Basketball

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Dear Santa: Wesmen want hoops glory

Trophy in Classic may help stop squad's early-season struggles

By: Ashley Prest

1/12/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Wesmen players Craig Penniston, left, and Mike James pass on their holiday request to Santa, who looks a lot like mascot Wes Lee Coyote. (WAYNE.GLOWACKI@FREEPRESS.MB.CA )

Under the category of 'there's something you don't see every day,' there was this basketball player sitting on the knee of a coyote dressed like Santa Claus Monday at the University of Winnipeg Duckworth Centre.

It was University of Winnipeg Wesmen men's basketball forward Mike James who fearlessly stepped up and made the annual plea at the kickoff press conference, asking Santa for a championship in the 2009 Wesmen Classic on Dec. 27-30 hosted by the U of W. But this year, Santa looked suspiciously like Wesmen mascot Wes Lee Coyote.

"That was the new Santa Coyote but it was fun and it's for the team," James said, laughing. I suppose it (his selection to sit on 'Santa's' knee) was probably because I've got the best-looking smile so they threw me out front."

If anyone needs a little of Santa's TLC right about now it would be the Wesmen, hit hard by injuries and lineup changes in the first half of the season and sitting with a Canada West conference-worst 0-9 record.

"We've got a month to prepare, work hard and get things going so if we can put in a good performance at the Wesmen Classic, we've got half the season still left to try to pick things up," said the 6-foot-6 James, who participated in three Wesmen Classics as a high school player with the Oak Park Raiders; this will be his fourth with the Wesmen. He missed five regular-season games with a broken hand.

"(To be the host team) of such a big event like this, you're excited. You want to not only do well but put out a good effort."

Billed as "A Winnipeg Christmas Tradition," the Classic this year includes the crosstown rival Manitoba Bisons who were absent last year. Last year's winner was the Brandon Bobcats who are not here this year.

"There's pressure to win when you play at home in a big event with lots of people here but No. 1, it's fun," said Wesmen head coach Dave Crook, in his ninth season with the U of W. The Classic, in its 43rd year, opened Monday for the first-ever November start with the first of six tournaments.

The Community Classic (Nov. 30-Dec. 3 for Winnipeg Minor Basketball Association teams, the International Classic for club teams (Dec. 4-6), the Junior Varsity Classic (Dec. 11-12, 28), the Ranger Insurance High School Girls' Classic (Dec. 14-15), the High School Boys' Classic (Dec. 27-30) and University Men's Classic (Dec. 28-30) will be held in what U of W athletic director Doran Reid calls 'December Madness.'

"There's nothing else you can call it when you've got so many events happening in such a short period of time," said Reid, noting the final count is 100 teams that will play in 150 games. He's worked at the U of W for 22 years.

"There's so many people from the basketball community, not worrying about anything else in their lives except basketball."

A change this year will be to the ninth running of Santa's High Flyin' Slam Jam slam-dunk contest, which will include two wild-card members of the public this year in addition to one entry from each of the eight men's university teams. The finals will be Dec. 30 with $200 cash to the winner.

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca

Schedule

Dec. 28

Noon: Lakehead Thunderwolves vs. Minot State

2 p.m.: Laval Rouge et Or vs. Thompson Rivers

6 p.m.: Winnipeg Wesmen vs. Bishop's Gators

8 p.m.: Manitoba Bisons vs, Valley City

Dec. 29

Noon, 2 p.m.: consolation semifinals

6, 8 p.m.: championship semifinals

Dec. 30

Noon: seventh place

2 p.m.: consolation final

4 p.m.: third place

6 p.m.: high school boys championship final

8 p.m.: university championship final

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 1, 2009 C5

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