Kodiaks basketball ready to tip-off new seasons

By Lethbridge Herald on October 20, 2022.

Herald File Photo Lethbridge College Kodiak Chris Schlauwitz drives the ball against the defence of SAIT Trojan James Owolabi in Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference play Saturday night at the Val Matteotti Gymnasium.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

Lethbridge College Kodiaks’ basketball teams are ready to  tip-off new seasons beginning tonight.

The men’s team had a 4-4 record in preseason and it told head coach Ryan Heggie that the make-up of this year’s Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference is going to be very competitive.

“And it’s going to be very tough to get wins and there’s not a lot of room in there for between winning and losing,” said Heggie.

“All the teams are very competitive and it’s seems like they’re more competitive this year than last year.”

The men’s program graduated two of their leaders from a season ago in Jackson Kasko and Orin  Porter Jr., and then saw Jack-Henry Fox-Grey transfer to the University of Lethbridge and Leon Schenker transfer to UBC Okanagan and other impact players who graduated from LC or went home.

To help fill those shoes, the Kodiaks went out and recruited  Lacombe’s Declan Peterson  and  Raymond’s Brady Baines

“(I am) legit very impressed with how fast he’s come. He’s only 18-years-old, 6-foot-10 (and) just has been really solid for us,” said Heggie, on Peterson.

“Baines does a lot of the intangible work, and for a first year player, we’ve been happy with him.”

LC signed Serbian point guard Filip Karanovic.

“He’s been everything that he was advertised to be,” said Heggie.

“You know (in) talking to some of his former coaches… So we’re putting a new line up on the court but we do have some red shirts last year that are making their way through exhibition like Mason Hofman from (Yorkton) has been one of our top players in preseason.”

Taylor Barfass and Paycen Blackmore are second year players now that are expected to figure things out on the court a little bit more, according to Heggie.

“And those two are going to be key for us,” he said.

Christopher Schlauwitz is a returning third-year player that is expected to make an impact too.

“We seem to have similar players in the program every year,” he said.

“Our program had really hung its hat last year on defensive play. We were No. 1 in team defence in several categories last year. We held teams to under 70 points a game and when you do that, you’re always in a position to win. We’re continuing to work hard on that end of the court.”

While the work on defence is being put in, the team also realizes that you have to score buckets to win games and the Kodiaks will use an up tempo style to do so.

“We like to make people run their offence against us so we can get transition buckets, we get steals off our press (and) quick buckets after we get scored on,” he said.

As for Ken McMurray’s girls Kodiaks team, he saw some good things from his players during an exhibition season where they had a record of 6-1.

“I feel like we’re pretty deep this year,” said McMurray.

“We’re a little inexperienced in certain areas as well, but I think our depth will be kind of our strong point this year for sure.”

The girls team lost the likes of post Kristen Barwegan and  guard Matlin Jacobs to graduation.

“Those two positions, you know the post position and the point guard position, are pretty critical parts to a team,” he said.

“And so we’re just trying a bunch of different people at different positions and seeing who can fill those. So far, I’m pleased with our progress. I have Tylee Leavitt, who was recruited out of Calgary, who is stepping up and doing some really good things. I mean she’s young and making some normal freshmen errors but that’s OK. That’s part of the growing process.”

The Kodiaks recruited Taber’s Kitawna Sparks, who McMurray feels is doing a good job in the post right now.

“Once she gets her legs underneath her and gets in better shape, I feel like she’s going to be a force down low,” said McMurray.

McMurray feels that returning player and leading scorer from last year, Courtney Deemter, has started from where she left off last year and will lead others to play the same way.

“I just feel like the rest of our team is pretty even and that’s why I’m excited about our depth,” he said.

“I feel like we can go 10 deep and that can wear down teams especially in the fourth quarter.”

The women’s team will be hosting provincial championships at the end of the season.

“Our goal, really, is to be playing our best basketball by the end of February this year and we’ve had a good start.”

Both teams host the Olds College Broncos tonight with the women’s game at 6 p.m. followed by the men’s game at 8 p.m.

The teams will be play again on Saturday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. respectively.