CWOSSA News and Notes: Tuesday

Warriors Add D8 Flavour
The University of Waterloo women's basketball team has added a pair of recruits out of the District 8 league, according to Head Coach Tyler Slipp.

All-star guard Jacqui Rodrigues (Resurrection) and centre Natashya Stoyakovich (St. Mary's) are the latest additions to a roster that is looking to take a big jump forward after a 1-21 season a year ago.  To be fair, 13 of 14 players on the Warriors' 11-12 roster were either in their 1st or 2nd year of school, by far the least experienced roster in the OUA.

Rodrigues and Stoyakovich will join several other CWOSSA notables at Waterloo, including Erin Robbins (Cameron Heights '11), Laura Burnett (Rockway '10), Mackenzie Lougheed (Owen Sound West Hill '10) and Sam McIntyre (Bluevale '10).

Bird Returns to Centre-Wellington
After a year at REDA in Orangeville, 6'8" F Braewyn Bird will return to Centre Wellington DHS in Fergus this year, his 4th year of high school.

Bird was a key member of the CWDHS squad that advanced to junior CWOSSA (AAAA) back in 2011, and his return to the Falcons will be welcomed with several key players from last year's senior team (e.g., Reid Goindi) having now graduated.

Saints Invitational To Expand?
According to an e-mail that I received, it looks like the massive 32-team St. Benedict Saints Invitational, held annually in January, is set to expand.

Already a 32-team senior draw, the tournament is set to add a 16-team junior bracket to the fold, bringing the total number of teams playing hoops in Cambridge that weekend to a whopping 48 clubs --- which is great news for area service industries, given that many clubs come from out of town for this one.

Nothing has been confirmed as of yet, but with the great job that John Malnerich and company do putting on this event (down to the TV coverage for the championship evening), I'm sure it will be another well-run weekend featuring some excellent basketball.

Senior HS Girls: WCI Given #1 Ranking in CWOSSABasketball.com's Preseason "Top 5"

The WCI Vikings and St. John's Green Eagles have been the class of CWOSSA senior girls' basketball over the past decade.

Last year, the Green Eagles were a #12 seed that enjoyed a magical run through the OFSAA championships en route to a silver medal.  The Vikes captured antique bronze at that same championship for a very rare "CWOSSA double".

Expect both those squads to lead the charge again this year, despite some notable losses on each side --- Lindsay Lessard (WCI) and Katie Polischuk (St. John's) have taken their talents far away from Waterloo Region with Lessard suiting up at St. Francis Xavier University (Nova Scotia) this year while Polischuk will be at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan.

WCI will be returning three WCSSAA all-stars from last season, including guard Lindsay Taylor (1st team), F/C Alex Klein (2nd team) and G Julia Pavlik (2nd team).

F Anja Gorrie (6th on the depth chart last year) is slated to join the above three in the starting lineup alongside one of the most exciting junior players last year, Kaylee Anagnostopoulos, who is in grade 10 but moving up to play senior.

Add back in two other key players after both being away for one year --- Erin Helsby (6 points in WCSSAA senior final '10) and Courtney Banham, and the Vikes have a very good chance at another OFSAA "AAAA" berth.

St. John's loses Polischuk, but have some players that can still put the ball in the basket back from last year's squad (Megan Piette) and a few newcomers from the junior "AAAA" CWOSSA championship team (Megan Thompson).  

They have a bit more "gelling" to do than WCI, but I have St. John's tabbed as my #2 squad.

After that, a couple of youthful WCSSAA squads that were semifinalists last year, Jacob Hespeler and Bluevale, are sandwiched in my 3 and 4 spots.

Hespeler will have Taylor Dennis and Brooklyn Wright back after being the Hawks' leading scorers last year (and WCSSAA all-stars to boot).  Meanwhile, Courtney (6'0") and Candice Wright (6'2"), who tore things up on the junior circuit, are grade 10s that are expected to be moved up to senior to add depth to a squad that was CWOSSA "AAA" champs at the junior level two years ago.

Bluevale is in similar shape, with key guard Natalie Bishop and Sarah Hamm returning --- two players that, like Dennis and Wright, accounted for a solid chunk of the Knights' offense last season.  The Knights will have their work cut out for them against WCI, but should be a solid favourite to lock down one of WCSSAA's 2 automatic CWOSSA "AAAA" berths. 

