When I was in my 5th year as a player at KCI, Borko Popic was a grade 9. Alongside Craig Bauslaugh, you could tell that these guys would be turn out to be special.
Interestingly enough, that junior team finished 9th and in those days, only the top 8 made the playoffs. The next year, Popic and Bauslaugh were elevated to the senior team and so began a long stretch of WCSSAA & CWOSSA Medals, and OFSAA appearances.
Popic was a tremendous shooter and had what I refer to as "deceptive" athleticism. He wasn't the quickest guy on the floor, but always seemed to find his way to the rack for an open layup.
After graduating from KCI in 2004, Popic found his way to Virginia Military Institute, an NCAA Division I school. After one year there, he transferred to Division II Hawaii-Pacific before winding up at the University of Guelph for a brief stint there before leaving the team.
Here's an excerpt from a 2007 Guelph Mercury Article, written by Greg Layson, which details Popic's journey in-depth. Retrieved from: http://news.guelphmercury.com/Sports/article/265556
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Interestingly enough, that junior team finished 9th and in those days, only the top 8 made the playoffs. The next year, Popic and Bauslaugh were elevated to the senior team and so began a long stretch of WCSSAA & CWOSSA Medals, and OFSAA appearances.
Popic was a tremendous shooter and had what I refer to as "deceptive" athleticism. He wasn't the quickest guy on the floor, but always seemed to find his way to the rack for an open layup.
After graduating from KCI in 2004, Popic found his way to Virginia Military Institute, an NCAA Division I school. After one year there, he transferred to Division II Hawaii-Pacific before winding up at the University of Guelph for a brief stint there before leaving the team.
Here's an excerpt from a 2007 Guelph Mercury Article, written by Greg Layson, which details Popic's journey in-depth. Retrieved from: http://news.guelphmercury.com/Sports/article/265556
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Popic's Trek Leads to Guelph
Borko Popic sports some closely cropped hair, but that's as close as he remains to the military man he was merely three years ago.
Recruited by Guelph Gryphons head basketball coach Chris O'Rourke, the 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Kitchener instead accepted a full basketball scholarship to Virginia Military Institute of the NCAA's Big South Conference.
"I wanted to play at the highest level possible," Popic says of his decision.
Popic lasted one season in Lexington, Va., playing just 24 minutes in nine games as a freshman in 2004-05. He scored eight points, grabbed four rebounds, dished out an assist and had a steal in his only Division I campaign.
Part of the problem was injury. Popic missed more than two months with a knee injury. A bigger part of it was the regimen.
"If you redshirt (just practise with the team, but don't play, for an entire season), you stay five years at that school and I was not staying five years at that school," Popic says.
A player redshirts when he just practises with a team, but doesn't play and isn't listed on its roster.
Popic rose every morning at 6 a.m., made his bed, cleaned his room, shined his shoes and shaved before falling in line and heading off to breakfast with the rest of the cadets.
When he didn't have a scheduled basketball practice, Popic participated in military exercises.
"We didn't have a second of free time," Popic says.
Cadets are given demerit points if their haircuts, boots and rooms aren't up to military standards and specifications. They're also punished for being late to class and sleeping in.
"Coming down the stretch (of the second semester) I was close to getting kicked out. I didn't do anything serious, but little things add up," Popic says. "The military stuff is completely not me."
So at the conclusion of his first season south of the border, Popic transferred to Hawaii Pacific University, an NCAA Division II program in downtown Honolulu. Upon arrival, Popic encountered a program he says was "in shambles."
Recently promoted head coach J.D. Barnett wanted out. The team had seven seniors and six underclassmen, all of whom, including Popic, got out either during or after the 2005-06 season. Popic left the island state at Christmas of 2005.
"It was a mistake I made, but I it was an experience I'll never forget," Popic says. "I'm not saying the States is a bad thing. It's just that my situation didn't work out."
So now he's worked his way comfortably into Guelph's starting rotation. An oversized guard and undersized forward who creates mismatches all over the floor, Popic is averaging 13.3 points and a team-high six rebounds per game in his first full season of basketball since he graduated high school in 2004.
