Wesmen ‘need’ their classic

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This article was published 08/12/2015 (3819 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FOR almost half a century now, the University of Winnipeg has packed the courts for its prized tournament, a four-day basketball binge it proudly declares a city holiday tradition.

Year after year, the delights remain the same: junior varsity, high school, and university brackets. The dunk competition. The contests. For high school hoopsters, there’s a three-point shootout game.

But for most of the athletes who will be on home turf at this year’s 49th annual Wesmen Classic, the whole shebang is still fresh, even brand new. These Wesmen are, sixth-year head coach Mike Raimbault said, a very young group. So far, they’ve showed promise.

“The potential, really, is there,” Raimbault said, chatting at a Monday media conference to preview the event. “Depending on how quickly we can come together… the growth of the group is definitely evident, and something we’re excited about.”

The Wesmen graduated three seniors last season, and bid adieu to a handful of other seasoned members. The turnover left 6-7 forward Jelane Pryce the lone senior on a 2015-16 roster populated mostly by rookies and second-year players; only five of 14 are at in at least their third season. (For comparison, 11 of the Canada West third-place Manitoba Bisons’ 15 players are third-years or higher.)

On one hand, that means a fresh crop of young talent. Among them, the Wesmen snagged last year’s Oak Park Raiders standout William Sesay, an electrifying 6-3 rookie; he’s already collected his first CIS starts. Then there is the team’s current points leader, second-year guard Denzel Lynch-Blair, who is averaging 14.8 points a game.

On the other hand, the young core means a steep learning curve. This year’s Canada West schedule didn’t make it any easier. The Wesmen opened the season with six games on the road, only two at home, and four were against top conference opponents in Calgary and Alberta.

After wrapping up the first half of the season last weekend with a pair of losses to Regina, the Wesmen were sitting 3-5. They will enjoy more home cookin’ in the second semester, but all told, coach Raimbault is all right with how they hung tough in the first half.

“We’re still in the mix,” Raimbault said. “We really wanted to survive this first term, and really be learning and growing, and understand that with so many new guys, and guys playing new positions, we’re not going to be playing our best basketball in October or November.”

With that in mind, when the Wesmen Classic’s university draw kicks off Dec. 28, it comes at a fine time. The way Raimbault sees it, the break means a chance to fine-tune their game against tournament contenders, including the Bisons and the Brandon Bobcats.

It’s also a chance to let the young guns settle in. Emotion is often an unpredictable factor for players near the start of their CIS career, especially when they have to shoulder as much of the load as they do with this year’s Wesmen. Hence, the value of seasoned veterans.

Take Lynch-Blair, for instance. When he’s on top of his game, Raimbault believes the Torontonian can be one of the best defenders in the nation. On the flipside, when things go wrong on the court, the fiery guard’s passion can boil over and skew his play. He knows it, too.

“Sometimes, I’m up and down with how the game is going,” Lynch-Blair said with a self-effacing grin. “I just want to win so bad. I hate losing. But I know what I have to do from here on out. And I have to be more of a leader for the team, because we’re all young guys. Some of us younger than me.”

That’s one thing the Wesmen will be looking to take out of the 49th Wesmen Classic. Winning would be nice, of course: it’s been nine years since the team last captured its own tournament’s banner, though they made it to the final in 2010, 2013 and again last year. But whether they wrap up as champions, at least they can leave more consistent.

“Our team needs this tournament, just to build more chemistry,” Lynch-Blair said. “And hopefully get some wins to build our confidence, because I know right now we’re on the borderline, trying to win, trying not to lose. I think it’ll help us a lot.”

melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca