January 17, 2006
RAVENS AND GEE-GEES CLASH FOR TOP SPOT IN THE OUA
OTTAWA - After sweeping a pair of games on the weekend against OUA West competition, the Ottawa Gee-Gees will now face OUA East competitors exclusively for the remainder of the regular season, beginning with Tuesday's tilt with the Carleton Ravens at the Ravens Nest. The OUA East is suddenly a three - team race as the University of Toronto Varsity Blues keep winning and, with only two OUA East spots available at the CIS Nationals, every game between the three top teams becomes important for home-court advantage in the playoffs. The Ravens and Gee-Gees remain tied with 11-1 records while the Toronto Varsity Blues sit only half a game back at 11-2.
On Tuesday night, the Gee-Gees look to take sole possession of first place against a team that has defeated them 18 consecutive times including five times last season, two of which were in the OUA East Final and CIS Nationals quarter-finals.The disciplined Ravens are among the CIS leaders in most key team offensive and defensive categories, ordinarily out-rebounding their opposition and shooting over 80 per cent as a team from the free-throw line. Both the Ravens and Gee-Gees swept weekend games at home against Windsor and Western, setting up the first of two regular season meetings, which will go a long way in determining final playoff seedings and home-court advantage for the playoffs. Expect a sold-out, jam-packed Raven's Nest for Tuesday's game which is scheduled to be televised province wide by Rogers Cable.
Carleton is led by their 6'2" All-Canadian Osvaldo Jeanty (15.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 50.7 per cent from three-point range) who in his first three years has written a resume almost without comparison, including three consecutive CIS National championships and multiple CIS Nationals MVPs. Jeanty has proven time and time again that he can make big plays in key spots in big games and no doubt is Carleton's go-to guy. 6'7" sophomore Aaron Doornekamp (14.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 41.7 per cent from three-point range) had spent this past summer on Canada's Under-21 National team that won a Bronze medal at the FIBA World Championships in Argentina. His all-round game includes long-range shooting, working around the block and finding people. 6'4" Ryan Bell (9.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg) runs the point and has improved his outside shooting tremendously (42 per cent from three-point land). Bell epitomizes Carleton's core strengths of defending and rebounding from the guard position. Third-year 6'5" forward Jean-Emmanuel Jean-Marie (10.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 56.2 per cent fg) fits very well into Carleton's system, running the floor, cleaning up the "O" glass and scoring from the low block. Jean-Marie is an undersized post player who gets it done with his long arms, great body positioning and athleticism. 6'2" sophomore Stuart Turnbull (7.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg) logs significant minutes primarily playing off Bell and Jeanty at the wing position but can also run the point. The Ravens added experience up front with 6'7" Daron Leonard (9.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 56.9% fg), a transfer from Western, who has added athleticism and scoring punch inside. 6'7" freshman Kevin McCleery (4.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg) provides size up front off the bench while 6'0" Pat Ross (4.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg) spells the wing players and is a threat from the perimeter. 6'3" Rob Saunders also sees time on the wing.
Despite the loss of two regulars for this past weekend's games, the Gee-Gees team defence was generally solid, pushing them to two key victories over OUA West opponents, giving several younger players opportunities to see significant game action including 5'11" freshman point guard Willy Manigat, 6'3" freshman Donnie Gibson and 6'6" third-year forward Alex Duford. Despite blowing a 20-point lead against Windsor, Ottawa was able to execute down the stretch at both ends to pull off the victory and, after a slow start, pulled away from injury-ravaged Western. Ottawa will have their hands full with the usually well-prepared Ravens on their home floor where Carleton has won 56 consecutive league and playoff games and has never lost to a CIS opponent at the new Ravens Nest.
6'3" Marko Jovic needs only nine more league points to join Bill Shane and Dave Reid as the third Gee-Gee to score over 1,000 career points in OUA league games. Ottawa went 7-1 in OUA interlocking games, tying Carleton and Brock with the top interlocking records among OUA teams. Although 6'5" David Labentowicz is expected to return to the Gee-Gees lineup after missing the last two weeks with an ankle injury, Ottawa continues to play without 6'4" freshman Josh Gibson-Bascombe (out minimum four more weeks with a broken arm) and 6'3" fifth-year wing Greg Sam (out 4-6 weeks with a broken bone in his forearm). Coach Dave DeAveiro is only five victories shy of 100 career wins.