Last season, Popic officially joined the Gryphons in January. He played in 14 games and averaged seven points and five rebounds.
"Last year, I felt kind of out of sync. The rotation was ready and the offence was set without me and I didn't want to affect them. I didn't want to interfere with anyone. People told me I wasn't playing like myself. I would pass the ball and pass up shots."
Now he's knocking them down in a big way. Last week, in an overtime win over the eighth-ranked Toronto Blues, Popic hit a three from the corner with 11.2 seconds left in regulation to send the game into extra time.
"He wants to make this his team as well," O'Rourke says. "He was motivated coming into this year. When you're motivated, good things can happen."
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Updated List:
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10 - Borko Popic, KCI
#11 - Jesse MacDonald, Brantford Assumption
#12 - Jordan Dixon, Resurrection
#13 - David Burnett, Rockway
#14 - Nathan Samuel, Assumption
#15 - Bobby Colorado, Grand River & Ian Harriette, St. Benedict
Recruited by Guelph Gryphons head basketball coach Chris O'Rourke, the 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Kitchener instead accepted a full basketball scholarship to Virginia Military Institute of the NCAA's Big South Conference.
"I wanted to play at the highest level possible," Popic says of his decision.
Popic lasted one season in Lexington, Va., playing just 24 minutes in nine games as a freshman in 2004-05. He scored eight points, grabbed four rebounds, dished out an assist and had a steal in his only Division I campaign.
Part of the problem was injury. Popic missed more than two months with a knee injury. A bigger part of it was the regimen.
"If you redshirt (just practise with the team, but don't play, for an entire season), you stay five years at that school and I was not staying five years at that school," Popic says.
A player redshirts when he just practises with a team, but doesn't play and isn't listed on its roster.
Popic rose every morning at 6 a.m., made his bed, cleaned his room, shined his shoes and shaved before falling in line and heading off to breakfast with the rest of the cadets.
When he didn't have a scheduled basketball practice, Popic participated in military exercises.
"We didn't have a second of free time," Popic says.
Cadets are given demerit points if their haircuts, boots and rooms aren't up to military standards and specifications. They're also punished for being late to class and sleeping in.
"Coming down the stretch (of the second semester) I was close to getting kicked out. I didn't do anything serious, but little things add up," Popic says. "The military stuff is completely not me."
So at the conclusion of his first season south of the border, Popic transferred to Hawaii Pacific University, an NCAA Division II program in downtown Honolulu. Upon arrival, Popic encountered a program he says was "in shambles."
Recently promoted head coach J.D. Barnett wanted out. The team had seven seniors and six underclassmen, all of whom, including Popic, got out either during or after the 2005-06 season. Popic left the island state at Christmas of 2005.
"It was a mistake I made, but I it was an experience I'll never forget," Popic says. "I'm not saying the States is a bad thing. It's just that my situation didn't work out."
So now he's worked his way comfortably into Guelph's starting rotation. An oversized guard and undersized forward who creates mismatches all over the floor, Popic is averaging 13.3 points and a team-high six rebounds per game in his first full season of basketball since he graduated high school in 2004.
Last season, Popic officially joined the Gryphons in January. He played in 14 games and averaged seven points and five rebounds.
"Last year, I felt kind of out of sync. The rotation was ready and the offence was set without me and I didn't want to affect them. I didn't want to interfere with anyone. People told me I wasn't playing like myself. I would pass the ball and pass up shots."
Now he's knocking them down in a big way. Last week, in an overtime win over the eighth-ranked Toronto Blues, Popic hit a three from the corner with 11.2 seconds left in regulation to send the game into extra time.
"He wants to make this his team as well," O'Rourke says. "He was motivated coming into this year. When you're motivated, good things can happen."
-------------------------------
Updated List:
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10 - Borko Popic, KCI
#11 - Jesse MacDonald, Brantford Assumption
#12 - Jordan Dixon, Resurrection
#13 - David Burnett, Rockway
#14 - Nathan Samuel, Assumption
#15 - Bobby Colorado, Grand River & Ian Harriette, St. Benedict
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