Last year's top AAA team, North Park, will enter this year as my #5 CWOSSA team.  Sure, they've lost Laura Chapple to graduation (Brock University) as well as Reo Roland, who was phenomenal in last year's CWOSSA tournament.  Still, a returning group led by Allyson DeLorenzi will look to keep the Trojans near the top of the Brant standings and in contention for another CWOSSA title.

Mark's Preseason "Top 5"
1.  Waterloo Collegiate - Waterloo (AAAA)
2.  St. John's College - Brantford (AAAA)
3.  Jacob Hespeler SS - Cambridge (AAA)
4.  Bluevale Collegiate - Waterloo (AAAA)
5.  North Park CVS - Brantford (AAA)

News & Notes: Coach Popic Confirms Roster for St. John-Kilmarnock

BRESLAU, ON - Today, coach Borko Popic confirmed his finalized roster of players transferring to St. John-Kilmarnock HS in time for the start of the 2012-13 school year.

Coach Popic will have three (current) grade 10s, three grade 11s, and two 5th year students on his 2012-13 roster.  All played on a CWOSSA-based team during the 2011-12 school year.

In an e-mail, he clarified their transfer eligibility and the fact that the team will play as a "school team" and not in a prep league.

"Because it's public to independent (transfer), they are all eligible to play in all league/playoff (CISAA) games right away. We can't qualify for OFSAA this year, but next year we (would) be able to," said Popic.

The SJK roster is as follows, with previous school in brackets:

St. John - Kilmarnock Roster
Javon Masters, G (6'1") - 5th Year (FHCI)
Adam Voll, F (6'7") - 5th Year (St. Mary's)
Saajan Arora, G (6'0") - 3rd Year (Jacob Hespeler)
Christopher Thompson, G (5'11") - 3rd Year (GPSS)
Mike Blumel, F (6'3") - 3rd Year (St. Mary's)
David Khayipangi, G (6'2") - 2nd Year (Lourdes)
John Kusinski, G (5'10") - 2nd Year (Lourdes)
Dashaun Lalor, G (5'10") - 2nd Year (St. David)

Rez Grad Pereira Confirmed as UW Commit

6'5" Resurrection ('12) grad Mike Pereira has been included in the latest list of Coach Greg Francis' University of Waterloo commitments as posted by Barry Hayes (see HoopStarsCanada.com for the list).

Pereira was an integral part of Resurrection's senior squad the last few years, including a memorable 20-point, 10 rebound performance during Resurrection's 2011 D8 (68-64 OT) victory against St. Mary's.

Several other CWOSSA 'ballers have also surfaced at Waterloo, but were not officially named as "commits" prior to tryouts.  Mike Finoro (6'0"G/Guelph Lourdes), Nick Pelizzari (6'7" F/Guelph St. James) and Cam Gibbs (6'2" F/Resurrection) are other CWOSSA grads who might have a shot at cracking the UW roster.

CWOSSA News: Area HS Teams Decimated By Prep Transfers

Sure, we're on the doorstep of another year of high school girls' basketball, but it's what is currently happening with boys talent that is capturing the headlines in the CWOSSA Twitterverse and beyond.  

The establishment of three new "basketball prep schools" within the CWOSSA boundaries has come at a cost for many local high school programs, with some top talent set to join forces at these new programs, which include:

REDA - Waterloo, ON
SJK (St. John-Kilmarnock) - Breslau, ON 
AI Academy - Orangeville, ON

FYI, the SJK program will operate "within the school setting" itself as a "school team", whereas the others are "true" prep schools participating in prep leagues (e.g., NPSAA).  That said, for the purposes of this discussion I'll talk about the three interchangeably.

The high school that's the biggest loser in this?  How about the St. Mary's Eagles, who are scheduled to lose 4 key returnees overall, including last year's D8 senior (6'7" 5th year Adam Voll) and junior (6'3" 3rd year Mike Blumel) MVP's.

Meanwhile, the Forest Heights Trojans, who were projected to return the top backcourt in CWOSSA, lost Juwan Miller (albeit as an intra-WCSSAA transfer to Huron Heights) and WCSSAA MVP Javon Masters to St. John-Kilmarnock.

