Calgary forward Brett Layton was named recipient of the Mike Moser Memorial Trophy as the national player of the year. Layton, a second-year law student (4th-year of eligbility) from Calgary, Alberta, was the Canada West player of the year after leading the nation with 299 rebounds – a conference record for a 20-game season – while leading CW in field goal percentage (62.8) and blocks (43), third and second in the nation, respectively. He was the first player in conference history to record a 40-point, 20-rebound night (against Trinity Western).
“We wouldn’t have won many games without Brett Layton. He has the ability to impact a game on offence, both scoring and rebounding the ball, and then defensively he can alter shots, then sprint the floor. The guy is a very, very special player. In 20 years, I’ve never had a player that has to manage as many things as he does, from law school and the demands that entails along with articling and interviews to having a wife and children and home responsibilities. For him to be able to manage all of that and keep things in the right priority and in the right perspective says a lot about his character. For him to receive a player of the year award is not only based on just what he’s done on the floor, it’s about who he is as a human being altogether,” said Dinos coach Dan Vanhooren. In conference play, Layton averaged 27.4 mpg, hitting 174-277 (.628) from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 64-127 (.504) from the arc, while garnering 299 boards (including 115 on the offensive glass and a 15.0 rpg), 38 fouls, 23 assists (1.2 apg), 37 turnovers, 43 blocks, 23 steals and 412 points, for a 20.6 ppg.
Carleton forward Lloyd Pandi was named recipient of the Dr. Peter Mullins Trophy as national rookie of the year. A 1st-year commerce major from Ottawa, Ontario, Pandi led the nation in field goal percentage, hitting .661 from the floor. He was the OUA rookie of the year and a 1st-team OUA all-star. In conference play, Pandi started 17 of 18 games, playing an average 22.8 mpg. He hit 121-183 (.661) from the floor, 4-5 from the arc and 43-45 (.768) from the line, while garnering 113 boards (including 56 on the offensive glass and a 6.3 rpg), 34 fouls, 31 assists, 22 turnovers, 22 steals, 12 blocks and 289 points, for a 16.1 ppg.
Lakehead forward Lock Lam was named national defensive player of the year. The Ottawa-native was the OUA defensive player of the year, blocking 3.5 shots per game to lead the nation. He had 18 games in which he blocked multiple shots, including six in which he had at least five. Lam averaged 9.2 rebounds per game (8th in the OUA) and 13.5 points per game. Lam was a 3rd-team OUA all-star. In conference play, he started 22 games, playing an average 27.4 mpg. He hit 112-233 (.481) from the floor, 25-67 (.373) from the arc and 48-63 (.762) from the line, while garnering 202 boards (including 45 on the offensive glass and a 9.2 rpg), 55 fouls (fouling out twice), 24 assists, 43 turnovers (0.6 asst/to ratio), 19 steals, 77 blocks and 297 points, for a 13.5 ppg.
Dalhousie coach Rick Plato was named recipient of the Stuart W. Aberdeen Trophy as national coach of the year. Plato guided the Tigers to a 19-1 regular season title, an AUS postseason crown and a runner-up finish at nationals. It was the Tigers fourth crown in five years, and Plato’s seven years at the helm. They led the conference in points per game (89.3), assists per game (17.8), offensive rebounds per game (12.5) and steals per game (12.1). They allowed the fewest points against in the conference this season (65.8) and were second nationally in the same category. Dalhousie led the country in free throw percentage of 77.7 and had a conference-best field goal percentage (47.7) and three-point percentage (35.5).
