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Five years goes by faster than one would expect.
Basketball is a sport McMaster guard Aaron Redpath grew up on. Playing street ball from the tender age of six and competitively two short years later, something about the game of basketball kept Redpath wanting more. Something about the sport made him yearn to play for the rest of his life.
“It always kept me humble, it was my stress relief,” said Redpath.
Surrounded by basketball players in both his family and circle of friends, Redpath played basketball through the years, and was an integral part of his high school basketball team.
When it came time for the Ajax native to decide where he would spend the next five years playing university basketball, McMaster was ultimately the choice. Despite looking at Division 1 schools in the United States, the academics and athletic facilities kept Redpath choosing close to home.
In the summer of 2011, Redpath was one of five players officially recruited to commit to Maroon.
In his first year playing for the Marauders, Redpath pushed to be stronger and bigger. “The physicality was different. It was a step up from high school,” Redpath admits.
Fast forward four years and the same student-athlete witnessed years ago has grown in leadership, maturity and confidence.
Five years playing in Maroon has allowed Redpath to be a more vocal leader. Anyone who has the chance to watch any games this season would think that was Redpath’s personality, as he was big on the court and always played with emotion. That self-assurance came from time, experience and being comfortable on the court.
While some players in Redpath’s recruiting class chose to leave McMaster Basketball for different reasons, it was important for Redpath to show loyalty to a program that has done so much for him.
Being part of a sports program for five years can be really testing. With incoming and outgoing players, the dynamic of a team changes. But how a player handles that change is telling of their character.
“I have never been the type of person to quit on things when it gets tough. I don’t see tough times as an opportunity to quit, but as an opportunity to get better,” said Redpath.
With those tough times and changes in the program, there has been a few aspects that have always been constant for Redpath.
One of those is Head Coach Amos Connolly.
“He has been pushing me all along. He has always talked to me about my potential. He has believed in me from the start,” said Redpath.
Redpath’s last game on Burridge hardwood will be one he will never forget, for more sour reasons than sweet. It was an OUA quarter-final game against Windsor Lancers that ended in a 78-79 loss. It was a game that hurt so much.
While that result was unfortunate, the focus moving forward is on the positive and the great moments they all shared together.
“The beauty of our team is that it is built like a family. We are able to pick each other up,” said Redpath.
Redpath has collected several accolades throughout his career in Maroon. He was named OUA all-star and all-rookie, made a CIS Final 8 appearance and recieved several Athlete of the Week nominations. Redpath is grateful for the experience being a Marauder has given him.
Now that he has hung up his #23 jersey, Redpath will look to take his talents professionally. Having basketball inspirations like Vince Carter and Lebron James, Redpath hopes to play the sport he loves for as long as he can on a bigger stage and in front of a bigger crowd.
Photo Credit: Jon White/ Photo Editor
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It felt like a 10 year-old wound was reopened.
The blue and white celebrated a gold medal-clinching victory amongst a sea of maroon and grey for the second time in a decade. The first time the Spartans captured CIS gold was back in 2006 when McMaster was the host.
That’s not the sort of deja-vu you want to have, especially with the way the stars seemed to have aligned for McMaster this year.
Trinity Western’s journey is somewhat of a Cinderella story — a concept almost exclusively married to the month of March. In January they were 9-9 and on the outside looking in for the Canada West playoff. Then they decided to go on a 7-1 run to end their season, winning the Canada West banner, dethroning the reigning national champs twice in two weeks, and upsetting the No. 1 team in the nation to win CIS gold.
“Getting hot down the stretch is all that really matters,” said Spartans Head Coach Ben Josephson.
The Spartans’ rise to national prominence happened so fast, but Josephson thinks it was just a matter of time.
“We were doing all of the right things and we were learning the things that we needed to learn, it just wasn’t producing results yet,” Josephson said. “We just kept saying to trust that we’re doing the right thing and to stay together.”
“This group never quits and the way we come together is so special. I’ve never been part of any group or team like this,” said Spartans setter Adam Schreimer.
McMaster started the match ablaze, looking like a team ready to run away with gold on their home floor. They got out to a quick 9-3 lead before the Spartans were forced to call a timeout to gather themselves.
Burridge’s sellout crowd was rowdy.
