Tribune tournament preview: 65th Annual starts Thursday
Ontario’s oldest high school basketball tourney will tip off a day later than expected this week.
Originally scheduled to open Wednesday, the 65th Annual Welland Tribune Basketball Tournament will instead start Thursday because of Wednesday’s labour disruption at the District School Board of Niagara.
First-round games will be played Thursday morning at Notre Dame, Centennial, Jean Vanier and E.L. Crossley. Thursday’s atmosphere-packed buyout games will feature: Governor Simcoe at Centennial at 8:30 a.m.; Westlane at Jean Vanier at 9 a.m.; and, Port Colborne at E.L. Crossley at 10:30 a.m.
Second-round games will also be played Thursday afternoon and evening at Jean Vanier, Centennial and Notre Dame. All of Friday’s game are scheduled for Notre Dame with consolation semifinals at 3:30 and 5 p.m. and championships semifinals at 6:30 and 8 p.m. The finals will be played Saturday at Niagara College with the consolation final going at 5:30 p.m. and the championship final is set for 7 p.m.
Back to defend their titles are the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on the championship side and the Greater Fort Erie Gryphons on the consolation side. The top-seeded E.L. Crossley Cyclone will be looking for their first championship since 1979 and their first finals appearance since 1987.
Below are profiles of the competing teams:
A.N. MYER MARAUDERS
Number of returning players: Four.
Key returning players: Jashon Carter; Jeff Dai.
Key newcomers: Ben Tait; Jordan Hilliker.
Strengths: Passing; ball distribution; good stretches of inside play by Dai and Tait.
Weaknesses: Size; youth, team has struggled against teams made up older, more experienced and physically assertive teams.
Last year’s Trip tourney: The Marauders lost 66-54 to Governor Simcoe in the championship quarter-finals.
Paper tourney results: Didn’t play in Standard tourney.
League record at Christmas Break: 0-4 in NRHSAA play.
CENTENNIAL COUGARS
Number of returning players: Five.
Key returning players: Kyle Clarkson; Jack Halladay; Jackson McNeil; Ryan Stark; Nick Yioldassis.
Key newcomers: Jadin Baldwin; Jackson Collin; James Goodfellow; Dalton Slack.
Strengths: Speed; basketball IQ; rebounding.
Weakness: Youth.
Last year’s Trip tourney: The Cougars lost 60-37 to Governor Simcoe in the championship semifinals.
Paper tourney results: Defeated Sir Winston Churchill 49-47 in the Standard consolation final.
League record at Christmas Break: 2-1 in NRHSAA play.
DENIS MORRIS REDS
Number of returning players: Seven.
Key returning players: Noah Honsberger, Michael Conlon and Thomas Davidson.
Key newcomers: Anthony Caruso and Dylan Maltby.
Strengths: Three returning starters.
Weaknesses: Depth; size.
Last year’s Trip tourney: The Reds lost 50-41 to E.L. Crossley in the championship semifinals.
Paper tourney results: Lost 50-42 to Eden in the Standard championship quarter-finals.
League record at Christmas Break: 1-3 in NCAA play.
EDEN FLYERS
Number of returning players: Six.
Key returning players: Luke Reinaerts; Peter Pilling; Ashton Nieuwets; Winston Doppenberg.
Key newcomers: Trent Thorpe; Kyle Mulder; Dylan Rivett; Wes Hanlin.
Strengths: Size; perimeter shooting; basketball IQ.
Weakness: Lack of time together with many involved in volleyball.
Last year’s Trip tourney: The Flyers lost 47-41 to Grimsby in the consolation quarter-finals.
Paper tourney results: Lost 78-44 to St. Francis in the Standard championship semifinals.
League record at Christmas Break: 2-0 in NRHSAA play.
E.L. CROSSLEY CYCLONE
Number of returning players: Five.
Key returning players: Josh Lahn, Aiden Belding, Jason Carter and Carter Teal.
Key newcomers: T.J. Hurley, Owen Dobbie, Riley Bleich and Luke Klassen.
Strengths: Speed; shooting; depth.
Weakness: Fairly young team.
Last year’s Trip tourney: The Cyclone lost 73-67 in overtime to Notre Dame in the championship semifinals.
Paper tourney results: Lost 70-58 to St. Francis in the Standard championship final.
League record at Christmas Break: 2-0 in NRHSAA play.
GOVERNOR SIMCOE REDCOATS
Number of returning players: Five.
Key returning players: Max Grant, Andrew Scott, Deryck Burke and Mitch McPherson.
Key newcomers: Ethan Thompson, Matteo Martin and Hayden Zeppetella.
Strengths: Size; defence.
Weakness: Big game experience.
Last year’s Trip tourney: The Redcoats lost 70-55 to Notre Dame in the championship game.
Paper tourney results: Lost 72-58 to E.L. Crossley in the Standard championship semifinals.
League record at Christmas Break: 3-1 in NRHSAA play.
GREATER FORT ERIE GRYPHONS
Number of returning players: Six.
Key returning players: Austin Ladouceur, Zack Tyrell, Avery Steinbach-Parker and Novontay Brown.
Key newcomers: Kyle Barrett and Josh Havill.
Strengths: Depth; speed; shooting.
