gryphons.ca
U of G QUICK FACTS University of Guelph Founded: 1964 Enrollment: Approximately 19,000 undergraduate students & 2,500 graduate students. International students representing over 100 countries President & Vice-Chancellor: Dr. Franco J. Vaccarino www.uoguelph.ca
guelph Gryphons MEN’S basketball Quick Facts Director of Athletics: Scott McRoberts Nickname: Gryphons Colours: Red, Black & Gold Conference: OUA 2017-18 Season Record: 6-18
Contact Info 50 Stone Road E. Guelph, ON Canada, N1G 2W1 Heach Coach: Chris O’Rourke 519.824.4120 Ext. 58916 / corourke@uoguelph.ca
BOX OFFICE Regular Season: Adult - $10 / U of G Alumni/Seniors - $5 Non U of G Student - $5 / U of G Student - FREE with valid Student Card Playoffs: Adult - $10 / Student - $5 (subject to change based on event)
General Inquiries: tickets@uoguelph.ca 519.824.4120 Ext. 53782
LIVE STREAM & webcast Watch all OUA basketball games live and on-demand on OUA.tv Presented by:
2018-19 TEAM ROSTER
4
Craig Valeriote
Guard 6’0 160lbs Guelph, ON Yr 3 Human Kinetics
12
XXXXX Pablo Villa
Forward 5’10 Guard 6’0 174lbs Georgetown, ON Yr 4 Milton, ON Yr 1 Business Last Team: Aalgard IK (Denmark 2) Human Kinetics
31
Michael Stevens J.L. Nwosu
Centre 5’11 Guard 6’3 215lbs Turkey Point, ON Yr 5 Scarborough, ON Yr 3 Real Estate & Housing Last Team: Kingston Voyageurs (OJHL) Arts
42
Brett Sloan
Centre 7’1 245lbs Hanover, ON Yr 1 Psychology
5
Aaron Nugent
Guard 6’5 188lbs Mississauga, ON Yr 3 Political Science
15
Malcolm Glanville
Guard 6’4 190lbs Toronto, ON Yr 2 Marketing Management
32
Andres Kopstals Tommy Yanchus
Centre 5’11 Guard 6’3 205lbs Toronto, ON Yr 5 Guelph, ON &Yr 4 Mgmnt, Economics Finance Last Team:Economics Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
44
Yamin Mireault-Dibanda Forward 6’6 205lbs Sherbrooke, QC Yr 2 Marketing Management
Gryphon Men’s Basketball 2018-19
10
Jake Chaput
Guard 5’10 160lbs Guelph, ON Yr 2 Human Kinetics
21
Kieran Naus
Forward 6’3 200lbs Elliot Lake, ON Yr 4 Accounting
33
Mason Cumming
Guard 6’3 190lbs Kemptville, ON Yr1 Political Science
45
Todd Winder Manny Chukwu
Right Wing 5’10 Forward 6’9 210lbs Uxbridge, ON Yr 2 Enugu, Nigeria Yr 2 Mgmnt, Economics & Finance Last Team: Newmarket Hurricanes (OJHL) Marketing Management
11
Max McCutcheon Trevor Hutton
Defence 6’5 Guard 6’2 175lbs Avon, CO Yr 4 Toronto, ON Yr 2 Marketing Management Last Team: Windsor Lancers (U SPORTS) Psychology
22
Marc Stevens Rasheed Weekes
Right Wing 6’0 Forward 6’5 210lbs Turkey Point, ON Yr 3 Mississauga, Arts ON Yr 2 LastPsychology Team: Guelph Storm (OHL)
40
Banky Alade
Forward 6’6 200lbs Sherwood Park, AB Yr 3 Marketing Management
29
Andrew Masters Shawn Carey
Goalie 6’1 Forward 6’6 210lbs Kitchener, ON Yr 3 Waterdown, Mgmnt, Economics &ON Finance Last Team: Miami of Ohio Redhawks (NCAA) Arts
coaching staff CHRIS O’ROURKE HEAD COACH
Phone: 519-824-4120 x 58916 Email: corourke@uoguelph.ca The 2018-19 season marks Chris O’Rourke’s 22nd season in charge of the men’s basketball program at the University of Guelph. As the longest-tenured head coach in OUA men’s basketball, Chris O’Rourke has served as the driving force behind some of the greatest moments in Gryphons basketball history. In 2003, he coached the Gryphons to the OUA West divisional title and would lead them to a silver medal at both the conference and national championships. During the 2005-06 season, O’Rourke became just the third Gryphon coach ever to be named OUA West Coach of the year (Tim Darling, 1989-90, 1994-95 and Gib Champman, 1979-80, 1980-81). During his tenure as head coach of the Gryphons, Chris O’Rourke has had 21 players named OUA all-stars, two OUA Rookie of the Year recipients, one OUA MVP and two players named All-Canadians. Prior to taking over