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For as long as McMaster Basketball guard Troy Joseph can remember, he has had two loves: basketball and music.
Starting to play basketball at the age of 10, the friendships he made through the sport were one of the biggest reasons he loved it so much. The same guys he played with in the front yard or in the school gym became long-time friends. Now, they either play alongside him or in different leagues all around the world. Still, basketball was that glue that kept a lot of his friendships together.
With his final year of eligibility up this season, Joseph hangs up his university jersey with McMaster. But Hamilton was not always home for him. Before making a name for himself in the Steel City, the Ajax native spent two seasons playing for the Long Island University Blackbirds in Brooklyn, NY. While playing Division I gave him the NCAA March Madness experience and championship trophies, the return for Joseph was a natural fit.
While the coaches, practices, programs and structures were a bit different, Joseph came to McMaster with a bit of his past playing alongside him. Aaron Redpath and Leon Alexander, both players on the McMaster Men’s Basketball Team have been long-time friends with Joseph and have gone from court to court with him.
While the end has come for Joseph at McMaster, he is looking to play professionally. In talks with agents, he is working towards making the best possible decision for his future.
“I didn’t notice the importance of sports until now looking back at the friendships, the connections and challenges you go through.”
Whether it’ll be solely about basketball or music or a mesh of both is completely up to him.
“I’m not going to chase it just to chase it, it has to make sense to me,” said Joseph.
While music and basketball help inspire Joseph, he also contributes to his community through charity and is in the works of creating opportunities for children to play sports.
“I want to help single parents with kids who play sports. I know what it’s like to be in a single parent household trying to play sports. It’s expensive,” said Joseph.
Family has always been a huge support for Joseph and has inspired him to reach new heights.
“My mom stayed in Brooklyn just to watch my games. My dad pushed me to learn through sport and to give back,” said Joseph of his parents.
Seniors Night, the last home game at the Burridge Gym to celebrate the senior athletes, was a special one for Joseph.
“It was a good experience, especially with Leon and Aaron, it felt good being out there with them,” said Joseph.
Looking back, Joseph is proud of the way he ended his eligibility. He was named a Second Team All-Star for his efforts this season and was the second highest scorer this season for the McMaster Men’s Basketball team. Starting this season came with more minutes for Joseph that allowed him to produce efficiently and helped him grow into a leader on and off the court.
“I didn’t notice the importance of sports until now looking back at the friendships, the connections and challenges you go through,” said Joseph.
Whether it’s because of his talent on the court or through his verses, Marauders can expect to hear more from Troy Joseph.
Photo Credit: Jon White/ Photo Editor
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WOMEN’S RUGBY
McMaster Women’s Rugby played some of their best rugby this year. With four wins and one loss in the regular season, the team was prepared for defend their OUA title. After defeating the Guelph Gryphons 12-3, the team became back-to-back OUA Champions. Gaining their second consecutive OUA title this year, the team went on to take it all as they defeated the host Queen’s Gaels 27-3. The program claimed their first CIS title in history. After a strong season, captain Cindy Nelles was named Most Valuable Player and Rina Charalampis was awarded the Community Service Award. Nelles, Colleen Irowa, Emily Ricketts, Katie Svoboda and Abi Moody were named All-Stars for their work on the field.
Photo Credit: Ian McAlpine
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
For the fourth consecutive year, the McMaster Men’s Volleyball team were named OUA Champions. Well known for the strong volleyball program that has been built under the leadership of Head Coach Dave Preston, the Marauders hosted the championship game and dominated for the banner. In a straight three-set victory over the Ryerson Rams, the Marauders further cemented the greatness they have created. The team has been playing behind veteran leadership from Stephen Maar who was named OUA MVP. Danny Demyanenko and Andrew Kocur joined Maar as OUA First-Team All-Stars. Libero Pawel Jedrzejewski was named a member of the Second-Team.
Photo Credit: Jon White/ Photo Editor
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Five years goes by faster than one would expect.
Basketball is a sport McMaster guard Aaron Redpath grew up on. Playing street ball from the tender age of six and competitively two short years later, something about the game of basketball kept Redpath wanting more. Something about the sport made him yearn to play for the rest of his life.
“It always kept me humble, it was my stress relief,” said Redpath.
Surrounded by basketball players in both his family and circle of friends, Redpath played basketball through the years, and was an integral part of his high school basketball team.
When it came time for the Ajax native to decide where he would spend the next five years playing university basketball, McMaster was ultimately the choice. Despite looking at Division 1 schools in the United States, the academics and athletic facilities kept Redpath choosing close to home.
In the summer of 2011, Redpath was one of five players officially recruited to commit to Maroon.
In his first year playing for the Marauders, Redpath pushed to be stronger and bigger. “The physicality was different. It was a step up from high school,” Redpath admits.
Fast forward four years and the same student-athlete witnessed years ago has grown in leadership, maturity and confidence.
Five years playing in Maroon has allowed Redpath to be a more vocal leader. Anyone who has the chance to watch any games this season would think that was Redpath’s personality, as he was big on the court and always played with emotion. That self-assurance came from time, experience and being comfortable on the court.
While some players in Redpath’s recruiting class chose to leave McMaster Basketball for different reasons, it was important for Redpath to show loyalty to a program that has done so much for him.
Being part of a sports program for five years can be really testing. With incoming and outgoing players, the dynamic of a team changes. But how a player handles that change is telling of their character.
“I have never been the type of person to quit on things when it gets tough. I don’t see tough times as an opportunity to quit, but as an opportunity to get better,” said Redpath.
With those tough times and changes in the program, there has been a few aspects that have always been constant for Redpath.
One of those is Head Coach Amos Connolly.
“He has been pushing me all along. He has always talked to me about my potential. He has believed in me from the start,” said Redpath.
Redpath’s last game on Burridge hardwood will be one he will never forget, for more sour reasons than sweet. It was an OUA quarter-final game against Windsor Lancers that ended in a 78-79 loss. It was a game that hurt so much.
While that result was unfortunate, the focus moving forward is on the positive and the great moments they all shared together.
“The beauty of our team is that it is built like a family. We are able to pick each other up,” said Redpath.
Redpath has collected several accolades throughout his career in Maroon. He was named OUA all-star and all-rookie, made a CIS Final 8 appearance and recieved several Athlete of the Week nominations. Redpath is grateful for the experience being a Marauder has given him.
Now that he has hung up his #23 jersey, Redpath will look to take his talents professionally. Having basketball inspirations like Vince Carter and Lebron James, Redpath hopes to play the sport he loves for as long as he can on a bigger stage and in front of a bigger crowd.
Photo Credit: Jon White/ Photo Editor
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It felt like a 10 year-old wound was reopened.
The blue and white celebrated a gold medal-clinching victory amongst a sea of maroon and grey for the second time in a decade. The first time the Spartans captured CIS gold was back in 2006 when McMaster was the host.
That’s not the sort of deja-vu you want to have, especially with the way the stars seemed to have aligned for McMaster this year.
Trinity Western’s journey is somewhat of a Cinderella story — a concept almost exclusively married to the month of March. In January they were 9-9 and on the outside looking in for the Canada West playoff. Then they decided to go on a 7-1 run to end their season, winning the Canada West banner, dethroning the reigning national champs twice in two weeks, and upsetting the No. 1 team in the nation to win CIS gold.
“Getting hot down the stretch is all that really matters,” said Spartans Head Coach Ben Josephson.
The Spartans’ rise to national prominence happened so fast, but Josephson thinks it was just a matter of time.
“We were doing all of the right things and we were learning the things that we needed to learn, it just wasn’t producing results yet,” Josephson said. “We just kept saying to trust that we’re doing the right thing and to stay together.”
“This group never quits and the way we come together is so special. I’ve never been part of any group or team like this,” said Spartans setter Adam Schreimer.
McMaster started the match ablaze, looking like a team ready to run away with gold on their home floor. They got out to a quick 9-3 lead before the Spartans were forced to call a timeout to gather themselves.
Burridge’s sellout crowd was rowdy.
