Game of the Month Preview

Ryan will call the UBC Okanagan Heat basketball game on Saturday night for his first “Game of the Month” as the Heat host the University of Winnipeg Wesmen.  Tip off at 6:00pm for the women, with the men to follow.  UBC Okanagan Sports Information Officer Cary Mellon previews the “Game of the Month.”
The UBC Okanagan men’s basketball team will look to show that the gym on the Okanagan campus of UBC is no fun place to play as they host prairie division foes University of Manitoba Bisons and the University of Winnipeg Wesmen this weekend, Jan 6-7.   Saturday the Heat host the 2-6 Wesmen, tip off set for 8:00pm.

HEAT (1-5)
CIS National Ranking: N/A
CanWest Standings: 6th in the Pacific division
Last Week (Nov. 25-26): 1-1; Fri 78-76 win over UR, Sat 88-61 loss to BU
Streak: 1 loss
2011 CanWest Record: N/A
2011 CanWest Championship: N/A
2011 CIS Tournament: N/A
Last CanWest Title: N/A
Last CIS Title: N/A

The Heat lost 80-51 to the Wesmen just last week in Winnipeg at the Wesmen annual Christmas tournament, but Semeniuk hasn’t given it too much thought, noting that he played all 12 guys in the tournament, as did most teams. By the third game both squads went with different looks, knowing that they would see each other so soon in league play.

The Wesmen have also added a player for the second semester, or so it must seem to them as starting point guard Andrew Cunningham has come back for injury and suited up in the Wesmen Classic.

“Winnipeg’s new guy is a difference maker and can blow games open with steals, he can really put the pressure on,” says Semeniuk.

Pressure hasn’t been a problem for Winnipeg this year; rather, their trouble has been scoring. The team shoots a league worst 36 percent from the field. The Wesmen are also the worst rebounding team in the league, just slightly worse than the Heat with a -7.8 per game rebounding differential, while the Heat are at -7.5. 

When the Heat and Winnipeg played last week, UBC Okanagan was the team that couldn’t shoot the ball, shooting a dreadful 32.7 percent for the game and turning the ball over 28 times.

WINNIPEG WESMEN (2-6)
CIS National Ranking: N/A
CanWest Standings: 8th in the Prairie division
Last Week (Nov. 24, Dec. 1): 0-2; Nov 24 (87-70 loss to UW), Dec. 1 (99-80 loss to UW)
Streak: 3 losses
2011 CanWest Record: 6-18 (11th missed playoffs)
2011 CanWest Championship: N/A
2011 CIS Tournament: N/A
Last CanWest Title: N/A
Last CIS Title: N/A

WINNIPEG WESMEN
Key additions: Eric Zimmerman, James Horaska, Mark McNee, Dominique Brown, Andrew Cunningham

Key returnees: Kelvin Smith, Benny Iko, Craig Sharpe, Brayden Duff, Pawel Gacon

Key departures: Nick Lother, Lynden Drayton-Barrow

WINNIPEG – Entering his second season at the helm of the Wesmen, head coach Mike Raimbault is looking to improve on last season.

The team will feature six players from the 2010-2011 season. After a successful rookie season, forward Kelvin Smith will look for better things in his second season. Smith finished third in team scoring with 12.0 ppg. Benny Iko (4th year) was a force last season, leading the Wesmen in rebounds with 6.6 rpg while scoring 10 points per game. Third year forward Brayden Duff, one of the hardest workers on the team, was second in rebounds on the team (5.5 rpg) and he will be looked upon to provide leadership on and off the court this season. Pawel Gacon (3rd year) has two years under his belt and he will be expected to provide scoring and rebounding with increased playing time. The team features a pair of fifth year players in guard Craig Sharpe and forward Joshua Stolar. Both players will look to make an impact in their final seasons. Guard Nolan Gooding, another player expected to have a big year, suffered an injury last season and will miss the entire season. The team lost point guard Nick Lother, but did pick up a pair of players with previous CIS experience. After a year off, Eric Zimmerman (4th year) and James Horaska (5th year) return to the Wesmen with high expectations heading into the season.

Coach Raimbault was successful in recruiting four players, all of which have previous playing experience at Junior Colleges/Universities. Mark McNee and Dominique Brown (3rd Years) join the Wesmen after playing at Lakelands College. Point guard Andrew Cunningham (3rd Year) last played at Redlands College (Oklahoma, USA). Sharp shooting guard Travis Krahn from Winkler, Man. joins the team after playing one season with Briercrest College.

