Laurentian point guard Kadre Gray was named recipient of the Mike Moser Memorial Trophy. The 6-1 guard led the OUA and was second in U SPORTS in scoring this season, averaging 24.4 ppg, while being named the OUA player of the year, as well as a first-team OUA all-star for the second consecutive campaign. A health promotion major from Toronto, Gray led the country in assists (141, for a 7.0 apg), finished second in the country in total points (488), points per game (24.4) and free throws made (140). Gray was also in the top 10 in field goals made (152) and minutes played per game (34.4), top 20 in three-point percentage (43.1 per cent) and defensive rebounds (132) and 21st in rebounds per game (8.0). He also notched three triple-doubles on the season and helped guide the Voyageurs to a 16-7 regular season record despite missing the final games of the season with an injury. Voyageurs coach Shawn Swords said “Kadre’s work ethic is second to none. This offseason his mindset was to improve in every aspect of the game and encourage the rest of the team to do this as well. The results were amazing to witness. The maturity at which he plays the game is well beyond his years. As dedicated as he is to his team and improving on the court he is equally dedicated off the court. The community in Sudbury has very much taken to his work ethic and his thoughtfulness. We are proud of his accomplishment and glad to see all the work he has put in get recognized.” The other nominees were Canada West’s Conor Morgan of U.B.C.; Quebec’s Dele Ogundokun of McGill; and the AUS’ Javon Masters of the University of New Brunswick.
Carleton guard Marcus Anderson was named recipient of the national defensive player of the year award. In 23.5 minutes per game, the 6-3 guard used his length and quickness to rack up 47 steals (2 spg, tied for eighth in U SPORTS), six blocks while adding 3.3 defensive rebounds per game. The Brampton, Ont., native helped pilot the Ravens defence to a nation-best 60.4 points against per game, 5.6 better than the next best defensive team, and hold opponents to the lowest field goal efficiency in the country at 34.6 per cent. He was named the OUA’s defensive player of the year. Ravens coach Dave Smart said “Marcus has shown great improvement over his three seasons at Carleton. This award is a tribute to his steady effort and dedication in leading our defensive unit every game.” The other nominees were Canada West’s Jhony Verrone of Calgary; Quebec’s Frantson Démosthène of Laval; and the AUS’ Erik Nissen of Acadia.
Saint Mary’s guard Nikita Kasongo was named recipient of the Dr. Peter Mullins Trophy as rookie of the year. The 6-4 guard from Montreal, Que., started in all 20 of the Huskies’ regular season games. He led all freshman scorers, averaging 18.9 ppg, good for fifth overall in the AUS conference and second in team scoring. He averaged 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Huskies coach Jonah Taussig said “Nikita has been a great player for us in his first year. His ability to score in a variety of ways, as well as defend multiple positions, were a big reason we finished the regular season with a 14-6 record. I’m looking forward to seeing how he develops in the coming years.” The other nominees included Canada West’s Grant Shephard of U.B.C., Quebec’s Nervens Demosthene of Bishop’s and the OUA’s Ali Sow of Wilfrid Laurier.
Carleton coach Dave Smart was named the winner of the Stuart W. Aberdeen Memorial Trophy as coach of the year for the second consecutive season and ninth time in his career. Smart led the Ravens to their second straight undefeated regular season, guiding his team to a perfect 23-0 record and a 3-0 playoff mark as Carleton won its 10th OUA Wilson Cup title in program history. The Ravens held the country’s No.1 ranking for all 2017-18 U SPORTS polls, winning by an average of 28.1 points per game. Carleton finished fourth in the nation in scoring (88.5 PPG) and led the country in scoring defence (60.4 PPG) for the fourth straight season. Carleton athletic director Jennifer Brenning said “it is incredible what Dave has done for Carleton in maintaining the level of excellence of our men’s basketball program, not only on the basketball court, but in the classroom and community as well. It is truly an honour to be recognized for this award by his peers.” The other nominees were Canada West’s Barnaby Craddock of Alberta; Quebec’s David DeAveiro of McGill; and the AUS’ Brent Baker of New Brunswick.