“We came out hot. I think that was one of the best starts our team has had all year,” said McMaster middle Alex Elliott. “There was a lot of energy and excitement.”
McMaster’s momentum was soon mellowed in the subsequent sets after Trinity Western started playing their trademark serve/block game.
“You can outplay better teams if you have everything going in the right direction. I don’t think we were the better team here, but we played better that night.”
“They try to serve really tough and keep you off the net and then when they’re attacking you, they try to keep the ball in play,” said Elliott. “They rely on their blocking to shut you down. They sort of try and let you make the errors.”
Assistant Coach Nathan Janzen acknowledges Elliott’s schematic observation.
“They play a very smart attacking game. They’re not always hitting hard. They’re very willing to keep balls in play, put it at the setter, and let their block take over a match,” said Janzen. “They did a fantastic job serving and blocking. I give them a ton of credit.”
McMaster showed flashes of their first set brilliance, but were never able to put it all together the rest of the match. Trinity Western took the wheel from the second set to the end.
“The only time we had everything humming was in the first set and we won that one. Every time we had something figured out, we’d fall back in something else,” Janzen said. “We missed a bunch of serves and let them get confident in what they were doing. From there we were behind the eight ball for the rest of the match.”
McMaster followed Trinity Western into the 20s in the second and third sets before losing, and they ultimately fell short of gold by dropping the fourth set.
“When sets get into the 20s that’s usually when we turn it up a notch and finish the job. We didn’t do that against them. It was uncharacteristic of us,” Elliott said.
The Spartans had a commanding lead throughout the fourth set and the Marauders never came back.
“We tried to focus on each individual point as its own mini-game rather than thinking about the entire match,” Elliott said. “That’s what we tried to do, but when you face a big deficit and give the opponent such a big lead, it’s hard to claw all the way back.”
Spartans star outside hitter Blake Scheerhorn scored a side-out off of Jayson McCarthy to officially end the Marauders title hopes. The twin-tower duo of Scheerhoorn and fellow outside hitter Ryan Sclater hurt McMaster as the two scored 20 and 24 points, respectively.
“Losing in the final here was pretty tough. It’s still pretty tough to accept it now a few days after it happened,” Elliott said. “I couldn’t believe it was over. It’s especially tough because it was my last match ever for Mac.”
Trinity Western, on the other hand, captured their third CIS title in six seasons making the Spartans look like a national dynasty.
“You can outplay better teams if you have everything going in the right direction. I don’t think we were the better team here, but we played better that night,” Josephson said.
It wasn’t meant to be for McMaster. The perfect ending of winning the program’s first national title at home didn’t come true.
“I think for all of us it’s obviously disappointing that we didn’t win gold at home. It was a great opportunity to win in front of our home fans,” Janzen said. “I think the guys are disappointed, but a CIS silver medal is still an incredible accomplishment. It’s hard, but we’re still very proud of what we’ve accomplished.”
Photo Credit: Yousif Haddad
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Humber College gym was (kind of) where it all started.
A tall, lanky 16-year-old was playing club volleyball for the Durham Attack and coaches were out in the gym to watch him play. He was on the recruiting radar for a number of universities in the OUA.
The tall kid walked up to a coach and said, “Hello, Sir. I’m Alex Elliott.”
McMaster Head Coach Dave Preston chuckled.
“Alex, I’m very aware of who you are,” said Preston.
Elliott was shocked that the Head Coach of one of Canada’s best volleyball programs knew him by name. It meant so much to him.
“I love your program. I think a lot of Mac,” Elliott said.
Right when Elliott was offered the opportunity to play for his dream school, the Cobourg, ON native knew where he would spend the next five years of his life.
“I told myself that I was going to Mac. I didn’t say it right away because I didn’t want to be impulsive. I got offers from everywhere in Ontario, but I knew I wanted to be there. My heart was set,” said Elliott.
His strong ties to the school with the coaching staff, friends, and teammates influenced his decision. There was no other place for him.
“I applied to three different programs. That’s how badly I wanted to come here,” said Elliott.