HEAT WOMEN
The team has not played since their victory over the Brandon Bobcats  Saturday Nov. 26. The Heat will look to build on their one game winning streak when they host their second week of Canada West basketball action, and their first of 2012. The University of Manitoba Bisons and the University of Winnipeg Wesmen will make the long trek from Winnipeg; both squads are in the middle of the pack in the Prairie division and look to stay in the playoff race. The 4-4 Wesmen take to the court with tip off at 6:00pm

HEAT (1-5)
CIS National Ranking: N/A
CanWest Standings: 6th in the Pacific division
Last Week (Nov. 25-26): 1-1; Fri 91-66 loss to UR, Sat 72-48 win over BU
Streak: 1 win
2011 CanWest Record: N/A
2011 CanWest Championship: N/A
2011 CIS Tournament: N/A
Last CanWest Title: N/A
Last CIS Title: N/A

The women’s basketball team will have used the six week break from competition to heal nagging injuries and continue to elevate their strength and fitness through an accelerated training program, so don’t be surprised if the basketball skills are a little rusty but the team looks stronger in this weekend’s home games. Coach Heather Semeniuk notes that “I’m not really worried about that (lack of basketball).” With the stress of academics, Semeniuk maintains that for this year and this team, “the rest is more beneficial than the exhibition games.” Heather indicates that her players have expressed how great it is to have that break.

With all that said, Semeniuk does realize that  “game shape cardio is an issue, which is why we are scrimmaging all this week, so that they get the feel back of what it’s like.” Her team has been on a regimented intense training program and it will be clear very early who has done the work over the break.

This is where strategy may come into play, as Semeniuk will be prepared to use shorter shifts. These short shifts and the ability to see who has worked and played over the break “might give other kids an opportunity to go in and play two or three minutes hard core and show me what they can do when they put full energy out.”

Saturday night the Heat will face the Winnipeg Wesmen, a team that sits directly above the Bisons in the Prairie division standings having swept their inner-city rival in a pair of games before the break.

Coach Semeniuk did not want to look past Manitoba to the Wesmen matchup but had this to say about her Saturday night foe:
“Winnipeg has been challenging teams and has a better record than Manitoba. We won’t focus on Winnipeg until the Manitoba’s game is over.”

The Winnipeg team is coming off of a year in which they went 20-4 in Canada West, and have a fifth year second team all-star returning to lead the squad in Amy Ogidan. Amy is a 5’10” guard from Winnipeg and is second on the team in scoring at 11.3 points per game. Rookie of the year in the Canada West conference last year, Stephanie Kleysen (Guard, Winnipeg, MB),  has been hobbled for much of the first semester with an ankle injury. She played in the team’s first two games of the season, and hasn’t since.

WINNIPEG WESMEN (4-4)
CIS National Ranking: N/A
CanWest Standings: 5th in the Prairie division
Last Week (Nov. 24, Dec. 1): 2-0; Nov 24 (72-53 win over UM), Dec. 1 (56-42 win over UM)
Streak: 2 wins
2011 CanWest Record: 20-4 (2nd)
2011 CanWest Championship: 0-3
2011 CIS Tournament: N/A
Last CanWest Title: N/A
Last CIS Title: 1995

WINNIPEG WESMEN
Key additions: Tia Coulter, Heather Hildebrandt, Alex Warburton
Key returnees: Amy Ogidan, Stephanie Kleysen, Mackenzie Prasek, Alyssa Grant
Key departures: Catie Gooch, Alex MacIver, Kaitlin Rempel

WINNIPEG – Head coach Tanya McKay, entering her 16th season with the Winnipeg Wesmen, has assembled a group of players with a variety of playing experience.

Fifth-years Amy Ogidan and Mackenzie Prasek will no doubt be leaders both on and off the court. Ogidan, named a second team Canada West All-Star last season after scoring 11.4 ppg will be expected to once again provide scoring and solid defensive play. Prasek will have increased playing time with the loss of Catie Gooch. Canada West Women’s Basketball Rookie of the Year Stephanie Kleysen returns for her second season. Kleysen led the conference in rebounding averaging (9.5) and finished third in team scoring (8.9). Third-year players Alyssa Grant and Danielle Baril will be looked upon to provide quality minutes this season.

Five new faces will join the team this season, including guard Heather Hildebrandt (5th year), who played at Providence College. Tia Coulter, Brittany Rosenfelt, Alex Warburton and Ella Greer join the roster.