Here's a listing of CWOSSA Prep Transfers for the upcoming year; please feel free to advise me (on Twitter or via e-mail) or any more updates to this list:

Adam Voll (6'7" F/5th) - SJK (via St. Mary's/Kit.)

Javon Masters (6'1" G/5th) - SJK (via FHCI/Kitchener)

Henry Bankazo (6'1" G/5th) - REDA Prep (via St. Mary's/Kit)  

Mike Blumel (6'3" G/F/3rd) - SJK (via St. Mary's/Kit.)

Saajan Arora (6'0" G/3rd) - SJK (via JHSS/Cambridge)

Christopher Thompson (5'11" G/3rd) - SJK (via GPSS/Cambridge) 

Dashaun Lalor (5'10" G/2nd) - SJK (via SDCSS/Waterloo) 

Marcus Jones (6'1" G/5th) - AI Academy (via North Park/Brantford)

Two Resurrection players will also be attending HS in Florida this coming year as international transfer students:

Cory Kenning (6'8" C/5th) - Naples HS (via Resurrection)

Adam Schneider (5'11" G/4th) - Naples HS (via Resurrection)

Certainly, this player movement is a monumental (and unprecedented!) shift in CWOSSA-area basketball and high school athletics in general.  Many people have tweeted/texted/e-mailed me for my opinion on this situation, so I've decided to do a post on it while hoping that people will understand one significant bias that I bring to the table.....

Obviously, I'm a huge fan of high school sports in their current form.  From a personal perspective, I feel that my participation in basketball (and cross-country and track) were an integral part of my high school years.  Having followed HS basketball during my university days (on both sides of the border!) and beyond, and being intrigued by some of the great rivalries that had developed during that period (e.g., WCI-KCI in the mid 00's and more recently, St. Mary's-Resurrection), my goal with starting this site was to provide players with exposure (to fans, parents, college/university coaches, etc.).    

Now, I'd be contradicting my past if I was to sit here and lecture that "transferring schools for personal reasons" is wrong.  Heck, I did that myself back when I was in grade 11, leaving Bluevale for KCI.  Of course, my older brother was "super smart" and started high school at Bluevale when he was in grade 6 (!) so I simply followed him there when I was going into grade 9.  Most of my friends were at KCI, which certainly prompted my decision that my parents supported.

Back to the topic at hand, and with respect to the above paragraph, I certainly have no issue with players selecting to go "prep" --- provided it is the right decision for them in their individual circumstances.  Having interacted with most of the guys above, they're all great kids (from my experiences), and I wish them much success going forward!

The hope with enrolling in these schools is that the exposure gained (as well as focused basketball-specific training) will maximize their potential, especially as it pertains to post-secondary opportunities in Canada and the United States.

Is the grass going to be greener on the other side?  It's still too early to tell --- given that this is the first year for these programs, there isn't a track record available.  That said, these programs know that ensuring the success and promotion of their players will be vital from a "word of mouth" business perspective and ensuring the medium-to-long term survival of their program.

Research must certainly be done before making a big decision such as this, especially as co-founder (and coach) of CIA Bounce (GTA-area AAU team) Mike George noted on Twitter with regards to the recent rash of kids heading south of the border for prep basketball progams:

"If another kid calls me about going prep I'm going to slap them. Prep is NOT for everyone. If you're mid to low level stay here n develop!!  Half these guys that hv gone south hv been sold a dream by some random people they don't even know telling kids they r good enough 4 the NBA!  Stop the crap about exposure and development wake the heck up and see what's happening. Just my opinion!!"--- @CoachMikeCIA

Obviously, George's comments were with regards to people heading to the USA, but I certainly can agree that his "prep is not for everyone" comment rings true.

Unfortunately, each action must have an equal "reaction" in this situation, which comes at a cost to (some) local high school teams, and particularly St. Mary's.  Considering their dominant junior program this past year, and the rare "junior-senior" CWOSSA sweep, the Eagles were possibly entering into CWOSSA "repeat" territory --- something that looks a little less likely after these defections.

If you had to find a silver lining at the high school level, there will now be some extra roster spots available for kids to participate on a HS team and get that great experience.  Those who know me know that I like including not just the top players, but all contributors (e.g., boxscore, full list of scorers) when I do my posts.