“We came out hot. I think that was one of the best starts our team has had all year,” said McMaster middle Alex Elliott. “There was a lot of energy and excitement.”
McMaster’s momentum was soon mellowed in the subsequent sets after Trinity Western started playing their trademark serve/block game.
“You can outplay better teams if you have everything going in the right direction. I don’t think we were the better team here, but we played better that night.”
“They try to serve really tough and keep you off the net and then when they’re attacking you, they try to keep the ball in play,” said Elliott. “They rely on their blocking to shut you down. They sort of try and let you make the errors.”
Assistant Coach Nathan Janzen acknowledges Elliott’s schematic observation.
“They play a very smart attacking game. They’re not always hitting hard. They’re very willing to keep balls in play, put it at the setter, and let their block take over a match,” said Janzen. “They did a fantastic job serving and blocking. I give them a ton of credit.”
McMaster showed flashes of their first set brilliance, but were never able to put it all together the rest of the match. Trinity Western took the wheel from the second set to the end.
“The only time we had everything humming was in the first set and we won that one. Every time we had something figured out, we’d fall back in something else,” Janzen said. “We missed a bunch of serves and let them get confident in what they were doing. From there we were behind the eight ball for the rest of the match.”
McMaster followed Trinity Western into the 20s in the second and third sets before losing, and they ultimately fell short of gold by dropping the fourth set.
“When sets get into the 20s that’s usually when we turn it up a notch and finish the job. We didn’t do that against them. It was uncharacteristic of us,” Elliott said.
The Spartans had a commanding lead throughout the fourth set and the Marauders never came back.
“We tried to focus on each individual point as its own mini-game rather than thinking about the entire match,” Elliott said. “That’s what we tried to do, but when you face a big deficit and give the opponent such a big lead, it’s hard to claw all the way back.”
Spartans star outside hitter Blake Scheerhorn scored a side-out off of Jayson McCarthy to officially end the Marauders title hopes. The twin-tower duo of Scheerhoorn and fellow outside hitter Ryan Sclater hurt McMaster as the two scored 20 and 24 points, respectively.
“Losing in the final here was pretty tough. It’s still pretty tough to accept it now a few days after it happened,” Elliott said. “I couldn’t believe it was over. It’s especially tough because it was my last match ever for Mac.”
Trinity Western, on the other hand, captured their third CIS title in six seasons making the Spartans look like a national dynasty.
“You can outplay better teams if you have everything going in the right direction. I don’t think we were the better team here, but we played better that night,” Josephson said.
It wasn’t meant to be for McMaster. The perfect ending of winning the program’s first national title at home didn’t come true.
“I think for all of us it’s obviously disappointing that we didn’t win gold at home. It was a great opportunity to win in front of our home fans,” Janzen said. “I think the guys are disappointed, but a CIS silver medal is still an incredible accomplishment. It’s hard, but we’re still very proud of what we’ve accomplished.”
Photo Credit: Yousif Haddad
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Humber College gym was (kind of) where it all started.
A tall, lanky 16-year-old was playing club volleyball for the Durham Attack and coaches were out in the gym to watch him play. He was on the recruiting radar for a number of universities in the OUA.
The tall kid walked up to a coach and said, “Hello, Sir. I’m Alex Elliott.”
McMaster Head Coach Dave Preston chuckled.
“Alex, I’m very aware of who you are,” said Preston.
Elliott was shocked that the Head Coach of one of Canada’s best volleyball programs knew him by name. It meant so much to him.
“I love your program. I think a lot of Mac,” Elliott said.
Right when Elliott was offered the opportunity to play for his dream school, the Cobourg, ON native knew where he would spend the next five years of his life.
“I told myself that I was going to Mac. I didn’t say it right away because I didn’t want to be impulsive. I got offers from everywhere in Ontario, but I knew I wanted to be there. My heart was set,” said Elliott.
His strong ties to the school with the coaching staff, friends, and teammates influenced his decision. There was no other place for him.
“I applied to three different programs. That’s how badly I wanted to come here,” said Elliott.
Fast-forward half a decade and the 6’5” graduating middle leaves McMaster with a decorated career and many lifelong memories.
But the one that stands out the most comes from this year’s CIS championship weekend.
“The highlight of my whole career was to end it here at home. To play in the CIS championships in front of all the Mac fans is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Walking onto the floor with 2000 people cheering for us is a crazy feeling,” said Elliott.
