Two very different teams will represent the Camosun College Chargers as they open the Pacwest basketball season on the road Saturday against the perennial powerhouse Vancouver Island University Mariners.
Coach Scot Cuachon鈥檚 men鈥檚 side is an experienced crew led by fifth-year seniors A.J. Beaudry, Rulon Schmidt, Evan Woodson and Ted Neilson, while coach Carl Macdonald鈥檚 women鈥檚 team has third-year scoring dynamo Kathryn Candell back to lead a very young crew.
鈥淲hat I鈥檓 expecting is to compete and raise our standards here a little bit from where we were last year,鈥� Cuachon said of his team, which knocked off the No. 2 and 3 seeds at provincials last season before succumbing to VIU in the Pacwest final.
The regular season was something to forget, however, at 8-13.
鈥淚 think we have a squad that can, potentially, do some good things. We鈥檙e an older team and we have to hold ourselves a little more accountable to make sure we鈥檙e working harder than we are right now,鈥� added Cuachon, who only has two true first-year players.
鈥淭he goal is a little bit higher, considering a lot of guys are ending it this year,鈥� he added.
The veterans are all expected to be leaders and second-year Mat Hampton could be in for a good year after being named to the Pacwest all-rookie team.
鈥淢at is a special player, a special kind of athlete. For us, he鈥檚 the total package and we expect him to play as such,鈥� said Cuachon, who also expects a strong year from Neilson, who was a second-team all-star last season.
鈥淭ed Neilson will be an example setter as far as the work that he鈥檒l put in. But, again, we鈥檙e older, so we shouldn鈥檛 rely on somebody to get us up,鈥� Cuachon said.
Macdonald is in an entirely different situation with plenty of youth.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got a young team, but we have a wealth of enthusiasm,鈥� he said of his women鈥檚 team, which will be led by Candell, a Pacwest first-team all-star (who led the conference in scoring) and CCAA academic all-Canadian. 鈥淲e think we have a good supporting cast for her.鈥�
That group will include Tessa Lannon-Paakspuu who made the Pacwest all-rookie team last year and Jasmine Montgomery-Reid.
Macdonald also has an interesting returning player in Carly Hopp, who was a member of the 2009 Pacwest-champion Chargers, who has decided to return to school at age 26.
鈥淚t was a long layoff, but she realized how much she still wanted to play in a competitive environment,鈥� said Macdonald. 鈥淪he came out of Oak Bay and she鈥檚 still in her prime. It鈥檚 rare for players to come back after a gap because they get on with life and their careers.
鈥淔or a player, with her maturity, to come back and say, 鈥業 want to contribute and help the younger players achieve,鈥� is a tremendous bonus. She鈥檒l be a starter who plays phenomenal defence and she understands the game. She鈥檚 great with ball movement and positioning on the floor.鈥�
After the 2008-09 championship season, Hopp decided to travel through Europe and later developed a landscape company and is returning to further her business knowledge.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know what I wanted to do in school so I took a break. I decided I want to come back and really play basketball again,鈥� said Hopp, who continued to play basketball in several leagues, including co-ed play.
鈥淚t was good conditioning playing against and with men,鈥� she added. 鈥淏eing a veteran and knowing what people are going to do [on the court] should help me.鈥�
And, ultimately, help the team.
鈥淲e came in knowing we had a young group, but we have high expectations. We expect to challenge for the Pacwest championship and go to nationals,鈥� said Macdonald.
The women will tip-off the season Saturday at 6 p.m. at VIU followed by the men at 8 p.m. and the games will be broadcast by Shaw TV Nanaimo.
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