Joining Gray on the All-Canadian first team were: Conor Morgan (U.B.C.); Javon Masters (New Brunswick); Ammanuel Diressa (Ryerson); and Brody Clarke (Alberta). …………………………………………………… Morgan, a 5th-year Masters in kinesiology candidate from Victoria, B.C., was named Canada West player of the year for the second consecutive campaign. He finished third in the league in scoring (23.9 ppg) and second in rebounding (9.7 rpg). He wrapped up his five-year career third on the Thunderbirds all-time scoring list with 1,526 points, behind only Casey Archibald (1,668) and J.D. Jackson (2,045). The swingman was selection a conference all-star for the third campaign. His 486 defensive rebounds are the most in UBC history and tied for 15th in the CW record book. Thunderbirds coach Kevin Hanson said after Morgan was named Canada West MVP that “this is a great honour for Conor and a testament to the dedication and effort that he has put in this year. His unique athleticism makes him a special player and it’s great to see him being recognized for having an outstanding season. In addition, as a fifth-year player and a team leader his work ethic, example and mentorship has been a huge benefit throughout our line up.” …………………………………………………… Masters, a 5th-year arts major from Kitchener, Ont., was the AUS player of the year. He again led the nation in scoring and set a new Usports for career points with 2,407. He was also the national scoring champion in his first three seasons, boasting 27.4 points per game in 2013-14, 25.1 in 2014-15 and 28.0 in 2015-16. He was named a first-team AUS all-star for the fifth consecutive season. He led the conference in free throws made and free throw percentage (129-143, 90.2 per cent). He finished second overall in assists with 105 on the season and third in steals with 35. He averaged 5.9 rpg and 5.5 apg. Masters was first named the conference MVP and a first team all-Canadian in 2015 and 2016. He earned AUS first team all-star and second team all-Canadian nods again last season. He also earned the Dr. Peter Mullins Trophy as the CIS (now U SPORTS) rookie of the year in 2014. That same year, he earned a place on the national all-rookie team and was named a second team all-Canadian. He finished his AUS career with 772 free throws, smashing the previous record of 411. He set the AUS all-time record for free throws made in one season in his rookie year, with 215. He also boasts second and third place in the same category, with 165 free throws made in 2015-16 and 161 in 2014-15. He sits second and third in the record book for most points in one season, earning 560 in 2015-16 and 547 in 2013-14. And he is tied for second in free throws made in a single game, making good on 20 of 26 in a 2013 game versus UPEI. …………………………………………………… Diressa, a 5th-year business management major from Toronto, Ont., was a 1st-team OUA all-star for the second consecutive campaign. It marked his third OUA all-star selection. He noted 50 against York during the regular season, while posting 21.8 ppg (3rd in OUA), 5.3 rpg, and 3.5 apg. He led the Rams to the Wilson Cup final and also to a stunning defeat of Carleton in the uSports national semis. The Rams were USports runners-up on the campaign. …………………………………………………… Clarke, a 3rd-year engineering major from Toronto, Ont., averaged 14.9 ppg and 8.3 rpg, while shooting .544 from the floor and notching 31 blocks. He was the recipient of the Canada West Ken Shields Award, which recognizes excellence in basketball, academics, and community service. In the classroom, Clarke earned a 3.6 GPA during the 2016-17 academic year, and posted a 3.9 GPA during the first semester of 2017-18. The Engineering student is a three-time All-Canadian, but still finds time to volunteer for the University of Alberta Athletics Board – which is a student-athlete leadership group – and has spent time visiting sick kids at the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton. Alberta coach Barnaby Craddock said after Clarke won the Shields award that “Brody is a great example of the on-court and off-court success that our U SPORTS student-athletes are achieving across the country. He has an exemplary work ethic, which allows him to achieve excellence in all areas of his life.” Clarke was a first-team Canada West all-star.