Fast-forward half a decade and the 6’5” graduating middle leaves McMaster with a decorated career and many lifelong memories.
But the one that stands out the most comes from this year’s CIS championship weekend.
“The highlight of my whole career was to end it here at home. To play in the CIS championships in front of all the Mac fans is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Walking onto the floor with 2000 people cheering for us is a crazy feeling,” said Elliott.
“If you told me five years ago that I would be a part of four OUA title teams and four CIS medaling teams, I would’ve called you crazy,” Elliott said. “We would’ve loved to capture the championship at home, but I wouldn’t give this up for anything or any other school in Canada. I have no regrets. I love Mac.”
Elliott started at Mac as a Social Sciences student before transferring into Environmental Sciences. He is scheduled to graduate this spring.
Following his graduation, Elliott plans to head to teacher’s college to pursue his passion for teaching and coaching.
“I want to teach high school environmental science and geography. I want to coach too. I love sports. It doesn’t even have to be volleyball,” Elliott said.
His time at Mac has given him valuable insight into maximizing one’s university experience.
“Take advantage of every opportunity you’re given right off the bat. Don’t be shy. Get involved with everything you can. Sit near the front of your classes. Don’t be the guy near the back. Just be more engaged with everything.”
Elliott sees sport as bigger than a stage to showcase talent.
“It’s a platform you can use to develop life. That’s why I want to teach people that sport isn’t only about being physically active or being the best. Sports can teach you life lessons that you can hold onto forever,” Elliott said.
Away from the court, Elliott spent significant time doing community service during his time at Mac with Mac Athletes Care.
“I’ve always loved serving the community. Back home in Cobourg I was involved in the community up until grade 12 and then in my first year at Mac, I wasn’t involved in anything,” said Elliott. “There was a significant part of me I wasn’t showing so getting involved with Mac Athletes Care brought that part of me back out.”
Elliott would take time out of his week to just spend time with Hamilton youth and elderly citizens. Nothing complicated. He enjoyed learning to see the world through their eyes and wanted to be there for others if they needed anything. It’s very unique to see an athlete that legitimately wants to be around others, and to care for and support them in his own personal free time. It just goes to show that Elliott practices what he preaches about sport being more than a platform for talent, but a platform to impact the lives of others.
“He has been one of the greatest leaders that I have ever coached,” said Coach Dave Preston. “Alex is a great human being.”
Photo Credit: Monish Ahluwalia
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Growth takes a student athlete from good to great.
In basketball, five players are on the court to represent the team at any given time. To be one of those five on the McMaster Men’s Basketball Team, you need to earn it. It comes with time, experience and talent. Every player that checks in and laces up for play on the hardwood is on the court for a reason. It might be the skill they showed in practice or their leadership as veterans.
While the five are on the court, the remaining players on the bench are just as important. In addition to contributing when called upon, these bench players are a network of support and help motivate the players on the court.
A team this big in numbers and depth is not missing support or motivation. The bench gets loud when big plays are made and clap it out even when a free throw is missed.
Still, the rotation fans notice at games are usually eight players. This isn’t always the case as Head Coach Amos Connolly can decide to play some of the younger guys for experience.
Fourth-year Oakville native Lazar Kojovic was a part of that rotation this year, but it did not always come easy.
“It’s mostly just hard work,” said Kojovic.
Playing basketball since the age of 11, Kojovic was given the opportunity to represent McMaster Basketball when he was one of seven first year players to show loyalty to the Maroon and Grey in 2012. McMaster became home for Kojovic because of the strong academics and the great athletics. Kojovic, an Engineering Physics student, has found a balance between books and ball.
This season opened up a spot for Kojovic to showcase his talent and he made sure to not take that chance for granted. His first three years at McMaster were quiet, but this year was a little different.
“This year, I got a bit lucky with some open shots,” said Kojovic about working his way up the bench and onto the court.
Hard work and time has gotten Kojovic to where he is today. A strong work ethic speaks volumes to a player’s potential for greatness.
Whether it is producing in a multitude of ways both offensively or defensively on the court or supporting his teammates by being a vocal presence on the bench, Kojovic has had a successful season and has put skeptics and believers on notice.