“If you told me five years ago that I would be a part of four OUA title teams and four CIS medaling teams, I would’ve called you crazy,” Elliott said. “We would’ve loved to capture the championship at home, but I wouldn’t give this up for anything or any other school in Canada. I have no regrets. I love Mac.”
Elliott started at Mac as a Social Sciences student before transferring into Environmental Sciences. He is scheduled to graduate this spring.
Following his graduation, Elliott plans to head to teacher’s college to pursue his passion for teaching and coaching.
“I want to teach high school environmental science and geography. I want to coach too. I love sports. It doesn’t even have to be volleyball,” Elliott said.
His time at Mac has given him valuable insight into maximizing one’s university experience.
“Take advantage of every opportunity you’re given right off the bat. Don’t be shy. Get involved with everything you can. Sit near the front of your classes. Don’t be the guy near the back. Just be more engaged with everything.”
Elliott sees sport as bigger than a stage to showcase talent.
“It’s a platform you can use to develop life. That’s why I want to teach people that sport isn’t only about being physically active or being the best. Sports can teach you life lessons that you can hold onto forever,” Elliott said.
Away from the court, Elliott spent significant time doing community service during his time at Mac with Mac Athletes Care.
“I’ve always loved serving the community. Back home in Cobourg I was involved in the community up until grade 12 and then in my first year at Mac, I wasn’t involved in anything,” said Elliott. “There was a significant part of me I wasn’t showing so getting involved with Mac Athletes Care brought that part of me back out.”
Elliott would take time out of his week to just spend time with Hamilton youth and elderly citizens. Nothing complicated. He enjoyed learning to see the world through their eyes and wanted to be there for others if they needed anything. It’s very unique to see an athlete that legitimately wants to be around others, and to care for and support them in his own personal free time. It just goes to show that Elliott practices what he preaches about sport being more than a platform for talent, but a platform to impact the lives of others.
“He has been one of the greatest leaders that I have ever coached,” said Coach Dave Preston. “Alex is a great human being.”
Photo Credit: Monish Ahluwalia
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It all ended on March 12 in the Nation’s Capital.
After an emotional and long two days of play at the University of Ottawa’s Montpetit Hall for the OUA Final Four, the Marauders got back on the bus headed to Hamilton empty handed. No gold, no silver, no bronze.
The hard work the entire season seemed to depend on the team’s ability to hold it together for two 40-minute games and that didn’t happen. The losses in both games not only ended the chance for an OUA medal, but ruined a CIS Final 8 berth.
Each regular season win was working towards something bigger than just them. Each win was preparing them to get closer to what they wanted to claim this season: an OUA banner.
And the McMaster Women’s Basketball team was given that opportunity.
During the OUA quarter-final game vs. Queen’s at Burridge a few weeks prior, the Marauders punched their ticket to the OUA Final Four alongside Ottawa, Ryerson and Windsor.
During Friday’s semi-final game, the game deciding which team would make it to the OUA gold medal game, McMaster dropped a 42-56 game to the hosts for the weekend, the Ottawa Gee-Gees.
With both teams looking to advance to the championship game the following day, Ottawa was defending homecourt while McMaster was looking to avenge the loss suffered in Burridge during Think Pink.
It was a low scoring game for both teams. McMaster was led by Danielle Boiago’s 19 points. The rest of the 23 points came from five players on the team despite a total of 11 touching the hardwood. The numbers did not look too good for McMaster and as the 40 minute game elapsed, the game fell in favour of the Ottawa Gee-Gees.
The team had to shake off the losing feeling rather quickly as they were set to play the Windsor Lancers the following day for bronze.
There was much more production from the Marauders this game with Boiago leading the scoreboard with 19 points for the night. Clare Kenney also added 17 points for the team.
Unfortunately, the team was not able to end the game with a win and lost to the Lancers 58-68. Windsor claimed bronze.
As the team lined up to shake the hands of the bronze medalists, you could see the emotion on their faces and through their body language. Whether it was players thinking about what they could have done differently or the reality of the season ending was starting to hit them, the emotion was felt.
While the team travelled back home with results they did not intend for, the season was still an impressive one. The Marauders finished 16-7 this season.
With two graduating players leaving, Rachael Holmes and Siobhan Manning, the Marauders will use the offseason to improve and prepare for the following season of play. The team improved to play in the OUA Final Four this year and if they continue to push, a spot at nationals next year does not seem so out of reach.
Photo Credit: Greg Mason
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Growth takes a student athlete from good to great.
In basketball, five players are on the court to represent the team at any given time. To be one of those five on the McMaster Men’s Basketball Team, you need to earn it. It comes with time, experience and talent. Every player that checks in and laces up for play on the hardwood is on the court for a reason. It might be the skill they showed in practice or their leadership as veterans.
While the five are on the court, the remaining players on the bench are just as important. In addition to contributing when called upon, these bench players are a network of support and help motivate the players on the court.
A team this big in numbers and depth is not missing support or motivation. The bench gets loud when big plays are made and clap it out even when a free throw is missed.
Still, the rotation fans notice at games are usually eight players. This isn’t always the case as Head Coach Amos Connolly can decide to play some of the younger guys for experience.
Fourth-year Oakville native Lazar Kojovic was a part of that rotation this year, but it did not always come easy.
“It’s mostly just hard work,” said Kojovic.
Playing basketball since the age of 11, Kojovic was given the opportunity to represent McMaster Basketball when he was one of seven first year players to show loyalty to the Maroon and Grey in 2012. McMaster became home for Kojovic because of the strong academics and the great athletics. Kojovic, an Engineering Physics student, has found a balance between books and ball.
This season opened up a spot for Kojovic to showcase his talent and he made sure to not take that chance for granted. His first three years at McMaster were quiet, but this year was a little different.
“This year, I got a bit lucky with some open shots,” said Kojovic about working his way up the bench and onto the court.
Hard work and time has gotten Kojovic to where he is today. A strong work ethic speaks volumes to a player’s potential for greatness.
Whether it is producing in a multitude of ways both offensively or defensively on the court or supporting his teammates by being a vocal presence on the bench, Kojovic has had a successful season and has put skeptics and believers on notice.
Rounding off his fourth year with the program, Kojovic’s greatest Marauder memory was when the team made an appearance in the CIS Final Eight in his second year.
A big reason why Kojovic loves the game is because of his father who also played basketball growing up.
“When I was younger, I would go to his pick-up games every Sunday and watch him score in the most unusual and unique ways. I would always try and practice his moves. My dad pushed me,” said Kojovic of his basketball inspiration.
Fans can expect to see more leadership from Kojovic who will finish off his five years of eligibility with the program next year. His time away from the competitive stage this year will be used to polish his ball handling skills and ability to be more open on the court, in order to prepare for another shot at championships.
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When I first started covering McMaster Men’s Volleyball regularly in the fall, I was aware of the high expectations that came from both inside and outside of the program. However, I only became aware of our volleyball excellence by watching games and walking through the David Braley Athletic Centre. Mac volleyball isn’t heavily advertised beyond the walls of the building so it took some effort to realize that our school has a championship-calibre volleyball program.
McMaster Men’s Volleyball has become a household name in the CIS and Head Coach Dave Preston is the mastermind behind the perennial powerhouse. McMaster has appeared and medaled in each of the past three CIS National Championships. From 2013 to 2015, the Marauders have come home with silver and two bronzes. I have asked players what they think about those accomplishments and I have gotten the same response.
Nobody wants silver or bronze.
To them, it’s nothing to smile about. I have never seen a team with such a healthy dissatisfaction over medaling at nationals. Some schools would throw a parade for those outcomes, but at McMaster the standard is different. Second is “first worst” and third looks like a pity consolation.
After returning from the CIS Nationals in Saskatoon last February, McMaster was already thinking about the new season. They didn’t win gold in 2015. That’s all they remember. Since Feb. 27, 2015 when they lost in a CIS semifinal to Trinity Western, McMaster has had their eyes on the 2016 gold.
The lining looked sterling silver for this season with a lot of last year’s players returning along with the addition of several skilled rookie recruits. McMaster has made their presence felt across the country from October until now. The target was and is still on their back.
Everyone wants a piece of them.
Their season started with a trip to Poland where they had the unique opportunity to play high-level club teams. Then they beat reigning national champion Alberta, dominated the OUA and stole a couple of wins at Ohio State somewhere in between.
Now they are entering the postseason 18-2 with some defined battle scars. This team is not waltzing in blindly about to get blindsided. What’s even more encouraging is that the second half of their season has seen the emergence of their younger players. Second-years Calvin Lee, Connor Santoni, Jeff Driediger, Peter Khodkevych, Ebbasa Dugassa and first years Craig Ireland and Matt Passalent have produced quality volleyball when called upon. Coach Preston says they’ve come to a point where they can execute Mac’s gameplan like the normal starters would. Not many teams can say that about their bench.
The fact that this team is entering the playoffs battle-tested is scary. They know what it’s like to be down on the road. They know what it’s like to win without some of their best players. They know what it’s like to get punched in the mouth.
But they also know how to get back up and then knock you out.
I know I speak for this team and their coaching staff when I say this: Give them your best shot. They want it.
The postseason has arrived and it starts this weekend at home in the Burridge Gym. McMaster plays Waterloo in an OUA semifinal on March 3 at 8 p.m.
Photo Credit: Jon White/ Photo Editor
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Men's basketball
There is no doubt that the McMaster Men’s Basketball team was quite a sight to witness this year. They won huge games against Windsor, Ottawa and Brock and were placed in the country’s Top 10 all season long. The team has big dreams and before they look to compete on the national stage for the CIS Championship banner, they need to focus on the match-up they have on Saturday, March 5. They will find out their opponent after Windsor and Laurentian play each other in the preliminary round taking place on March 2. McMaster defeated both Laurentian and Windsor in the regular season at home. This is the last season for three talented veterans — Aaron Redpath, Leon Alexander and Troy Joseph. Look for the usual veteran leadership to help set this team up for greatness. The team is competing to take it all this year. Game time for the OUA quarter-finals is set for 2 p.m. at the Burridge Gym.
Women's basketball
Ending the regular season with a 71-69 win in Guelph this past weekend, the McMaster Women’s Basketball team is preparing to host the OUA quarterfinal playoff game on Saturday, March 5. After a year of personal records and personal battles, the team is looking to see their hard work amount to a chance to claim the OUA banner. With a talented roster of veterans and help from the bench, the McMaster Women’s Basketball team knows that the pieces need to come together for them to win. With a record of 15 wins and four losses for the season, the Marauders will look to defend home court as they face the winner of the first-round playoff game between Queen’s and Laurentian. The Marauders faced both Queen’s and Laurentian during the regular season and walked away from both with victories. The first game of the playoff season will either make or break their dream to compete for the OUA banner. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. in the Burridge Gym.
Men's volleyball
The Marauders have a unique postseason ahead of them. They are hosting both the OUA Final Four and the CIS National Championship. Both the conference and national championships will be played on home floor. The stars appear to be slowly aligning for this McMaster team that has been chasing a national championship for years. With the depth built through the season, the younger unit’s ability should not be underestimated. Look for upperclassmen like Jayson McCarthy, Danny Demyanenko, Andrew Kocur, Stephen Maar, Brandon Koppers and Pawel Jedrzejewski to play some of the best volleyball of their careers. Expect second-year standout Andrew Richards to do the same. These guys have been getting healthy for the biggest moment of their Mac careers and they won’t go down easy.
Women's volleyball
This team is graduating several great players in Alicia Jack, Khira Adams, Taylor Brisebois, Mira Krunic and Lauren Mastroluisi, almost a third of the team. These players have been the core of the team and have also helped bring home an OUA banner in 2014. The team understands that to get closer to winning an OUA banner and making a trip to nationals, they need to beat Toronto in their OUA Final this weekend. The road is not easy, but the team is coming into Final Four weekend with momentum after a huge win over Windsor last Friday. First-years Michelle Chelladurai and Rachel Woock are playing solid and second-year Jill Eisenhauer has been getting more reps at middle. If their best players play lights out against Toronto this weekend, McMaster could be one step closer to their banner dreams.