as head coach, O’Rourke spent three seasons serving as an assistant coach with the Gryphons (1994-95 to 1996-97). Outside of his Gryphon coaching career, O’Rourke also has extensive experience working with the Ontario Basketball Association as well as Canada Basketball. In 2007, Chris was appointed head coach of Canada’s men’s basketball team for the 24th Summer Universiade in Thailand, where he led the red and white to a bronze medal. O’Rourke also lead Team Canada at the 2009 World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia and served as an assistant coach of Team Canada at the U-21 World Championships in Argentina in 2005. At the provincial level, Chris coached the Ontario Juvenile U-17 team to a pair of national titles in 2000 and 2001. As a player, O’Rourke put together a decorated career with the Gryphons (1989 to 1994). A two-time team captain with the Gryphons, O’Rourke earned OUA West First Team All-Star honours during his senior season and throughout his career established himself as one of the top three-point shooting guards in the country. In the fall of 2015, O’Rourke officially entered the Gryphon Hall of Fame alongside his teammates when the 1989-90 team was inducted for their achievement in capturing just the second OUA men’s basketball title in University of Guelph history. Assistant Coaches: Konrad Surma, Shane Bascoe, Taylor Boers Team Managers: Joshua Wallace
Video Coordinator: Dakota Stone
Trainers: Jennifer Waddell, Kayla Vandercamp
2018-19 MEN’S Basketball SCHEDULE
Home games in bold. All home games are played at the Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre. Date
Opponent OCTOBER 2018
Wed, Oct. 24 Sat, Oct. 27 Wed, Oct. 31
Western Mustangs at Brock Badgers at Ryerson Rams
Sat, Nov. 3 Fri, Nov. 9 Sat, Nov. 10 Fri, Nov. 16 Sun, Nov. 18 Fri, Nov. 30
at Toronto Varsity Blues at Queens Gaels at York Lions Nipissing Lakers Laurentian Voyageurs Ottawa Gee-Gees
Time 8:00pm 8:00pm 8:00pm
NOVEMBER 2018
8:00pm 8:00pm 8:00pm 8:00pm 3:00pm 8:00pm
DECEMBER 2018 Sun, Dec. 2
Carleton Ravens
Fri, Jan. 4 Sat, Jan. 5 Wed, Jan. 9 Fri, Jan. 11 Wed, Jan. 16 Sat, Jan. 19 Wed, Jan. 23 Sat, Jan. 26
Lakehead Thunderwolves Lakehead Thunderwolves at Waterloo Warriors McMaster Marauders Brock Badgers at Western Mustangs at Laurier Golden Hawks at Windsor Lancers
3:00pm
JANUARY 2019
8:00pm 8:00pm 11:00am 8:00pm 8:00pm 8:00pm 3:00pm 8:00pm
FEBRUARY 2019
Fri, Feb. 1 at Algoma Thunderbirds Sat, Feb. 2 at Algoma Thunderbirds Fri, Feb. 8 Windsor Lancers Sat, Feb. 9 Waterloo Warriors Wed, Feb. 13 at McMaster Marauders Sat, Feb. 16 Laurier Golden Hawks Wed, Feb. 20 OUA Playoff’s - Prelim. Round Sat, Feb. 23 OUA Quarter-Finals Wed, Feb. 27 OUA Semi-Final
8:00pm 8:00pm 8:00pm 8:00pm 8:00pm 3:00pm -
MARCH 2019
Sat, Mar. 2
vs OUA Wilson Cup
-
gryphons.ca
SEASON OUTLOOK The new-look Guelph Gryphons men’s basketball team will officially get their 2018-19 OUA regular season schedule underway on Wednesday, October 24 when they play host to the Western Mustangs. Last season, the Gryphons said goodbye to a quintet of fifth-year players and will now welcome six new faces to the 2018-19 edition of the Gryphons to compliment a promising young core of returning players for the upcoming campaign. Headlining the class of newcomers to the Gryphons in 2018-19 is 6-4 guard Malcolm Glanville. The Toronto native transferred to U of G after having spent time south of the border with the Oklahoma Panhandle State Aggies (NCAA Division II). The 6-4 guard from Toronto has practiced with the Gryphons since arriving at the University of Guelph in January of 2018, and has impressed during the 2018-19 preseason, eclipsing the 20-point mark on three different occasions while earning a spot on the tournament all-star team in Carleton at the House-Laughton preseason tournament. “We feel like the early signs with Malcolm are positive,” says Chris O’Rourke, now in his 22nd season as head coach of th men’s basketball program at U of G. “He is an impact player who can score, rebound, assist and also help out at the defensive end. The key for him will be consistency.” Joining Glanville in the Gryphon backcourt will be Tommy Yanchus, a sharp-shooting fourth-year guard from Guelph who is expected to emerge as a leading scorer candidate for the Gryphons in 2018-19. Last season, Yanchus showcased his range on several different occasions, including a career-high 30 point effort versus Algoma which included a 7-of-10 performance from beyond the arc. “One of the strengths of this year’s team will be our backcourt,” adds O’Rourke, who has experimented with lineups throughout the preseason while working towards determining a main rotation. “We have a lot of depth there. Obviously, we have a lot of new bodies, not just in the sense of incoming additions, but also in regards to returning players who will be getting their first real taste of playing time at this level. We’re confident in our guys. Aaron (Nugent) and Kieran (Naus) have been solid. Jake (Chaput) is a gritty player. And (Craig) Valeriote can come off the bench and shoot it.” The Gryphons also add NCAA Junior College transfer J.L. Nwosu, an athletic 6-3, 215 lbs guard who can slash, guard and rebound. Nwosu, a Scarborough native, arrives at U of G after attending junior college in Texas where he spent time with the Kilgore Community College Rangers.
In the front court, the Gryphons add some significant size with the arrival of 7-1 rookie centre Brett Sloan. Complimenting Sloan is 6-9 sophomore Manny Chukwu, while combo guard/forward Rasheed Weekes (6-5, 210) provides the Gryphons with some added versatility. Banky Alade, a 6-6 forward from Sherwood Park, Alberta, enters his third-year and is the Gryphons most experienced player in the front court. Alade will be leaned on to rebound and finish around the rim once again in 2018-19. “The identity so far for our team has been rebounding,” says O’Rourke. “We rebounded nose-to-nose with Carleton (18 offensive rebounds) and we’ve had two other games this preseason where we’ve had over 20 offensive rebounds. We will hang our hat on our rebounding night in, night out.” If the Gryphons are to return to the OUA playoffs for the first time in four seasons, improving from the free throw line and three-point line is crucial according to the head coach. “We have to trend upward as the season progresses when it comes to free throws and three-point shooting. We’re an aggressive team that gets to the line a fair amount. What kind of success we have at the free throw line will be a big indicator on how we’re doing. And from three, we just need to be more consistent.” O’Rourke also describes the 2018-19 edition of the Gryphons as a much longer and more athletic team than in past years. But the road to the postseason is one that the long-time coach knows will have to be earned through hard work and perseverance, “We’re going to have to be a team that grinds every game. There are no nights off. In the East, Carleton and Ryerson are the clearcut favourites, but in my opinion, the (OUA) West is wide open this year. The top six teams in the nine-team OUA West division will qualify for the postseason, with the top two seeds earning first-round byes. The Gryphons will get an early indicator as to how they stack up against some of the best teams in the division, with OUA West-heavyweights Western and Brock serving as the Gryphons’ opening two games of the 2018-19 regular season.
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