Rounding off his fourth year with the program, Kojovic’s greatest Marauder memory was when the team made an appearance in the CIS Final Eight in his second year.
A big reason why Kojovic loves the game is because of his father who also played basketball growing up.
“When I was younger, I would go to his pick-up games every Sunday and watch him score in the most unusual and unique ways. I would always try and practice his moves. My dad pushed me,” said Kojovic of his basketball inspiration.
Fans can expect to see more leadership from Kojovic who will finish off his five years of eligibility with the program next year. His time away from the competitive stage this year will be used to polish his ball handling skills and ability to be more open on the court, in order to prepare for another shot at championships.
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The road ends here.
Regardless of what happens at the CIS Men’s Volleyball National Championship this weekend, McMaster’s historic season will end.
Since coming to McMaster in 2002, Head Coach Dave Preston has amassed a 247-77 overall record in his 14 seasons at the helm of the program. After beating Waterloo and Ryerson at the OUA Final Four last weekend, McMaster became freshly minted conference champs for the fourth consecutive year. McMaster has won seven of the last nine OUA banners. In addition to that, Preston has led McMaster to the CIS championships nine times in the last 11 years and has medaled three times (2013, 2014, 2015).
He’s a proven winner. His track record speaks for itself.
Preston enters this week boasting an impressive resumé having led his team tow a 22-3 record vs. CIS teams, producing four conference all-stars (Stephen Maar, Danny Demyanenko, Andrew Kocur, Pawel Jedrzejewski), and two OUA all-rookie team members (Craig Ireland and Matt Passalent). Up to now the Marauders have secured two of their three goals for the season. They’ve secured home court throughout the playoffs and they’ve won a conference title. Coach Preston has turned McMaster into a perennial powerhouse, but they are missing one thing: a national championship.
The closest McMaster has come to national glory was in 2013 when they were national runner-ups. Beyond that they’ve gotten two bronze medals in 2014 and 2015. Their 2016 outcome has yet to be determined.
“We’re where we want to be entering this weekend. One thing I told the team is to never take these things for granted. Sometimes when you win four conference titles in a row, you can take them for granted,” said Preston. “Winning OUA championships doesn’t get old. People dream of being OUA champions. I don’t want our guys to discount that prize. It’s a big deal and now there’s another big deal ahead of us.”
Last weekend at the OUA Final Four, Burridge Gym gave us a foretaste of what this weekend will be like. The gym was filled to the rafters and the Marauders had incredible support. There was no shortage of noise and each Marauder point against Waterloo and Ryerson would incite explosive applause from their faithful.
“I think our support around here from the top-down is unbelievable. It’s awesome for our student-athletes to be able to play in that environment,” said Preston. “I don’t want to take that for granted because not many student-athletes get to feel that. It was electric last weekend. I fully understand that this weekend will be even more electric.”
McMaster’s pride hasn’t gone unnoticed by visitors.
“The reason I know it’s amazing is because I hear student athletes from other schools talk about how awesome it is here,” said Preston. “I don’t want our guys to take our home environment for granted. We’re very well supported and I want our guys to appreciate that too. We’re going to take full advantage of it.”
For the first time in months, outside hitters Brandon Koppers and Andrew Richards returned to the floor, as did veteran middle Alex Elliott. All were missed and warmly welcomed by the fans. A mosaic of what McMaster has become was on full display last weekend with all-star upperclassmen and all-rookies playing side-by-side. Setter Andrew Kocur won OUA Final Four MVP and middle Danny Demyanenko won player of the match in the title game. OUA MVP Stephen Maar continued being his dominant self, leading the team in scoring throughout the weekend.
Teams cannot reduce McMaster to a single threat because they have a team of guys that can each dominate on any given night. The depth and rhythm are there and peaking at most important time of the year. A deep bench and contributions across the board are two trademarks of championship teams.
“This is what our guys signed up for. I even tell that to recruits. We go through our other matches so that we can get to these ones,” said Preston. “We do what we need to do in order to do what we want to do. Playing for a national championship is something we want to do and that’s what we’re going to take advantage of. Other student athletes can only dream of doing what we’re doing here.”