Track & field
This past weekend, the Track and Field team brought home three bronze medals from the OUA Track and Field Championships hosted by the Windsor Lancers. McMaster’s Jeff Tweedle claimed a bronze medal from the 1000m event and beat the CIS standard with a time of 2:24.13. The men also collected another bronze medal in the 4x800m relays with Tweedle, Connor Darling, Nick Kondrat and Matt Napier as they beat the CIS standard with a time of 7:40.43. The women’s team — Chelsea Mackinnon, Emily Nowak, Kaitlyn Pansegrau and Maddie Benjamin — rounded off the weekend by winning a bronze of their own. The team will enjoy a week away from the track before heading to Toronto to participate in the CIS Championships hosted by York from March 10-12.
Wrestling
It was a medal weekend for the McMaster wrestling team. The men finished second at the 2016 CIS Wrestling Championships and brought home silver for a second consecutive season. The Marauders ended with 52 points, while host Brock won the men’s title with 80 points. Six Marauder wrestlers advanced to medal matches and Omar Ahmed and Joban Phulka won bronze medals. However, the highlight of the weekend was Ahmed Shamiya who finished with a CIS gold for the second year in a row. On the women’s team, Monica Wood had the top performance, finishing fourth in the 48kg class. The Marauders placed 12th overall in the women’s standings.
Photo Credit: Jon White/ Photo Editor
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Ask anyone who was in Burridge last Friday night and they will tell you that the gym was shaking with energy. The enthusiasm of the large audience of maroon-clad fans provided the Marauders with that “seventh man” that they’ve yearned for the home crowd to be all year. The intensity and noise were consistent throughout the match, but peaked in what was arguably the best set I have ever witnessed in my three years here at McMaster.
Fourth-year outside hitter Rebecca Steckle recounts the big playoff win, but insists Mac’s impressive showing was no accident.
“I think thrilling is a perfect description. We were prepared and had a great week of practice. We were on another level and just ready to win,” said Steckle. “I think that we went out and controlled the game from start to finish. There was never a moment where I felt as though Windsor was controlling the momentum.”
McMaster sent Windsor packing all three sets, but the most memorable was their 36-34 score in the second set that the relentless Marauders wrestled away from the grips of the persistent Lancers.
The latter part of the second set was like a heated fight between two prizefighters throwing their best haymakers at each other. Windsor set Melissa Smyth several times and Mac relied on the powerful and steady hands of Maicee Sorensen and Steckle.
Steckle finished with 18.5 points and Sorensen landed 14.5 of her own. The two front court players were disruptive and authoritative at the net all night long.
The Mac fans in Burridge were taken on an emotional roller coaster; each Lancer point elicited stressful gasps and each Marauder score incited faithful Marauders to their feet.
“The rowdy crowd made it that much more fun and we wanted to entertain them,” said Sorensen.
Windsor had Mac backed up against the wall many times in that second set as they wanted to take a match point, but the Marauders kept swinging back and hitting floor.
Eventually they broke through and that was the turning point of the match.
“That second set was absolutely absurd,” said Steckle.
Even though it was incredibly stressful and the stakes were high, Steckle had no doubt in her team’s ability to come through.
“When I think back, the part I am actually astounded by is that there was never a moment where I stepped into our huddle after a point and wondered if we would lose,” Steckle said.
“Every time I looked into the eyes of my teammates, I honestly believed we would win. Windsor had several set points in the second, but it didn’t matter to us. We believed and we chose not to stop fighting.”
Sorensen provides insight into the depth of that fight.
“We fought off 10 set points to win the second,” said Sorensen.
After winning the toughest part of the match, McMaster won the third set and punched their ticket to the OUA Final Four — which they failed to do last season.
The Marauders will travel to Toronto this weekend along with Ryerson and Western. McMaster enters with a 17-3 record and a 7-2 road record.
McMaster plays Toronto in an OUA semifinal at 6 p.m. this Friday at the Goldring Centre on the campus of U of T. The team played Toronto twice this season and lost both matches.
The Friday night match promises to be a tense one, as McMaster and Toronto are the only OUA teams in the CIS Top 10. The winner will play Ryerson or Western in the OUA title game.
Head Coach Tim Louks was blunt about the reality of the weekend.
“I told the girls that there are going to be tears either way,” said Louks. “The question is, ‘What kind of tears are they going to be?’ ”
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In sport, time is universally understood to bring order to an otherwise chaotic competition. In basketball, there is a 24 second shot clock and four 10-minute quarters. There are time-outs and a half time.
Since the season started back in November, the clock has been ticking for the McMaster Men’s Basketball team. The team has played 18 games from then until present and now more than ever before, how the team uses their time will determine how much time they have left in their postseason.