All in all, after the "prep phenomenon" started a few years' back, it was a matter of time before CWOSSA players would be targeted.  I wish all players making the transition to prep all the best, while assuring my readers that my focus (on "CWOSSA basketball") won't be changed from years previous.

First Day of School!

Welcome to the 2012-13 school year; we get started right off the bat with tryouts for junior and senior girls' basketball this week! Good luck to all that are trying to represent their school this season (be it basketball or another sport)!

For those wondering, the girls' basketball regular season will tip-off in most leagues the week of September 17th-21st.

Over the coming days, we'll have a few new posts, ranging from "Alumni Updates" to a post regarding some "intra-CWOSSA" transfers, and finally, the "Prep Phenomenon", which has taken root with a couple schools here in the CWOSSA region (some familiar names may not be where you expect this winter!).  

Great to be with you for another year of High School Hoops!

CWOSSA News and Notes: "Back to School" Special

Well, it's about time for folks to be heading back to school over the coming few weeks, and we have a couple of updates to pass along with regards to where a number of players will be going "back to school" --- so let's get right to it!

Saints Trio Heads to Canadore

Firstly, D8 all-stars and St. Benedict CSS ('12) grads Kueth Geng, Joshua Edwards and Santo Dak are scheduled to head to Canadore College (North Bay, ON) this coming season.  Canadore will be making its return to the OCAA after nearly 20 years on the sidelines.

This link (BayToday.com) details the fact that Geng was a leading scorer in this past weekend's Intrasquad Scrimmage:

http://www.baytoday.ca/content/sports/details.asp?c=48573

(Photo Above C/O BayToday.ca)

Former Brantford Star Hill Surfaces at Lambton

Former Brantford standout Shawn Hill (6'4") will be attending Lambton College in Sarnia this coming season, after playing professionally in Poland.

Meanwhile, as we mentioned previously another Brantford grad, NPC ('12) Marcus Hamilton, will also be adding to the squad's CWOSSA representation.

Chapple Heads to Badgers

Former North Park CVS guard Laura Chapple (5'9") will be the latest Brantford product at Brock University in St. Catharines this fall, as announced on the team's website.

Chapple will join former St. John's stars Kayla Santilli (5'10" G, 2nd Year) and Andrea Polischuk (5'10" G/F, 3rd Year) on the Badgers, who were nationally ranked for much of the 2011-12 season.

Jones to Go Prep....

North Park ('13)'s Marcus Jones has announced that he will be attending AI Prep in Orangeville, ON, which is the school being run by former UW assistant coach Curtis Dauber.

Jones becomes the first CWOSSA player to officially announce his Prep intentions, though with the new REDA school (in Waterloo) as well as the SJK Prep program in Breslau actively recruiting some talent --- we should have more to announce shortly.

...while 2 Rez Players Also Announce Transfer

Rez F/C Cory Kenning (6'8", 2013) and G Adam Schneider (5'10", 2014) will both be going to school in Florida this coming year. 

The two will be attending Naples HS in Naples, FL --- which is also the host school of the tournament that Resurrection attended down there last year.  As with other CWOSSA players that have gone Stateside, we'll keep you posted on their progress!

CWOSSA Announces 2012-13 Championship Formats

The CWOSSA executive has announced the championship formats for the 2012-13 school year (the below are applicable to both girls and boys' basketball):

"A" CWOSSA

We'll start off easy, as this one stays the same as a 4-team championship.  We'll have:

1 team - D8

1 team - D1&D7 (BAA)

1 team - D9 (NSSAA)

The additional team will be from last year's winning district (e.g. D1&7 #2) who will play College Heights and/or Emmanuel Christian (should they have a team) for the fourth berth.

"AA" CWOSSA

Our first big change!  After years as a 4-team championship, the "AA" division will switch things up and move to a 6-team tournament (no word if it will be seeded and/or if there will be two pools of three, like the "AAAA" championship).

In my view, and given the disparity at times between schools in the "AA" division, I would suggest a seeded tournament, with the top 2 teams earning byes to the semifinal.

At any rate, the teams will be:

2 teams - D1&7 (BAA)

1 team - D4 

1 team - D10 (Guelph)

1 team - D9

1 team - D5 (Paris) vs. D4 #2

"AAA" CWOSSA

With a couple "AAA" teams moving up to "AAAA", there's been a switch from an 8-team draw to a 6-team draw.  No confirmation at this time if it will be "pool play" or "seeded", but we will have:

2 teams - WCSSAA

1 team - D1&7 (BAA)

1 team - D5 (Brant County)

1 team - D10

1 team - D8 vs. D9

(FYI - next year, the "qualifying game" will be between D9 and D10)

"AAAA" CWOSSA

A surprise here as despite 2 additional teams (and now 18) in the "AAAA" division, the tournament stays as a 6-team championship.

WCSSAA, despite now having 9 of 18 (50%) of "AAAA" schools, is only guaranteed 2 berths, but in a change from previous years, WCSSAA #3 will now take on the D10 #2 for one of the berths.

So you have:

2 teams - WCSSAA

1 team - D8

1 team - D5 (Brantford)

1 team - D10

1 team - D10 #2 vs. WCSSAA #3

Having been a fan of the "8 team" draw, I'm a little disappointed that it's not back this year - especially with 18 "AAAA" teams, which has traditionally been the requirement for an 8-team draw.

A suggestion that I'd have?  Have D8 #1 play D5 #2, and D5 #1 play D8 #2 for the two spots attributed to both leagues.  For example, D8 should be down next year in girls' basketball, while D5 should again be strong.  You could argue the flip side from this past year in boys' basketball.  Essentially, it would allow for what I call "cyclical strengths" to be represented at CWOSSA while still maintaining the integrity of the championship.

You could also make the argument that WCSSAA, with 9 of 18 teams (50% of AAAA schools) is therefore deserving of 3 teams automatically, with the other three divisions getting one team each or being involved in some sort of "play-in" scenario:

9 teams - 50% (WCSSAA) = 3 teams

4 teams - 22% (D10) = 1.33 teams

3 teams - 16% (D8) = 1 team

2 teams - 11% (D5) = 0.67 teams

Anyways, the best teams seem to come to the top regardless of the competition format, which is the important thing!  I'm sure we'll have more commentary on this later, but good luck to all teams this coming season!

Ex-Junior CWOSSA Player of the Year Returns to BMAC

He's baaaaaaack.

Mitchell Wood, who was my inaugural "CWOSSA Junior Boys Rookie of the Year AND Player of the Year" back in the 2009-10 season while he was only in grade nine, has announced that he is returning to Bishop Mac for the 2012-13 school year.

Wood will be entering grade 12, and as such he will have 2 years of high school eligibility remaining (should he choose to stick around) --- and he just might, considering the fact that the Celtics' roster appears poised to make some noise over the next year or two.

The Celts will return Jesse Kendall, one of CWOSSA's top senior rookies last season, along with another solid scorer also going into grade 12, Owen Brombal.  Michael Ganson (CWOSSA's leading junior scorer) and Adam McEachern are junior grads that will provide some additional scoring depth.

All of a sudden, the "AA" division looks as though it could be very competitive with Bishop Mac and Centre Dufferin (Shelburne) poised to be two teams that could make some noise not only within that division, but also CWOSSA-wide!

Ontario Summer Games: Tri-County Boys Capture Silver Medal

The Tri-County Elite Development Team captured a silver medal last week at the Ontario Summer Games in Toronto.

The team was on fire in pool play, dropping the Mountain Region 70-53, Niagara 75-49, St. Clair 69-50 and Kawartha 72-67 to earn first place.

After winning their semifinal game, they dropped a close 4-point outing in the final to "Central-West" (Oakville & Burlington area).

Here's a look at the squad - the grade will be the grade of the student next season:

Front Row (L-R):  Jermaine Lyle (6'1" G, St. Mary's/Grade 11); Sam Sutherland (5'11" G, Waterloo CI/Grade 10); Christopher Thompson (5'11" G, Glenview Park/Grade 11); Tyrick Thompson (5'10" G, St. Mary's/Grade 11).

Back Row (L-R):  Assistant Coach Rob Sutherland; Brandon Roth (6'4" F, Jacob Hespeler/Grade 11); TJ Lall (6'3" G/F, Galt CI/Grade 11); Brett Parrott (6'6" F, SJAM/Grade 11); Matt Quiring (6'6" F, Jacob Hespeler/Grade 10); Andrew Folkerson (6'3" G/F, JF Ross/Grade 11); Josh McEachern (6'3" G/F, Centre Wellington/Grade 11); Head Coach Andrew Mackay; Assistant Coach Jamie Campbell.

