ryan-linttell#ooid=VqcnlqMzqcWEXaqxEuL3iI4uvBPqjSZk

 2012/2013 KCS Sr. Boys AA Basketball Team: Team Captain

• December 2012 – Oliver AA Tournament – Tournament MVP & player of the game
• December 2012 – GW Graham AA Tournament – Player of the game
• January 2013 – Immaculata A/AA Tournament- Tournament MVP & player of the game twice
• January 2012 – Timberwolves Classic AAA Tournament- Tournament MVP
• February 2013 – Collingwood AA Tournament- Tournament MVP & player of the game
• February 2013 – KCS Knights A/AA Tournament- Tournament MVP & Player of the game
• February 2013 – Okanagan Valley AA Tournament – 1^st Team All-Star
• March 2013 – BC AA Sr. Boys Basketball Provincial Championships- 1^st Team All-Star & Player of the Game
• Additional season awards – 4 player of the game awards as team recognition

2012/2013 KCS Sr. Boys Volleyball Team: Team Captain

• September 2012 – Midnight Sun Open, Whitehorse
• October 2012 – Best in the West, Kelowna
• October 2012 – Surrey Christian School, Surrey- 1^st Team All-Star
• November 2012 – George Elliot SS, Winfield
• November 2012 – Okanagan Valley Championships, Kelowna
• November 2012 – Provincial Championships, Kelowna- Tournament MVP

2012 U17/U18 UBCO Jr. Heat Basketball Club Team: Offers to play at Northwest University, Trinity Western University and UBCO

• April 2012 – NW Premier Spring Showcase Tournament, Bellevue WA
• May 2012  - UBCO ID Camp, Kelowna BC
• May 2012 – 3D Spring Showcase Tournament, Vancouver BC
• May 2012 – Trans Canada Tournament, Chilliwack BC
• June 2012 – LUAU Tournament, Kirkland WA
• July 2012 – UBCO Jr. Heat Tournament, Kelowna BC
• July 2012 – NW Premier Summer Showcase Tournament, Bellevue WA
• July 2012 – Best in the West Tournament, Vancouver BC
• July 2012 – One Pass Ahead Basketball Camp, Kelowna BC
• August 2012 – Gannon Baker Basketball Camp, Kelowna BC
• March – September 2012 Personal Training at Pinnacle Elite Athlete, Kelowna

2011/2012 KCS Sr. Boys Volleyball Team MVP and 1^st Team All-Star at Provincial Championships. KCS Athletic Award.

2011/2012 KCS Sr. Boys Basketball Team (Starter in grade 11)

• Kelowna Fire Fall Ball (Dino Gini Head Coach)
• December 2011 – Oliver AA Tournament
• January 2012 – Immaculata Daily Courier Invitational Tournament
• January 2012 – Knights Invitational Tournament (cancelled)
• February 2012 – Island Showdown Tournament
• February 2012 – Okanagan Valley ‘A’ Basketball Championships
• March 2012 – BC ‘A’ Boys Basketball Provincial Championships

Provincial Honorable Mention All-Star and Player of the Game

2011/2012 KCS Sr. Boys Volleyball Team (Starter in Grade 11)

2011 U17 Kelowna Fire Elite Basketball Club Team (age U16)

• May 2011 – Trans Canada Tournament, G.W. Graham
• June 2011 – Western Canada Tournament, SFU
• July 2011 – NW Premier Showcase Tournament, Bellevue, WA
• July 2011 – Trans Canada Camp, Kelowna
• July 2011 – Best in the West Tournament, Douglas College, Van.
• July 2011 – Super64, Las Vegas
• August 2011 – Kelowna Fire Camp, Kelowna
• August 2011 – UBCO Camp, Kelowna

2011 Legends Team MVP

2011 Basketball BC U16 Provincial Team **top 20 selection**

2010/2011 KCS Sr. Boys Basketball Team (Starter in grade 10)