(Source: Mark Wacyk, Special to the OUA)
On Tuesday night, the Gee-Gees look to take sole possession of first place against a team that has defeated them 18 consecutive times including five times last season, two of which were in the OUA East Final and CIS Nationals quarter-finals.The disciplined Ravens are among the CIS leaders in most key team offensive and defensive categories, ordinarily out-rebounding their opposition and shooting over 80 per cent as a team from the free-throw line. Both the Ravens and Gee-Gees swept weekend games at home against Windsor and Western, setting up the first of two regular season meetings, which will go a long way in determining final playoff seedings and home-court advantage for the playoffs. Expect a sold-out, jam-packed Raven's Nest for Tuesday's game which is scheduled to be televised province wide by Rogers Cable.
Carleton is led by their 6'2" All-Canadian Osvaldo Jeanty (15.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 50.7 per cent from three-point range) who in his first three years has written a resume almost without comparison, including three consecutive CIS National championships and multiple CIS Nationals MVPs. Jeanty has proven time and time again that he can make big plays in key spots in big games and no doubt is Carleton's go-to guy. 6'7" sophomore Aaron Doornekamp (14.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 41.7 per cent from three-point range) had spent this past summer on Canada's Under-21 National team that won a Bronze medal at the FIBA World Championships in Argentina. His all-round game includes long-range shooting, working around the block and finding people. 6'4" Ryan Bell (9.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg) runs the point and has improved his outside shooting tremendously (42 per cent from three-point land). Bell epitomizes Carleton's core strengths of defending and rebounding from the guard position. Third-year 6'5" forward Jean-Emmanuel Jean-Marie (10.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 56.2 per cent fg) fits very well into Carleton's system, running the floor, cleaning up the "O" glass and scoring from the low block. Jean-Marie is an undersized post player who gets it done with his long arms, great body positioning and athleticism. 6'2" sophomore Stuart Turnbull (7.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg) logs significant minutes primarily playing off Bell and Jeanty at the wing position but can also run the point. The Ravens added experience up front with 6'7" Daron Leonard (9.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 56.9% fg), a transfer from Western, who has added athleticism and scoring punch inside. 6'7" freshman Kevin McCleery (4.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg) provides size up front off the bench while 6'0" Pat Ross (4.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg) spells the wing players and is a threat from the perimeter. 6'3" Rob Saunders also sees time on the wing.
Despite the loss of two regulars for this past weekend's games, the Gee-Gees team defence was generally solid, pushing them to two key victories over OUA West opponents, giving several younger players opportunities to see significant game action including 5'11" freshman point guard Willy Manigat, 6'3" freshman Donnie Gibson and 6'6" third-year forward Alex Duford. Despite blowing a 20-point lead against Windsor, Ottawa was able to execute down the stretch at both ends to pull off the victory and, after a slow start, pulled away from injury-ravaged Western. Ottawa will have their hands full with the usually well-prepared Ravens on their home floor where Carleton has won 56 consecutive league and playoff games and has never lost to a CIS opponent at the new Ravens Nest.
6'3" Marko Jovic needs only nine more league points to join Bill Shane and Dave Reid as the third Gee-Gee to score over 1,000 career points in OUA league games. Ottawa went 7-1 in OUA interlocking games, tying Carleton and Brock with the top interlocking records among OUA teams. Although 6'5" David Labentowicz is expected to return to the Gee-Gees lineup after missing the last two weeks with an ankle injury, Ottawa continues to play without 6'4" freshman Josh Gibson-Bascombe (out minimum four more weeks with a broken arm) and 6'3" fifth-year wing Greg Sam (out 4-6 weeks with a broken bone in his forearm). Coach Dave DeAveiro is only five victories shy of 100 career wins.
(Source: Mark Wacyk, Special to the OUA)