Girls

Meanwhile, on the girls' side, the Tri-County team finished 3rd overall in their pool, with a respectable 53-41 loss to the eventual Gold-Medal winners from Central East.  They also dropped a tight 47-45 game to the Mountain Region, but also posted some impressive wins over St. Clair (50-23) and St. Lawrence (53-41).

The girls' roster included:

Rikayla Baldin (5'4" G/Brantford Assumption, Grade 9)

Jessica Morris (5'7" G/Guelph Bishop Mac, Grade 11)

Hannah Newman (5'5" G/Guelph Centennial, Grade 11)

Rebecca Payne (5'4" G/Waterloo-Oxford, Grade 11)

Alisha Glendinning (5'10" F/Waterloo-Oxford, Gr. 11)

Sarah Schulz (5'9" G/Kitchener Resurrection, Grade 11)

Courtney Wright (6'0" F/Cambridge JHSS, Grade 10)

Candice Wright (6'2" F/Cambridge JHSS, Grade 10)

Megan Thompson (5'9" F/St. John's, Grade 11)

Hunter Johns (Cameron Heights, Grade 10)

Madison Horst (5'6" G/Waterloo-Oxford, Grade 11)

Emma Cain (5'9" G/F/Guelph Centennial, Grade 10)

Coach:  Kerri Jilesen

Hudyn, Canada finish 4th at U-18 FIBA Americas Tournament

Recent Eastwood graduate Michelle Hudyn had some strong performances over the past week, helping lead the Canadian squad to a 2-1 record in pool play before they lost to the USA in the semifinals (95-46) and Argentina in the bronze medal game (53-49) of the FIBA Americas U18 tournament in Puerto Rico.

Hudyn was Canada's leading rebounder, with 6.6 RPG during the tournament.  She added 4.6 PPG, as well as 2.0 APG, while also contributing 3 steals and 2 blocked shots.

Her best game was an important win (58-43) against the hosts, Puerto Rico, where she hit for a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) and added 2 assists.

In the bronze game against Argentina, she hit for 8 points and 6 rebounds while dropping 3 assists as well.

Despite the losses to end the tournament, Canada's 4th place finish earned them a berth in the FIBA U19 World Championships to be held next July in Lithuania.

In case you were wondering, the United States rolled to the gold medal with a 71-47 win over Brazil.  That 24-point margin was their smallest margin of victory during the tournament.

Hudyn, meanwhile, is now off to the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo., for her first season with the NCAA D-1 Missouri Tigers.

YouTube View: Jack Simmons (Galt CI) Mixtape

If you have any links to YouTube videos of current (or former) CWOSSA players, feel free to drop me an e-mail.  I'm thinking of making this a regular segment going forward.

For starters, here's a look at Galt's 6'8" F Jack Simmons, who is returning to GCI this coming season --- and his recent efforts as a member of Etobicoke Elite during their American Tour:

Brantford Expositor: From Brantford to the Phillippines for JR Gallarza

Article By:  Darryl G. Smart, Expositor Staff

J.R. Gallarza didn't take a conventional path for a Brantford high school graduate.

Now, the 20-year-old is trying to help the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons basketball team win games.

Gallarza, a basketball standout with the St. John's College Green Eagles, has been living in the Philippines for the past two years. He started his university rookie basketball season just last month.

"The game is really different out here when you're on the court," he said.

"I've been playing organized basketball at Brantford CYO since I was four, but sometimes I feel like I just picked up a basketball a year ago."

He said that basketball in the Philippines involves a "bit less athleticism but a lot more running."

"What they lack in getting to the rim for a dunk, they make up for in quick-paced euro-style and sidesteps to the basket. The transition game here is also at a higher level than in Canada."

Gallarza said he's gradually getting used to the differences in basketball in the Philippines.

"It's something hard to explain, but adapting on the court for us really takes a lot more of the mental aspect."

Gallarza said that he is working to maintain his confidence and focus.

Because he didn't go to high school in the Philippines, he was forced to two years of residency in the country before stepping on the basketball court for a university team.

