Thomas Scrubb brings fire to R-Lions
Thomas Scrubb (left) and his brother, Phil, have been key late-season additions to the Niagara River Lions.
Thomas Scrubb is his own harshest critic.
Moments after recording 15 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in a regular-season ending 89-79 victory over the Ottawa BlackJacks, the Niagara River Lions forward gave an honest appraisal of his performance.
“I just tried to rebound hard,” the 29-year-old Richmond, B.C., native said. “I didn’t have the best shooting game and I made a lot of bad plays on offence so I just tried to be aggressive on the boards and play my position, play good defence and do whatever I could to help the team to win.”
Scrubb and his younger brother Phil, who won five Canadian university championships together at Carleton, have given the River Lions a huge boost and have helped the Canadian Elite Basketball League squad clinch a semifinal bye.
“They are good at basketball,” said River Lions head coach Victor Raso, who played with the brothers at Carleton.
Thomas’ performance against Ottawa was just a continuation of what he had done with the team. In five games this season, he is averaging 18.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, four assists and two steals per game.
“Tommy is so competitive and you see it as the game goes on,” Raso said, after the Ottawa game. “Even though, he didn’t have the greatest start, there’s a fire in him that’s burning and he keeps wanting to make those plays.”
Thomas took awhile to decide to come to Niagara after a successful season with JL Bourg in the Jeep Elite Pro A league in France, where he averaged 8.2 points and 4.3 rebounds in league play and 9.8 points and 3.9 rebounds in 7Days EuroCup season.
“When I first came back from Europe, both Ottawa and Niagara were asking me to play,” he said. “I kind of wanted to take a break but as the summer went on I got enough rest and I decided I wanted to play. Since I know Victor and Phil is playing here too, I decided to come for these last five games and I think it was a good decision.”
Scrubb described getting a chance to reunite with his brother on the basketball court as pretty special.
“We haven’t got to play together in Europe so far. We have always tried but it hasn’t worked out,” he said. “With the national team and now with the CEBL, it is a good chance to be at home and play together. It is always worth it when we do.”
The pair have an obvious connection on the floor.
“We have played together for a long time and we know each other’s game. I think we make each other better. It is a natural fit. We have been together our whole lives and we enjoy playing with each other.”
The Scrubb brothers are two of four Carleton players on the team along with Guillaume Payen-Boucard and Grant Shephard.
When asked to describe the Carleton philosophy of basketball, Scrubb said it is a matter of a focus on competing in everything they do.
“There’s not any certain Xs and Os that we focus on,” he said. “It is more of a mentality and a work ethic that we try and emphasize to get things done.”
When his River Lions season is over, Scrubb will be heading to play with Monbus Obradoiro in Spain.
Next up for the River Lions are the league championship semifinals Friday, Aug. 20 at the Edmonton Expo Centre. The squad will leave for Alberta Aug. 17.
