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Local hoops fans can get their fill of entertainment on both the university and high-school fronts over the next 10 days.
The University of Victoria Vikes men鈥檚 team plays at the CARSA gym against Simon Fraser University on Tuesday at 2 p.m. and UBC Okanagan on Thursday at 1 p.m. Admission to both the exhibition games is by donation with proceeds going to the local food bank.
The Vikes hope to stay fresh during their holiday layoff. They get back to sa国际传媒 West regular-season play on Jan. 8-9, when the Manitoba Bisons visit CARSA.
The St. Michaels University School Senior Boys Invitational will move into the new UVic facility for the first day of play on Jan. 3, as the host Blue Jags take on Winston Churchill of Lethbridge, Alta., at 5 p.m. That is followed by the Oak Bay Bays challenging perennial powerhouse the Harry Ainlay Titans, of Edmonton, at 6:45 p.m.
鈥淲e are greatly indebted to Clint Hamilton, Craig Beaucamp and Vikes athletics for the opportunity to play in such a fantastic facility,鈥� said SMUS head coach 鈥� and former Vike 鈥� Ian Hyde-Lay, whose son Graeme is in his first year with the UVic men鈥檚 basketball program.
The Blue Jags鈥� tournament resumes at SMUS on Jan. 4, with the hosts facing Oak Bay at 9:15 a.m., followed by Harry Ainlay and Winston Churchill at 11 a.m. The round-robin tournament wraps up in the afternoon with a 3:30 p.m. tip-off between Winston Churchill and Oak Bay, capped by a 5:15 p.m. encounter between SMUS and Harry Ainlay.
The Vikes women鈥檚 team travels to Ontario for the Toronto Invitational, from Monday to Wednesday. Coach Dani Sinclair鈥檚 troops face the Laurentian Voyageurs, Western Mustangs and Toronto Varsity Blues.
Sinclair recently announced that 17-year-old Calli McMillan-Beaucamp will join the Vikes for the 2016-17 season.
The five-foot-six guard is the daughter of Vikes men鈥檚 basketball head coach Craig Beaucamp and former Vike and CIAU national champion Tara Beaucamp (Gallaway).
鈥淲e are very proud that Calli will joining the Vikes family,鈥� Craig said in a statement. 鈥淥ur family has significant ties to UVic. Tara spent five years playing at UVic, winning a national championship [1992]. I have coached at UVic for the past 15 years and Calli grew up attending Vikes games, hearing many basketball stories from both of us. Even though this was Calli鈥檚 decision, we are very pleased that she is attending UVic.鈥�
A graduate of Claremont Secondary, McMillan-Beaucamp aims to study social sciences at UVic. She brings a wealth of provincial basketball experience and will rejoin former high-school teammate Marissa Dheensaw on the Vikes next fall.
鈥淚 am excited to be able to finally be a part of the Vikes program,鈥� McMillan-Beaucamp, the 2013 Island senior girls basketball championship MVP, said in a statement. 鈥淚 have known coach Sinclair since I was pretty young, but I have never been coached by her, so I am looking forward to that. I know most of the girls on the team and looking forward to playing with one of my best friends again, Marissa Dheensaw.鈥�
The two were also teammates on the sa国际传媒 Under-17 provincial team.
鈥淐alli is another great addition to a growing list of local players in our program,鈥� Sinclair said.
鈥淪he has almost literally grown up in the UVic gym and we believe that this familiarity will help with her transition to our team and to CIS basketball.鈥�
Like the men, the Vikes women will also get back to sa国际传媒 West regular-season action on Jan. 8 against Manitoba at CARSA.
