CAMPUS NEWS - Durham College and UOIT

Durham College-UOIT Chronicle
SPORTS
The Chronicle March 17, 2009 29
Anthony Batchelor Eric Smith Erin Emery Jessica Newton Samantha Jansen
OCAA rewards Lords basketball
By Didier Kalonji
Chronicle Staff
The hard work by the men’s and
women’s basketball teams did not
go unnoticed by the Ontario Colleges
Athletic Association. Five
Lords players received awards at
the provincial basketball banquet.
The men’s basketball banquet
was held at Algonquin College on
March 5, followed by the women’s
on the 6 th at Sheridan College.
Lady Lords guard Erin Emery
received an all-star award and
teammates Samantha Jensen and
Jessica Newton got rookie awards
for the women’s team. “It is a statement
to their work and commitment
to the program,” said women’s
basketball coach Tim Baulk.
The women did not have a great
season this year, but they played
hard in every game from the beginning
to the end.
“It is extremely difficult to earn
honours as an all-star when your
team has a losing record, and fails
to make the playoffs,” said Baulk.
Point guard Erin Emery led the
team, averaging 12.1 points per
game. She also showed her defen-
sive skills, finishing with 44 steals.
She was selected to the East Region
second all-star team. It was
her first provincial recognition.
Rookies Jessica Newton and
Samantha Jansen were selected
to the East Region all-rookie team.
As rookies they helped their team
fight each and every single game.
Newton finished behind Emery
in scoring, averaging 11.8 per
game, and led the team in blocked
shots with five. Jansen contributed
with 7.9 points per game, and six
rebounds.
Team captain Anthony Batchelor
and rookie Eric Smith received
all-star awards for the men’s team.
The men had a terrific regular season
as they went 16-4, but unfortunately
lost 91-87 to Algoma in an
overtime thriller on Feb. 21.
Freshman Eric Smith had a lot
to do with the Lords success. He
averaged 18.6 points per game,
leading all rookies in scoring.
He also finished with an impressive
10 double-doubles. He
was named an East Region second
team all-star and was selected to
the all-rookie team.
“It feels good as a rookie to be
honoured at a provincial level,”
said Smith. But regardless of his
Rookies honoured by OUA
By Lauren Thomas
Chronicle Staff
The Ontario University Athletics
(OUA) has listed two UOIT
Ridgebacks men’s hockey team
athletes as 2008-09 major award
winners.
Rookie Josh Vatri was named
the OUA West Rookie of the Year
and was also selected as a member
of the OUA West all-rookie
team. Teammate Mike Noyes also
received the honour of being selected
to the OUA West all-rookie
team.
Vatri finished his first season
as a Ridgeback with 32 points, on
15 goals and 17 assists. During the
season he also managed an exciting
five-game point streak.
“Over and above his scoring
prowess, Josh is arguably the most
exciting player in the OUA, with
exceptional explosiveness and
the ability to execute moves at top
speed,” said Ridgeback head coach
Marlin Muylaert.
Noyes led the OUA defensive
rookies in goals, with eight for the
season. With 23 points he also
ended second in the league for
overall defensive scoring.
In his first four games with
the Ridgebacks, Noyes impressed
teammates, fans and coaches
alike.
“Severely lacking in offence
from our blue line during our first
year of play, Mike was recruited
in to contribute to exactly that
shortcoming,” said Muylaert. “He
did not disappoint… Mike’s talent
lay in his awareness of where
his teammates are on the ice at all
times, and his ability to find them
with the puck.”
“It is exciting to be given an
award like this,” said Noyes. “To
have my name mentioned with
the rest of these players is awarding
enough as it is.”
Photo by Lauren Thomas
OUA AWARDS: UOIT Ridgeback Mike Noyes was selected to the OUA west allrookie
team. He led all rookie defencemen in goals with eight.
Vatri and Noyes are the first
Ridgebacks Ridgebacks to be
honoured by the OUA, in only the
teams second year in the league.
well-earned awards. Smith said he
does not think he met his goal, because
he wanted to take his team
farther in the playoffs.
Teammate Anthony Batchelor
was also named a member of the
East Region second all-star team.
Batchelor holds the all time OCAA
scoring title with 1,833 points.
He finished second in scoring
this season with 16.3 per game.
Batchelor has been contributing to
the Lords success for five seasons.
“If we realized what we can do
together earlier in the season, we
could’ve done so much damage,”
said Smith.
OCAA
all-stars
invade
Athletic
Centre
By Didier Kalonji
Chronicle Staff
The best basketball players
in Ontario, both men and
women will be showcasing
their talents on March 25,
when the 22nd annual allstar
game will be held here at
Durham College.
Basketball fans will have
the opportunity to see all the
top players in action. They
will perform in different challenges
throughout the day.
The event will kick off at
3:30 with a co-ed two-ball
competition, which will be
followed by the three-point
shootout competition for
both men and women at 4:30
p.m.
The women’s all-star game
will start at 6 p.m. At half time
the women’s shootout finals
will take place. At 7:30 the
mascot competition will take
place.
The last show of the day
will the men’s all–star game,
which kicks off at 8:15 p.m.,
followed by men’s three-point
shootout finals at halftime.