Over reading week, the Marauders had a busy two weeks with four games that were crucial to their national ranking.
On the first weekend — the Think Pink Weekend — two of Canada’s teams best visited Burridge Gym.
For many fans of Ontario university basketball, Ottawa and Carleton are known national powerhouses.
In a packed gym filled with basketball fans and supporters of the McMaster Men’s Basketball program, the energy was an added bonus for the team. Big plays resulted in loud cheers from the crowd and McMaster came out that night with a 96-90 victory over the Ottawa Gee-Gees. Troy Joseph led the team with 30 points for the night.
“His attitude, work ethic and commitment level in practice and games has been great,” said Head Coach Amos Connolly.
There was no doubt that it was a huge win for the team to beat an opponent ranked higher than them.
However, the game was followed by a 74-65 loss to Carleton the following night.
This past weekend, the Marauders played Nipissing and Laurentian and were able to run away with wins for both games.
While the usual rotation of players have been able to produce for the team, the bench has also been essential.
“We talk about the guys on the floor playing for the people on the bench and the bench supporting the people on the court,” said Connolly.
Everything that has happened this season is now in the past. Sure, the wins and losses are still documented but it cannot be dwelled on.
The way previous seasons have ended is a bittersweet memory, but the 20-deep roster knows that they are making their own future.
On Wednesday Feb. 24, the team travelled to St. Catherines to compete with OUA rival, Brock Badgers. The Marauders last played the Badgers at Burridge Gym in November and lost 83-75.
“The game in November is more about the rivalry and this game is more about playoff implications,” said Connolly.
While the noise of an arena that can seat 5,300 people can bring an unwelcoming feeling, the Marauders understand the reward in victory regardless of the opponent and the environment.
McMaster looked comfortable last night as they defeated Brock to a score of 80-69.
The team will end the regular season in Guelph on Feb. 26.
This playoff season will be the last for Aaron Redpath, Leon Alexander and Troy Joseph. Just like the rest of the McMaster Men’s Basketball family, they are looking to support each other and go as far as time will allow.
Photo Credit: Jon White/ Photo Editor
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Over reading week teams like Toronto and York did their fair share of talking after handing McMaster their first two losses of the season. McMaster played more of their younger players for the final three matches of the season and won one — their season finale at Nipissing.
Younger players like Calvin Lee, Connor Santoni, Jeff Driediger, Peter Khodkevych, Craig Ireland, Matt Passalent and Ebbasa Dugassa carried the bulk of playing time to round out the season. Santoni had some of his best scoring performances of his young Mac career with 14 points against York and 23 against Nipissing. Second-year setter Calvin Lee had 50, 42 and 43 assists doing his best to spread out the Marauders offensive attack.
“I thought the final three games were great opportunities for some kids to get some more experience. We improved the depth of our roster a lot,” said Head Coach Dave Preston. “We got some guys healthier. That’s always a good thing at this stage in the season.”
The Marauders finished the regular season 18-2, with 9-1 records on the road and at home. In addition, McMaster clinched a spot in the OUA Final Four and will host it for the second consecutive season.
“The fact that we were able to rest some guys gave us a luxury that many other teams can’t afford. Not many teams can afford to create depth near the end of the season,” said Preston. “I really don’t care what other teams’ agendas are. I know what our agenda is and I know that we were able to stick to it.”
For those of you who haven’t heard, our Men’s Volleyball team did not finish the regular season unbeaten. Some put more value on that than others, but Coach Preston and the rest of his squad know the real money is still waiting on the table.
“We set three goals at the beginning of the year. It was to secure as much home court advantage throughout the playoffs as possible. We already did that,” said Preston. “The second one was to challenge for an OUA championship and the third one was to challenge for a CIS championship. Those two things are still on the table.”
Some of the team’s best qualities have reached their heights this season. The Marauders have a deep lineup and they can maintain their system and pace of play regardless of whom they put on the floor.
“Not many teams can afford to create depth near the end of the season.”
They’ve been waiting too long for them and McMaster has grown hungry.
No. 2 McMaster will play in an OUA seminfinal on March 4 at 8 p.m., and a national quarterfinal on March 10.
Photo Credit: Jon White/ Photo Editor
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