Gallarza said he used the past two years to prepare to play basketball; the rookie has split time between guard and forward.

"I expect to really use this season as a stepping stone to add to my basketball experience and make the most of every training day and all the opportunities coach gives me," Gallarza said.

"We have eight graduating veterans after this season, so I believe with that alone the team is going to be fighting harder than ever to end this season on a high note. And, hopefully, we get the school back on a winning track."

In 2007-08, when he was in Grade 11, Gallarza was asked to join a Filipino-Canadian basketball team in the Toronto area that flew to the Philippines to tour campuses and play games.

"We were called Pinoy Canadian Prospects, or PCP, for short," Gallarza said.

The team played about 30 games in 31 days, which gave coaches, athletic directors and scouts time to talk to the players.

"Just like any young basketball player growing up, I had dreams of playing in the big leagues," Gallarza said.

"Those dreams turn into reality of first playing at the level after high school. So, yeah, I always wanted to play basketball after SJC. I just didn't know where."

Gallarza decided to attend De La Salle University in Manila after high school graduation.

"Having the PCP tour under my belt really helped a lot in my decision, and having DLSU still it talks with my parents after a year and a half trying to recruit me really influenced me to take the flight to the Philippines," he said.

A year later, he transferred to the University of the Philippines, also in Manila.

Despite some ups and downs, Gallarza said he would change nothing about is post-secondary journey.

"Overall, I'm really enjoying my experience," he said.

"It's a totally different environment and lifestyle than it is in Canada. Adapting has been surprisingly easy for me, though, probably because I can understand and partially speak the language. The ones I feel for are the non-Filipino imports - players from all over the world doing the same thing as me but without the knowledge of the Philippines and lack the Filipino language."

He said that it also helped that his mother, Linda, travelled to the Philippines to help him make the transition for the first month.

"My parents have been amazing," Gallarza said.

"I've had a great support system and I couldn't have done this without them."

Retrieved From:  http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/2012/08/13/from-sjc-to-the-philippines-for-jr

Miller, Team Ontario Roll to U17 Crown at Nationals

Catching up on a few things while I was away on holidays, so congrats to current Huron Heights' student (and Waterloo Wildhawk U19 star) Juwan Miller, who was a member of Ontario's U17 squad that dominated the opposition en route to the Gold Medal at the Canadian Championships held last week in Sherbrooke, QC.

Ontario put up "Dream Team"-type results, cruising to a 102-65 win in the championship finale over Manitoba; the semifinal wasn't any closer as that was a 95-46 demolition of the host Quebec squad.

Miller put up very efficient numbers for Ontario in those games --- he went 6-for-7 (FG) and 3-for-3 (FT) in the final for 15 points, and added in 4 steals, 3 rebounds and 1 block in 20+ minutes of action.

In the semifinal, he went 3-for-4 (FG) and 4-for-6 (FT) for another double-digit (10 point) effort, while collecting 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.

Overall, Miller ranked 23rd among all players with a double-digit average of 10.6 PPG.  More impressively, he led the entire tournament in FG%, hitting 21-of-29 shots for a ridiculous 72.4% clip (keep in mind he's a guard!).  He also ranked in a tie for 3rd overall in steals, swiping 18 of them in 5 games (3.6 SPG).

With those numbers in mind, it's no wonder as to why Miller was named to the tournament's all-star team.  Even scarier?  He noted on his Twitter account that he (and several other members of the team) had a cold and weren't even 100% before the final.  Yikes!

News and Notes: BMAC Coach Bremner Gets Assistant Job at U of G

Congratulations go out to current Bishop Mac Senior Girls' coach Karen Bremner, who was recently named to the University of Guelph coaching staff as an assistant coach.

Bremner, who starred at Bishop Mac in the mid '00s, went on to play OUA basketball at Western before concussions cut her career short.  She is currently pursuing her Master's Degree at Western, while volunteering her time towards several coaching gigs, including Bishop Mac.

She will continue in her role as Bishop Mac's head coach for the foreseeable future, as that was part of the understanding/agreement between her and Gryphs' Head Coach Tom O'Brien. 

For more on this, check out Ned Bekavac's article from the Guelph Tribune:

http://www.guelphtribune.ca/sports/ex-cager-from-city-nets-gryphon-gig/