Basketball teams lose key players to poor grades
Despite loss of talent, both teams win first home game of 2008
The night the Fanshawe Falcons paid their respects to the seven young men from Bathurst N.B who lost their lives in a tragic crash this past weekend, proved to be the night both basketball teams had a gut check game against Mohawk College.
Both the men's and women's teams over the Christmas break lost their leading scorers because of low grades and the men also lost their leading rebounder as well.
Head coach for the women's basketball team Kevin Gordon said losing his point leader was a big shock.
“During the recruiting process I make it very clear that the girls have to be successful in the classroom, if they want to play on the court,” Gordon said. “Not to make excuses for them, it is a new environment for them. Some of them are away from home for the first time, its new academic standards for them as well. However it's not an excuse at all, there are many opportunities for them and many options for them through the athletic office for them to succeed.”
Gordon went on to say that losing one of his key players does not change the team's goal of going to provincials.
The head coach of the men's team, Glenn Johnston, was also disappointed with two of his starters and their academic work from the first half.
“Well I didn't have the champagne out or anything,” said Johnston. “I lost two starters. My point leader and my (top) rebounder. It was two starters and it did not make me happy.”
Each Fanshawe varsity player must follow the Student Athlete Academic Eligibility Policy, which states a player must stay in, “good standing or conditional continuation as defined in Policy2-C-05. If the student is not meeting this standard she/he will be put on probation or become ineligible for purposes of intercollegiate athletics.”
The policy also states that players must report their academic standings and “present to all respective Professors the monthly Academic Progress Report.”
When asked how frustrating it is, that the players do not live up to the Student Athlete Academic Eligibility Policy, fail to pass their class or not realize the significant impact it has on the team, Johnston had the following to say.
“Frustration is the word. No disappointment more then frustration,” explained Johnston. “You try to sell it all year long, that they have to pass to play. But at the end of the day we only lost two but they were two key players. You can't be worrying about what you don't have, you better be worrying about what you do have.”
Both coaches had the Christmas break to regroup after finding out key players would not be back and their players have shown that they are all more then capable of picking up the slack.
Last Wednesday night, The Mohawk Mountaineers were the first team the Falcons took on at home with new lineups and both games were entertaining. The lady Falcons went into half time down 19 points and choosing every wrong shot to take. Then after half time it looked like a new team appeared. With only 13 minutes left in the game and still down by 20 the Falcons took over. They went on a 28-2 run for the rest of the game and got the win 58-50.
The men on the other hand took the lead going into half time 36-28 and never gave it up, scoring 58 points in the second half for a 94-85 win. Rustom Anary responded with an opportunity to start dropping a double-double with 14 points and 10 assists. Also dropping a double-double was Bryan Kamerman with 10 points and 15 boards.
The next home game for the Falcons is Friday, February 1.
The night the Fanshawe Falcons paid their respects to the seven young men from Bathurst N.B who lost their lives in a tragic crash this past weekend, proved to be the night both basketball teams had a gut check game against Mohawk College.
Both the men's and women's teams over the Christmas break lost their leading scorers because of low grades and the men also lost their leading rebounder as well.
Head coach for the women's basketball team Kevin Gordon said losing his point leader was a big shock.
“During the recruiting process I make it very clear that the girls have to be successful in the classroom, if they want to play on the court,” Gordon said. “Not to make excuses for them, it is a new environment for them. Some of them are away from home for the first time, its new academic standards for them as well. However it's not an excuse at all, there are many opportunities for them and many options for them through the athletic office for them to succeed.”
Gordon went on to say that losing one of his key players does not change the team's goal of going to provincials.
The head coach of the men's team, Glenn Johnston, was also disappointed with two of his starters and their academic work from the first half.
“Well I didn't have the champagne out or anything,” said Johnston. “I lost two starters. My point leader and my (top) rebounder. It was two starters and it did not make me happy.”
Each Fanshawe varsity player must follow the Student Athlete Academic Eligibility Policy, which states a player must stay in, “good standing or conditional continuation as defined in Policy2-C-05. If the student is not meeting this standard she/he will be put on probation or become ineligible for purposes of intercollegiate athletics.”
The policy also states that players must report their academic standings and “present to all respective Professors the monthly Academic Progress Report.”
When asked how frustrating it is, that the players do not live up to the Student Athlete Academic Eligibility Policy, fail to pass their class or not realize the significant impact it has on the team, Johnston had the following to say.
“Frustration is the word. No disappointment more then frustration,” explained Johnston. “You try to sell it all year long, that they have to pass to play. But at the end of the day we only lost two but they were two key players. You can't be worrying about what you don't have, you better be worrying about what you do have.”
Both coaches had the Christmas break to regroup after finding out key players would not be back and their players have shown that they are all more then capable of picking up the slack.
Last Wednesday night, The Mohawk Mountaineers were the first team the Falcons took on at home with new lineups and both games were entertaining. The lady Falcons went into half time down 19 points and choosing every wrong shot to take. Then after half time it looked like a new team appeared. With only 13 minutes left in the game and still down by 20 the Falcons took over. They went on a 28-2 run for the rest of the game and got the win 58-50.
The men on the other hand took the lead going into half time 36-28 and never gave it up, scoring 58 points in the second half for a 94-85 win. Rustom Anary responded with an opportunity to start dropping a double-double with 14 points and 10 assists. Also dropping a double-double was Bryan Kamerman with 10 points and 15 boards.
The next home game for the Falcons is Friday, February 1.