It’s a special time at McMaster. All eyes will be on Burridge from March 10-12. McMaster will be the center of the CIS volleyball world as schools from all over the country will be here to compete for national gold. Competing schools include the University of New Brunswick, Trinity Western, Alberta, Waterloo, Ryerson, Laval and Saskatchewan.
McMaster plays in a national quarterfinal at 8 p.m. on March 10 against a familiar foe in Waterloo. The stars have aligned up to now and it’s up to Mac to make program history.
“These opportunities are extremely rare for student athletes. To compete for a national championship on your homecourt in front of your home fans is as good as it gets. It’s an exciting opportunity for these guys,” said Preston. “My job is to make sure they’re prepared and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that happens. These are the things young guys dream about.”
Photo Credit: Jon White/ Photo Editor
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When I first started covering McMaster Men’s Volleyball regularly in the fall, I was aware of the high expectations that came from both inside and outside of the program. However, I only became aware of our volleyball excellence by watching games and walking through the David Braley Athletic Centre. Mac volleyball isn’t heavily advertised beyond the walls of the building so it took some effort to realize that our school has a championship-calibre volleyball program.
McMaster Men’s Volleyball has become a household name in the CIS and Head Coach Dave Preston is the mastermind behind the perennial powerhouse. McMaster has appeared and medaled in each of the past three CIS National Championships. From 2013 to 2015, the Marauders have come home with silver and two bronzes. I have asked players what they think about those accomplishments and I have gotten the same response.
Nobody wants silver or bronze.
To them, it’s nothing to smile about. I have never seen a team with such a healthy dissatisfaction over medaling at nationals. Some schools would throw a parade for those outcomes, but at McMaster the standard is different. Second is “first worst” and third looks like a pity consolation.
After returning from the CIS Nationals in Saskatoon last February, McMaster was already thinking about the new season. They didn’t win gold in 2015. That’s all they remember. Since Feb. 27, 2015 when they lost in a CIS semifinal to Trinity Western, McMaster has had their eyes on the 2016 gold.
The lining looked sterling silver for this season with a lot of last year’s players returning along with the addition of several skilled rookie recruits. McMaster has made their presence felt across the country from October until now. The target was and is still on their back.
Everyone wants a piece of them.
Their season started with a trip to Poland where they had the unique opportunity to play high-level club teams. Then they beat reigning national champion Alberta, dominated the OUA and stole a couple of wins at Ohio State somewhere in between.
Now they are entering the postseason 18-2 with some defined battle scars. This team is not waltzing in blindly about to get blindsided. What’s even more encouraging is that the second half of their season has seen the emergence of their younger players. Second-years Calvin Lee, Connor Santoni, Jeff Driediger, Peter Khodkevych, Ebbasa Dugassa and first years Craig Ireland and Matt Passalent have produced quality volleyball when called upon. Coach Preston says they’ve come to a point where they can execute Mac’s gameplan like the normal starters would. Not many teams can say that about their bench.
The fact that this team is entering the playoffs battle-tested is scary. They know what it’s like to be down on the road. They know what it’s like to win without some of their best players. They know what it’s like to get punched in the mouth.
But they also know how to get back up and then knock you out.
I know I speak for this team and their coaching staff when I say this: Give them your best shot. They want it.
The postseason has arrived and it starts this weekend at home in the Burridge Gym. McMaster plays Waterloo in an OUA semifinal on March 3 at 8 p.m.
Photo Credit: Jon White/ Photo Editor
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In sport, time is universally understood to bring order to an otherwise chaotic competition. In basketball, there is a 24 second shot clock and four 10-minute quarters. There are time-outs and a half time.
Since the season started back in November, the clock has been ticking for the McMaster Men’s Basketball team. The team has played 18 games from then until present and now more than ever before, how the team uses their time will determine how much time they have left in their postseason.
Over reading week, the Marauders had a busy two weeks with four games that were crucial to their national ranking.
