VANCOUVER - To say expectations are high might be an understatement.
As the UBC Thunderbirds men's basketball team opens their 2016-17 Canada West campaign, a roster full of talented upperclassmen along with a dynamic recruiting class have the 'Birds are second in the U Sports early season national rankings. This marks the Thunderbirds' highest ranking since the beginning of the 2010-11 campaign, when they also came in at second.
After taking the Canada West bronze medal, and finishing fifth in the 2016 CIS National Championships last season, the confidence of the team is as high as their own expectations. Head coach
Kevin Hanson also noted that the team's annual sojourn to China provided an intangible advantage heading into the season.
"With the experience that our returnees gained playing in the National Championships last year, the confidence of the team is high," said the head coach. "The group trained hard all summer and had a great trip to Taiwan. We played some top Universities from different countries, which was a great experience. That trip really brought the group together as a team."
Even missing
David Wagner (graduation) and
Dominic Gilbert (signed a pro deal in Croatia), the 'Birds still possess one of the deepest lineups in U Sports.
Leading the way for UBC could be the Canada West's most dynamic duo in fifth-year combo guard
Jordan Jensen-Whyte and fourth-year forward
Conor Morgan. Jensen-Whyte is among the top two-way players in the country, as the Calgarian averaged a team-high 15.0 points, 5.0 assists, and 3.5 rebounds in 2015-16, garnering a Second Team CIS All-Canadian nod for his performance. Standing 6-9 with above-the-rim athleticism, Morgan was deemed a Canada West Second-Team All-Star after averaging 14.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists during the regular season.
"The veteran guys have really stepped up so far," said Hanson. "Conor and Jordan have been through it all with our program. Their leadership has been outstanding and their play has been exceptional.
Even beyond those two game-breakers, the 'Birds have impressive depth all over – sharpshooting German guard
Phil Jalalpoor returns after a dynamic first year with UBC, as does Washington native
A.J. Holloway. After earning a Canada West All-Rookie Team nod in his first year with the T-Birds, sophomore guard
Taylor Browne could be set to explode in year two.
Up front, the T-Birds welcome back forward
Will Ondrik, as the former Thompson Rivers star enters his final season of U Sports eligibility. Joining Ondrik in the paint will be the hulking fourth-year
Luka Zaharijevic, one of the team's most vocal leaders and at 6-7, 255-lb, a force on the inside.
Patrick Simon is also set to return for his second year at UBC after transferring from the SFU Clan, while sophomore
Roger Milne could see an increased workload in his second season.
Luka has stepped up in to the starting role to replace Wagner's spot," stated the head coach. "Will has come back with a burning desire to be an impact guy and has been a real leader on the court especially on the defensive end. The other returnees have gotten much better, more comfortable with another year of experience, and that should do a great deal for our depth."
Amidst a deep veteran core, roster spots for new faces are limited. Still, the true freshman trio of
Izaiah Ugoalah, Isiah Familia, and
Justin McChesney forced their way into the lineup. Ugoalah, an alum of Sir Winston Churchill Secondary, could make a two-way impact right away, fueled by his next-level athletic and defensive ability. Familia, a two-time Windsor Essex County Secondary School Athletic Association MVP with Holy Names Catholic School, brings a dynamic offensive skill set to the table. McChesney, a 6-10 forward out of Charles Hays Secondary, offers immediate help as a rim protector while his offensive game develops at the collegiate level.
Hanson made it clear that the newest 'Birds won't be mere spectators in their first year, as he "expects big things" out of the triad.
With all their talent on court, the 'Birds might match it behind the bench – Hanson enters his 17th UBC season with a 251-88 record in conference play, with the win total good for second in Canada West history behind Don Horwood's 313. Alongside long time assistants Vern Knopp and
Spencer McKay, Hanson and his coaching staff are among the very best the nation has to offer.
With a deep, talented veteran lineup, a versatile batch of incoming freshmen, and a championship-calibre behind the bench, all the pieces appear there to make another run at nationals.
Now, it's just a matter of putting the pieces together.