Weaknesses: Inexperience.
Last year’s Trip tourney: The Gryphons beat Lakeshore Catholic 58-49 in the consolation final.
Paper tourney results: Lost 72-56 to St. Francis in the Standard championship quarter-finals.
League record at Christmas Break: 4-1 in NRHSAA play.
HOLY CROSS RAIDERS
Number of returning players: Four.
Key returning players: Reuben Eshuis, Bruce DeLuca and Sam Trivieri.
Key newcomer: Matthew Ryan.
Strength: Rebounding.
Weaknesses: Communication; transition defence.
Last year’s Trip tourney: The Raiders lost 65-58 to Centennial in the championship quarter-finals.
Paper tourney results: Lost 57-37 to Niagara Christian in the Standard consolation quarter-finals.
League record at Christmas Break: 1-2 in NCAA play.
JEAN VANIER LYNX
Number of returning players: Four.
Key returning players: PG Maxime Leduc and PF Gregoire Belanger.
Key newcomers: Brock Morden; Cameron Laprise.
Strength: A willing group of athletes wanting to play and learn the sport.
Weakness: Lack of club-level players (very raw talent)
Last year’s Trip tourney: The Lynx lost 61-41 to Sir Winston Churchill in the consolation quarter-finals.
Paper tourney results: Didn’t play in the Standard tournament.
League record at Christmas Break: 0-2 in NRHSAA play.
LAKESHORE CATHOLIC GATORS
Number of returning players: Five.
Key returning players: Samuel Beifuss; Thomas Cryer; Ben Shoalts.
Key newcomers: Evan Jacob; Gravel Devivois.
Strengths: Speed; defensive intensity.
Weaknesses: Lack of size and big game experience.
Last year’s Trip tourney: The Gators lost 58-49 to Greater Fort Erie in the consolation final.
Paper tourney results: Lost 59-50 to Centennial in the Standard consolation quarter-finals.
League record at Christmas Break: 0-4 in NCAA play.
NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH
Number of returning players: Ten, including three starters.
Key returning players: 2019 Trib MVP David Jones; 2019 Trib leading scorer Andrew Zezela; and, Shamar Campbell.
Key newcomers: Will Capes (starter) and Mateo Dave.
Strengths: Play hard; good ball pressure; shoot well in rhythm.
Weaknesses: Size excluding Campbell; rebounding.
Last year’s Trip tourney: The Irish beat Governor Simcoe 70-55 in championship game.
Paper tourney results: Didn’t play in the Standard tournament.
League record at Christmas Break: 2-1 in NCAA play.
PORT COLBORNE BLUE BEARS
Number of returning players: Seven.
Key returning players: Colton Weaver; Aidan Hawkins.
Key newcomers: Mason Weaver.
Strength: Weekly improvement.
Weakness: Size.
Last year’s Trip tourney: The Blue Bears lost 80-49 to Lakeshore Catholic in the consolation quarter-finals.
Paper tourney results: Didn’t play in the Standard tournament.
League record at Christmas Break: 0-1 in NRHSAA play.
SAINT MICHEAL MUSTANGS
Number of returning players: Two.
Key returning players: SG Jomer Mateo; PG Ben Lockhart.
Key newcomers: Marben Mateo; Davis Alex; Andrew Cricenti; Adrian Pasternak.
Strengths: Half-court defence; speed.
Weaknesses: Size; rebounding.
Last year’s Trip tourney: The Mustangs lost 69-53 to Notre Dame in the championship quarter-finals.
Paper tourney results: Didn’t play in the Standard tournament.
League record at Christmas Break: 1-3 in NCAA play.
SAINT PAUL PATRIOTS
Number of returning players: Six.
Key returning players: Jerwyn Tutanes; Johnny Graovaz.
Key newcomers: Jacob McLeod; Noah Jordan.
Strengths: Shooting; work ethic.
Weakness: Size.
Last year’s Trip tourney: Didn’t play in tournament.
Paper tourney results: Didn’t play in the Standard tournament.
League record at Christmas Break: 3-1 in NCAA play.
SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL BULLDOGS
Number of returning players: Five.
Key returning players: Brendan Barker, Nick Beaudoin, Oreoluwa Fowler, Connor Johnston and Nate Butler.
Key newcomers: Alex Evseyev, Devonte Edwards and Yaseen Ali.
Strengths: Improved team speed; better shooting team than last year.
Last year’s Trip tourney: The Bulldogs lost 63-55 to Lakeshore Catholic in the consolation semifinals.
Paper tourney results: Lost 49-47 to Centennial in Standard consolation final.
League record at Christmas Break: 1-1 in NRHSAA play.
WESTLANE SPARTANS
Number of returning players: Seven.
Key returning players: Waleed Al Basha; Enrico Gibson; Aaron Nguyen.
Key newcomers: Kevin Del Vecchio; Jacob Firlotte; Taylor Firlotte.
Strength: Deep bench.
Weakness: Experience at high school level.
Last year’s Trip tourney: The Spartans lost 72-62 to Greater Fort Erie in the consolation quarter-finals.
Paper tourney results: Didn’t play in the Standard tournament.
League record at Christmas Break: 1-4 in NRHSAA play.
