VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds men's basketball team begin their 2015-16 Canada West campaign this weekend, with a set of back-to-back contests against the Alberta Golden Bears. The two contests will mark the beginning of a momentous campaign in the program's history, as next March, the T-Birds will end the season by hosting the 2016 Arcelormittal Dofasco CIS Men's Basketball Final 8.
 
As the host squad of the national championship, UBC is guaranteed a spot in the competition. That, above all else, changes the landscape of the Thunderbirds' season.
 
"We're going to begin this year thinking about the end," remarked UBC head coach Kevin Hanson. "In terms of our preparation, everything we're doing is so that we can peak in March at that time. It makes for a much longer season, so right down from our scheduling to our training sessions, every single thing about the program has been adjusted to ensure that we can peak at nationals."
 
Even their path through Canada West will be charged with the goal of improving their shot in the national tournament.
 
"Obviously, our goal for every year is to win the league, and ideally, host that Canada West Final Four," said Hanson. "It would be great in terms of building fan support and momentum heading into nationals. It's going to be a tough, tough league but at the same time, if we have to take precautions with guys to make sure they're 100 per cent for nationals, that's what we're going to do. Still, we're hungry to win the league, and this staff has put a great team together, so we're looking forward to getting the season started and making a run at the championships, both league and national."
 
The T-Birds will look to make that run with a very different-looking roster from the squad that went 14-6 in Canada West play last season. Between guard Andrew McGuinness, and forwards Tommy Nixon, Brylle Kamen, and Toner Jackson, the 'Birds lost 49.8 per cent of their scoring offence from last season to graduation.
 
However, Hanson remarked that the offensive void is almost secondary to what the 'Birds lost in pure knowledge and veteran savvy.
 
"It's 20 years of experience that you're losing between those four guys, if you're looking at their years of eligibility. It's a tough loss when that happens. You miss those kinds of guys – the guys that can make a second or third read off of an offensive set, or anticipate other coaches and other teams' tendencies. You can't coach experience; it comes with getting games and practices under your belt.
 
The onus of leadership will now move to a trio of veterans - guard Jordan Jensen-Whyte (Calgary), as well as forwards Conor Morgan (Victoria, B.C.) and David Wagner (Kamloops, B.C.).  
 
Jensen-Whyte, in his fourth season as a T-Bird, will look to show his adaptability as he transitions to a new role that should allow him to maximize his athleticism on both ends of the court. Last season, the guard averaged 10.3 points per game, and lead the club with an average of 4.7 assists per contest. Jensen-Whyte also tied with Nixon for the team led in steals, with 54.
 
"He has shifted positions this year, moving from the point to the wing, as a shooting guard. He's accepted more defensive responsibility, but the spot on the wing also allows him to use his agility and jump to get more involved in the offence. He's really started to shine for us," remarked the head coach.
 
Morgan is the team's leading returning scorer and rebounder from last year's squad, as the forward finished behind only Nixon with averages of 15.1 points and 5.6 boards per game. Now in his third year with the 'Birds, Morgan will be relied on as the team's go-to option on the attack, as his mismatch size and smooth shooting stroke could make him one of the marquee players in the country this season.
 
"Conor is going to be an outstanding player for us. He does some things, with his 6-foot-9 frame and 7-foot-2 wingspan, that a lot of guys can't. He plays above the rim, and will be a special player for us," said Hanson.
 
Wagner is the sole fifth-year player on the squad this season, and if the T-Birds' six non-conference contests this year are any indication, Wagner is in for a big spike in floor time and production. Over the exhibition schedule, Wagner averaged 24.3 minutes and 12.5 points per contest, a stark jump from his per-game averages of 14.8 minutes and 6.1 points last season.
 
"This is his year to shine. You want your fifth year to be your best year. So far, he's done everything right. He stayed around in the summer, kept himself in shape, worked on his skills all summer, and he's looked really good in the pre-season, so we're expecting big things," said Hanson.
 
Behind his core trio of veterans, a couple of Hanson' s other pieces come into the campaign with some experience with the Blue and Gold. Luka Zaharijevic (Vancouver), a 6-7, 255-pound forward in his third season out of Kitsilano Secondary, adds another physical dimension in the paint. Forward Will Ondrik (Vernon, B.C.), will actually make his playing debut at UBC this season, but should be able to transition seamlessly after redshirting and learning Hanson's systems for the past year. A transfer from Thompson Rivers University, Ondrik will be asked to provide athleticism and a little scoring punch. Elijah Campbell-Axson (Vancouver), a second-year product of Vancouver College, will look to make more of an impact in his sophomore season.
 
UBC's recruiting class is where the majority of the intrigue will come this season, as it's a bit atypical – of the six players that are set to make their UBC debuts this season, only three of them are coming out of high school, and are in their first seasons of CIS eligibility.
 
Even among the three high school recruits, there's a fascinating mix. Guard Taylor Browne (Surrey, B.C.) was a scoring star with the Holy Cross Crusaders, and he should be able to provide some instant offence off of the bench. Roger Milne is a 6-8, 245-pound monster inside, making his way to UBC from Winnipeg's Oak Park High. Finally, Dominic Gilbert is an import from Sydney, Australia, and the 6-6, 215-pound forward's length and smooth shooting stroke from beyond the arc should help stretch defences.
 
Like their true freshman counterparts, the last three members of UBC's 2015 recruiting class couldn't differ any more from one another. Phil Jalalpoor, who is slated to start at point guard, is in his third year of eligibility after transferring from Olds College in Alberta. The Shifferstadt, Germany, native was named the Olds men's basketball Player of the Year for last season, averaging 13.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.25 assists per contest.
 
Guard A. J. Holloway will have three years of eligibility left after transferring from the Bellevue College Bulldogs in the Northwest Athletic Conference. From Tacoma, Wash., Holloway averaged 9.9 points per game for Bellevue in his final season there in 2013-14. Where Holloway transferred from across the border, Patrick Simon (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) transferred from across town – the 6-8, 240-pound forward joins UBC after spending a season with Simon Fraser University, where he was the Clan's fourth-leading scorer with 10.6 points per game.
 
Even with such an influx of talented players, Hanson and his staff have their work cut out in getting everyone on the same page.
 
"When we looked at how we finished last season, we felt we needed to make some changes from last year's roster," admitted Hanson. "We think that we had a great recruiting season, we've picked up some great pieces for us, and so far, they've proven us right. Our job this year is to help these guys gel as quickly as possible, and make up for that lack of experience playing together by getting as many reps as we can with them this year."
 
After a pre-season that saw them go 5-1, the T-Birds will get their first shot at reps that matter this weekend, as they face the Alberta Golden Bears on Friday, November 6, and Saturday, November 7. The opening tipoffs for both contests are set for 8 p.m. (PT), and both games will be held at War Memorial Gym, and are part of UBC Thunderbirds Super Weekend.