On the first weekend — the Think Pink Weekend — two of Canada’s teams best visited Burridge Gym.
For many fans of Ontario university basketball, Ottawa and Carleton are known national powerhouses.
In a packed gym filled with basketball fans and supporters of the McMaster Men’s Basketball program, the energy was an added bonus for the team. Big plays resulted in loud cheers from the crowd and McMaster came out that night with a 96-90 victory over the Ottawa Gee-Gees. Troy Joseph led the team with 30 points for the night.
“His attitude, work ethic and commitment level in practice and games has been great,” said Head Coach Amos Connolly.
There was no doubt that it was a huge win for the team to beat an opponent ranked higher than them.
However, the game was followed by a 74-65 loss to Carleton the following night.
This past weekend, the Marauders played Nipissing and Laurentian and were able to run away with wins for both games.
While the usual rotation of players have been able to produce for the team, the bench has also been essential.
“We talk about the guys on the floor playing for the people on the bench and the bench supporting the people on the court,” said Connolly.
Everything that has happened this season is now in the past. Sure, the wins and losses are still documented but it cannot be dwelled on.
The way previous seasons have ended is a bittersweet memory, but the 20-deep roster knows that they are making their own future.
On Wednesday Feb. 24, the team travelled to St. Catherines to compete with OUA rival, Brock Badgers. The Marauders last played the Badgers at Burridge Gym in November and lost 83-75.
“The game in November is more about the rivalry and this game is more about playoff implications,” said Connolly.
While the noise of an arena that can seat 5,300 people can bring an unwelcoming feeling, the Marauders understand the reward in victory regardless of the opponent and the environment.
McMaster looked comfortable last night as they defeated Brock to a score of 80-69.
The team will end the regular season in Guelph on Feb. 26.
This playoff season will be the last for Aaron Redpath, Leon Alexander and Troy Joseph. Just like the rest of the McMaster Men’s Basketball family, they are looking to support each other and go as far as time will allow.
Photo Credit: Jon White/ Photo Editor
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Over reading week teams like Toronto and York did their fair share of talking after handing McMaster their first two losses of the season. McMaster played more of their younger players for the final three matches of the season and won one — their season finale at Nipissing.
Younger players like Calvin Lee, Connor Santoni, Jeff Driediger, Peter Khodkevych, Craig Ireland, Matt Passalent and Ebbasa Dugassa carried the bulk of playing time to round out the season. Santoni had some of his best scoring performances of his young Mac career with 14 points against York and 23 against Nipissing. Second-year setter Calvin Lee had 50, 42 and 43 assists doing his best to spread out the Marauders offensive attack.
“I thought the final three games were great opportunities for some kids to get some more experience. We improved the depth of our roster a lot,” said Head Coach Dave Preston. “We got some guys healthier. That’s always a good thing at this stage in the season.”
The Marauders finished the regular season 18-2, with 9-1 records on the road and at home. In addition, McMaster clinched a spot in the OUA Final Four and will host it for the second consecutive season.
“The fact that we were able to rest some guys gave us a luxury that many other teams can’t afford. Not many teams can afford to create depth near the end of the season,” said Preston. “I really don’t care what other teams’ agendas are. I know what our agenda is and I know that we were able to stick to it.”
For those of you who haven’t heard, our Men’s Volleyball team did not finish the regular season unbeaten. Some put more value on that than others, but Coach Preston and the rest of his squad know the real money is still waiting on the table.
“We set three goals at the beginning of the year. It was to secure as much home court advantage throughout the playoffs as possible. We already did that,” said Preston. “The second one was to challenge for an OUA championship and the third one was to challenge for a CIS championship. Those two things are still on the table.”
Some of the team’s best qualities have reached their heights this season. The Marauders have a deep lineup and they can maintain their system and pace of play regardless of whom they put on the floor.
“Not many teams can afford to create depth near the end of the season.”
They’ve been waiting too long for them and McMaster has grown hungry.
No. 2 McMaster will play in an OUA seminfinal on March 4 at 8 p.m., and a national quarterfinal on March 10.
Photo Credit: Jon White/ Photo Editor
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