• BC ‘A’ Boys Basketball Provincial Champions
• 1^st Team All-Star
• Sr. Boys Okanagan ‘A’ Valley Basketball Championships
• Game Star
•  Basketball BC Regional Training Center (Dino Gini Head Coach)
•  December 2^nd to 4^th 2010– Yale Sr. Boys AAA Tournament
• December 9^th to 11^th  2010 – Rutland Sr. Boys AAA Tournament
• Player of the Game
• January 7^th and 8^th 2011 –Immaculata Sr. Boys Tournament
• Player of the Game and Best Defensive Player of the Tournament
• January 21^st and 22^nd 2011 – KCS Sr. Boys A Tournament

2010 Basketball BC Elite U15 Regional Team (wasn’t able to play on U15 Provincial Team as he was in hospital with bacteria spinal meningitis).

• Pinnacle Elite Training
• Personal Basketball Training with Peter Guarasci
• July 2010 – Kelowna Fire Club team game series
• July 2010– Trans Canada Camp
• August 2010– UBCO Basketball Camp
• August 2010– Ktown Summer Slam 3 on 3 competition

2010 Kelowna Volleyball Club U15 boys

2009/2010 KCS Gr. 9 Boys Basketball Team – City and Valley Champions

• Basketball BC Regional Training Center (Peter Guarasci Head Coach)
• November 27^th and 28^th 2009 – Yale Sr. Boys AAA Tournament
• December 11^th and 12^th 2009 - Immaculata Jr. Boys Tournament Team MVP
• January 8^th and 9^th 2010 - Osoyoos Jr. Boys Tournament Player of the Game
• Ryan Broke his hand
• January 15^th and 16^th 2010 – George Elliot Jr. Boys Tournament
• January 23^rd and 24^th 2010 – Dr. Knox Gr. 9 Boys Tournament

2009 Basketball BC Elite U14 Provincial Team

• July 2^nd to 4^th 2009 – North Delta Summer Shootout
• July 10^th to 12^th 2009 – Pacific Northwest Premier Shootout (Seattle)
• July 17^th  to 19^th 2009 – Best in the West Tournament
• July 28^th to 31^st 2009 – Western Washington Team Camp
• August 1, 2009 – Ktown Summer Slam 3 on 3 competition
• August 2009 – UBCO Basketball Camp

2009 Basketball BC Elite U14 Regional Team: Provincial Champions

• May 22^nd and 23^rd 2009 – KCS Tournament
• May 29^th to 31^st 2009 – Basketball BC Elite U14 Jamboree Tournament

2008/2009 KCS Gr. 8 Boys Basketball Team- City Champions

• Basketball BC Regional Training Center (Ron McCutcheon)
• November 28^th and 29^th, 2008 – Immaculata Gr. 8 Boys Tournament- MVP
• January 9^th and 10^th 2009 – Dr. Knox Gr.8 Boys Tournament- MVP
• January 16^th and 17^th, 2009 - KCS Gr. 8 Boys Invitational Tournament- MVP
• January 30^th and 31^st 2009 – KVR Gr. 8 Boys Tournament (Penticton)- MVP

2008 Basketball BC U14 BC Summer Games Team (Ryan’s age U13)

• May 10^th and 11^th 2008 Regional Team Tournament
• June 14^th and 15^th 2008 UBCO Exhibition Games
• June 22^nd to 26^th 2008 Gonzaga Team Camp
• July 9^th to 13^th 2008 Calgary Stampede Shootout and NSD Basketball Centre
• July 24^th to 27^th 2008 Basketball BC U14 BC Summer Games
• August 2008 – UBCO Basketball Camp

2008 Basketball BC Elite U14 Regional Team (Ryan’s age U13)

2007/2008 KCS Gr. 7 Boys Basketball Team – City Champions

Basketball BC Regional Training Center (Ron McCutcheon)

2008 Grade 8 Boys Knights Invitational- Game Star (gr. 7)

2008 Grade 8 Boys Enderby Tournament- 1^st All-Star (gr. 7)

2007 NBC Basketball Camp

2007 TransCanada Basketball Camp

2007 Grade 7 Boys Dr. Knox Tournament- Game Star (gr. 6)