Joining Layton on the All-Canadian 1st-team were: Kadre Gray (Laurentian); Keevan Veinot (Dalhousie); Calvin Epistola (Ottawa); and Alix Lochard (UQAM). …………………………………………………… Gray, a fourth-year health promotion major from Toronto, Ontario, was named a first-team All-Canadian for the third consecutive campaign. The two-time Moser winner was named Ontario University Athletics player of the year for the third consecutive year. He was again, a first-team OUA all-star. He led the country in scoring with 23.8 points per game, while finishing second in passing at 6.5 assists per game and third in free throw shooting, hitting .916 from the line. He became just the fourth player in OUA history to top 2,000 points. By season’s end, he took over second spot on the all-time provincial scoring list, sitting at 2,072 points in 4 years. In regular season conference play, Gray started 22 games, playing an average 32.3 mpg. He hit 147-336 (.438) from the floor, 55-169 (.325) from the arc, and 174-190 (.916) from the line, while garnering 143 boards (including 21 on the offensive glass and a 6.2 rpg), 61 fouls (fouling out once), 143 assists, 85 turnovers (1.7 asst/to ratio), 34 steals, 5 blocks and 523 points, for a 23.8 ppg. ………………………………………………… Veinot, a third-year commerce major from Port Williams, Nova Scotia, was the Atlantic University Sport player of the year after leading the Tigers to regular season and postseason titles. He led the conference in steals, averaging 2.3 per game, and in assists, averaging 5.5 per game. He was also named a first-team AUS all-star. In regular season conference play, Veinot started 18 of 19 games, playing an average 30.3 mpg. He hit 108-245 (.441) from the floor, 28-88 (.318) from the arc, and 53-64 (.828) from the line, while garnering 99 boards (including 23 on the offensive glass and a 5.2 rpg), 28 fouls, 104 assists, 38 turnovers (2.7 asst/to ratio), 44 steals, 5 blocks and 197 points, for a 15.6 ppg. …………………………………………………… Epistola, a fifth-year linguistics major from Toronto, Ontario, was a first-team OUA all-star. In regular season conference play, Epistola started all 22 games, playing an average 28.5 mpg. He hit 154-343 (.449) from the floor, 47-133 (.353) from the arc and 63-84 (.750) from the line, while garnering 84 boards (including 17 on the offensive glass and a 3.8 rpg), 50 fouls, 85 assists, 54 turnovers (1.6 asst/to ratio), 55 steals, 3 blocks and 418 points, for a 19.0 ppg. …………………………………………………… Lochard, a second-year social work major from Montreal, Quebec, was the RSEQ player of the year and a 1st-team all-star selection. He averaged 17.6 points per game (2nd in the RSEQ), 9.6 rebounds per game (1st in the RSEQ), 1.6 steals per game (2nd in the RSEQ) and 0.9 blocks per game (1st in the RSEQ). In regular season conference play, Lochard started all 16 games, playing an average 35.3 mpg. hitting 115-223 (.516) from the floor, 17-66 (.258) from the arc and 35-46 (.761) from the line, while garnering 154 boards (including 55 on the offensive glass and a 9.6 rpg), 42 fouls (fouling out once), 37 assists, 44 turnovers, 14 blocks, 26 steals and 282 points, for a 17.6 ppg.
Joining Pandi on the All-Canadian 2nd-team were: Rashawn Browne (Manitoba); Tevaun Kokko (Ryerson); Jadon Cohee (U.B.C.); and Azaro Roker (St. Francis Xavier). …………………………………………………… Browne, a 5th-year arts major from Toronto, Ont., was a 1st-team Canada West all-star. In regular season conference play, Browne started 17 of 18 games, for an average 33.0 mpg. He hit 111-267 (.416) from the floor, 37-105 (.352) from the arc and 94-121 (.777) from the line, while garnering 71 boards (including 19 on the offensive glass and a 3.9 rpg), 29 fouls, 99 assists, 68 turnovers (1.5 asst/to ratio), 27 steals, 1 block and 353 points, for a 19.6 ppg. …………………………………………………… Kokko, a 3rd-year arts & contemporary science major from Markham, Ontario, was a first-team OUA all-star.
