ACAA Champions returning to the court this weekend
It was exactly one year ago when the 2020 ACAA Champion Mount Allison Mounties were informed that the Covid -19 pandemic was real and preventing their opportunity to head to the CCAA National Championships in Toronto. Now, after a cancelled 2020-2021 CCAA season nationwide, the Mounties are about to embark on a series of weekend exhibition games throughout the remainder of this month. This Saturday and Sunday at 3:30, the Mounties will be playing their first games in over a year as they participate in a home and home series with Crandall University.
It has been quite a year of highs and lows since winning their first ever ACAA Championship in Halifax a year ago according to Mountie coach Steve Chapman. " It certainly has been an emotional rollercoaster this year for our guys, coaches and supporters . It has been rather insane really. We first came back in the Fall and began practicing with the hope of some kind of abbreviated season starting in January only to have a number of different covid phases and restrictions, first to cancel our season, and then ultimately the hope of playing any games at all. The many shut downs at various parts of the year only seemed to worsen all our fears of competitive play. This was difficult for everyone and certainly changed how we went about practices and approach to training our guys during a pandemic. It has not been easy telling your team you are simply preparing for the 2021-2022 season and there have been a lot of challenges. But now, we finally get an opportunity to get the uniforms back on and play a few games. As difficult as it has been, our team members remained positive, worked hard and welcomed every opportunity they had to get in the gym and the weight room even knowing that they might not even play a single game. That has been admirable to say the least. We also could not be more appreciative of the university's support and specifically, our AD Pierre Arsenault, for allowing our guys the opportunity to be in the gym weekly where a lot of other programs across the country simply did not have the same situation or circumstances to do such. We remind our guys daily of this and as coaches we know our guys are are thankful of all. I think Igor Radic of Toronto, who just newly joined us this year, states it best when he told me the other day, "I chose MTA for the chance to play basketball at a high level and attend the number 1 ranked undergraduate school in the country. The past 5 months have been difficult but I just try to focus on the positive things in my life. There is so much to be grateful for every day. Even with the cancelled season, I took the opportunity to get in the gym as much as possible and improve. I am really excited to finally play and we've all been waiting for this, now it's time for some hard work to pay off and have some fun"
Radic, a 6'5 guard, is not the only newcomer to this year's Mounties squad who have returned 10 players from last year's championship team. Also seeing their first action in a Mountie uniform this weekend will be Fredericton High standout Minwoo Park who transferred from Dalhousie University, Moncton guard Alex Dool who last year played at University of Kings College in Halifax, and 6'3 athletic wing player Gouy Wal from Windsor, Ontario. As Chapman states, "we have been really impressed with our new additions this year and they have really fit in well with our program. They work hard, are coachable, are of great character and are quality student athletes. We are excited that they finally get the chance to compete alongside with their new teammates."
The Mountie coaching staff is also happy that three graduating players and key team members get some final game activity .Fourth year sharp shooter Brett Curtis, former ACAA All star standout Aram Currie of Riverview and 6'6 co-captain Zach Boudreau will be playing in their final games as Mounties. All three will be recognized in a special ceremony next weekend during their home game with Crandall. Other key returning players are 6'6 1st Team ACAA All Star Sam Pierson, 2020 ACAA Rookie of the Year Noah McCarthy, fourth year vet and team captain James French and first year floor leader Emmanuel Octavious of Moncton. Rounding out the roster is the improving 6'1 guard Cohen Patterson and 6"5 forward Bryden MacDonald. Toronto combo guard Emanuel Adugna, who had great success in his inaugural season with the Mounties, has recently undergone ACL surgery from an injury incurred during the end of last season but will be ready to go this Fall.