The All-Canadian 2nd-team featured: Eddie Ekiyor (Carleton); Dele Ogundokun (McGill); Sven Stammberger (Dalhousie); Mambi Diawara (Calgary); and Dani Elgadi (Brock). …………………………………………………… Ekiyor, a 2nd-year psychology major from Ottawa, Ont., was a first-team OUA all-star. He averaged over 14 ppg, ranked 5th in field goal percentage (59.0%), while also adding 7.6 RPG and one block per contest. …………………………………………………… Ogundokun, a 5th-year accounting major from Hamilton, Ont., was named the RSEQ player of the year for the consecutive season. It was the sixth major RSEQ conference award in five years for the guard, a five-time all-star who has received the Rookie of the year honours, and was also a two-time recipient as the league’s Defensive player of the year trophy. Ogundokun ranked fourth among Quebec league leaders in points (12.9), sixth in rebounds (6.3), second in steals (2.4) and eighth in assists (2.5) per game. He was also seventh among the league’s leaders in three-point shooting with a 32.9 per cent success rate (25/76). He shot 45.2 from the field (76-168) and 69 per cent from the free-throw line (29/42). Ogundokun grabbed 71 of his 100 rebounds in the defensive zone. He averaged a team-high 26.1 minutes of court time per game and was also credited with four blocked shots. …………………………………………………… Stammberger, a 5th-year masters of business administration candidate from Halifax, N.S., was also named the recipient of the Ken Shields Award for student-athlete community service. The 6-6 forward was the Tigers’ leading scorer this season, averaging 18.4 ppg. He also led Dalhousie in rebounding, with an average of 8.2 per game, and added 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game. The academic All-Canadian had a 3.5 GPA. Among Stammberger’s volunteer efforts was participation in the Special Tigers program, which connects children and teens with cognitive disabilities with Dalhousie student-athletes through sports such as basketball, soccer, mini-stick hockey and badminton. He also volunteered with several Student-Athlete Mental Health Initiative events, IWK Activity Days events and with the Best Buddies program, which works with individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Tigers coach Rick Plato said “in addition to being a fine athlete, Sven is a considerate, thoughtful and caring young man. When I think of Sven the words integrity, selflessness and compassion come to mind first and foremost. He is an exceptional young man and a true role model for both his teammates and youngsters alike.” …………………………………………………… Diawara, a 4th-year arts major from Montreal, Que., was a first-team Canada West all-star. The transfer from Lamar State CC averaged 20.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 3.5 apg and 2.4 spg, while shooting .457 from the floor, .311 from the arc and .726 from the line. …………………………………………………… Elgadi, a 5th-year humanities major from Waterloo, Ont., was again named an OUA First-Team All-Star, continuing an award-winning streak that started with his Rookie of the Year nod in 2013-14. Elgadi led the team in scoring (17.3 ppg), rebounding (9.3 rpg), blocks (1.7 bpg), and field goal percentage (.515). He also ranked second on the Badgers in both steals and assists.
Joining Kasongo on the all-rookie team were Ali Sow (Wilfrid Laurier); Grant Shephard (U.B.C.); Nervens Demosthene (Bishop’s); and Evan Shadkami (Toronto). …………………………………………………… Sow, a global studies major from Ottawa, Ont., was the OUA rookie of the year. He ranked second on the purple and gold in scoring, poured in a career-high 31 points against Brock in the regular season finale, scored 27 to move atop Laurier’s all-time rookie scoring list (393). …………………………………………………… Shephard, an arts major from Kelowna, B.C., played all 20 games for the Thunderbirds, who were 17-3 in Canada West regular season play. The 6-10 forward, who played his grade 12 season at prep school Montverde Academy in Florida, averaged 8.8 ppg and 4.4 rpg. He also toiled on the Canadian team which captured the FIBA U19 World Cup in July, 2017. Thunderbirds coach Kevin Hanson said after Shephard was named Canada West rookie of the year that “Grant has had a tremendous season. We are very proud of his development and his growth as a player. It is great to see him be recognized for his accomplishments in his first year.” ………………………………………………… Demosthene, a sport studies major from Terrebonne, Que., was the RSEQ rookie of the year, though he joined the Gaiters after the Christmas break. The 6-1 point guard led Bishop’s to a 5-11 record and their first postseason games since 2015. The College Montmorency product averaged 9.2 points per game and five rebounds per game. He also had 2.8 assists per contest and over a steal per game. …………………………………………………… Shadkami, a kinesiology major from Toronto, Ont., was all OUA All-Rookie selection, while averaging 10.6 ppg and shooting .355 from the arc.