…………………………………………………… Cohee, a 5th-year unclassified studies major Langley, B.C., was a 1st-team Canada West all-star. In regular season conference play, Cohee started all 20 games, playing an average 33.4 mpg. He hit 126-258 (.488) from the floor, 44-104 (.423) from the arc and 85-103 (.825) from the line, while garnering 77 boards (including 3 on the offensive glass and a 3.9 rpg), 27 fouls, 114 assists, 38 turnovers (3.0 asst/to ratio), 16 steals, 8 blocks and 381 points, for a 19.1 ppg. …………………………………………………… Roker, a 4th-year arts major from Nassau, Bahamas, was a first-team AUS all-star. In regular season conference play, Roker started all 20 games, playing an average 31.0 mpg. He hit 143-244 (.586) from the floor, 0-2 from the arc and 67-105 (.638) from the line, while garnering 263 boards (including 84 on the offensive glass and a 13.2 rpg, 41 fouls, 22 assists, 28 turnovers (0.8 asst/to ratio), 8 steals, 6 blocks and 353 points, for a 17.6 ppg.
Joining Pandi on the All-Canadian all-rookie team were: Avan Nava (St. Francis Xavier); Anthony Tsegakele (Brandon); Sidney Tremblay-Lacombe (Laval); and Laoui Msambya (Lakehead). …………………………………………………… Nava, an arts major from Mississauga, Ontario, was the Atlantic University Sport rookie of the year after leading the X-Men to a second-place finish in the regular season standings. The 6-2 guard finished fifth in the conference in scoring and led the league in three-point shooting. Nava was a 2nd-team AUS all-star selection. In regular season conference play, Nava started 19 of 20 games, playing an average 32.5 mpg. He hit 129-292 (.442) from the floor, 49-106 (.462) from the arc and 41-51 (.804) from the line, while garnering 58 boards (including 21 on the offensive glass and a 2.9 rpg), 32 fouls, 56 assists, 51 turnovers (1.1 asst/to ratio), 15 steals and 348 points, for a 17.4 ppg. …………………………………………………… Tsegakele, an arts major from Gatineau, Quebec, was the Canada West rookie of the year. He averaged a double-double with 17.4 points per game (10th in Canada West) and 11.9 rebounds per game (2nd in Canada West). “We are excited for Anthony on receiving such a prestigious award after his first season as a Bobcat. We as a team know how hard he works, but to have him recognized by all the other coaches across Canada West is something he should be very proud of. He not only led us in many statistical categories, but he helped us return to the playoffs as a freshman, which is no small feat in such a competitive conference,” said Brandon coach Gil Cheung. In regular season conference play, Tsegakele started all 20 games, playing an average 33.8 mpg. He hit 132-261 (.506) from the floor, 10-23 (.435) from the arc and 74-115 (.643) from the line, while garnering 239 boards (including 68 on the offensive glass and an 11.9 rpg), 44 fouls (fouling out once), 36 assists, 50 turnovers (0.7 asst/to ratio), 22 steals, 12 blocks and 348 points, for a 17.4 ppg. …………………………………………………… Tremblay-Lacombe, a teaching physical & health education major from Quebec City, was the RSEQ rookie of the year, after notching more points than any other newcomer in the Quebec ranks. He was named a 2nd-team RSEQ all-star. In regular season conference play, Tremblay-Lacombe started 15 of 16 games, playing an average 30.9 mpg. He hit 111-224 (.496) from the floor, 16-53 (.302) from the arc and 29-38 (.763) from the line, while garnering 77 boards (including 21 on the offensive glass and a 4.8 rpg), 45 fouls (fouling out 4 times), 47 assists, 35 turnovers, 4 blocks, 27 steals and 267 points, for a 16.7 ppg. …………………………………………………… Msambya, a psychology major from Quebec City, was an OUA all-rookie selection. In regular season conference play, Msambya started 20 of 21 games, playing an average 30.3 mpg. He hit 108-225 (.480) from the floor, 17-53 (.321) from the arc and 56-74 (.757) from the line, while garnering 107 boards (including 24 on the offensive glass and a 5.1 rpg), 34 fouls (fouling out once), 82 assists, 45 turnovers (1.8 asst/to ratio), 31 steals and 289 points, for a 13.8 ppg.