March 10, 2006
WILSON CUP NOTEBOOK
TORONTO - Of all the players to take the court in Saturday's Wilson Cup match-up between McMaster and York, not one of them will be more relieved than Marauders veteran Ben Katz (Toronto, ON). The former Oakwood high star made his way back to the gym this season after missing most of the 2004/05 campaign with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee. Katz suffered the devastating injury on an innocent looking play in practice the early going of last year, wiping out his chance to build on a tremendous 2003/04 season when he averaged 16.50 points per game and 4.22 rebounds per game, numbers that earned him OUA first-team all-star status.
"It's been a great year," says Katz. "It's been hard work coming back from the injury and it's been up and down personally but it's been so rewarding to be with these guys. They're great guys and it's fun to win, of course."
Katz has been a presence in the playoffs so far, averaging 15 points and five rebounds in two Mac wins. The versatile guard is rounding back into his old form, though understandably, he's not all the way there. But Katz is his own toughest critic.
"I'm so excited for Ben," says McMaster head coach Joe Raso. "I've got more patience with Ben's injury than Ben does. He wants to be the guy that he was and he's not yet. He will be."
Raso says that while Katz is still improving physically, the bright Arts and Science major has used his experience to make plays - at both ends of the court.
"He's putting much more emphasis right now on his defence," the coach explains. "The offence is just coming but the defence is what he's done a great job with. He walks into the gym and most people think of Ben as a great offensive player and a defensive liability. No way."
The time away from the court gave the already-busy Katz an opportunity to work closer with the community and his efforts earned him this year's nominee for the Ken Shields Award, recognizing the athlete who best exemplifies outstanding achievement in academics, basketball and the community. Katz, a former national team member, has been captain of the Marauders for three years. He has authored two textbooks titled Hoops and Above the Rim to motivate young players and he helped establish a reading reward program in Hamilton with 300 elementary school-aged male students.
The Arts and Science student has also spent countless hours involved with the operation of basketball camps, in addition to volunteering his time at local schools and as the coach of the midget boy's basketball team at Blessed Sacrament.
Air Jordan
He may not have the hops of his namesake MJ, but York's Jordan Foebel (Ancaster, ON) has had an ability to dominate basketball games, just like Mike. The Lions big man in the middle missed five games this season due to injury but he's been tearing it up since his return in January, particularly on the glass. His best game of the year came back on Jan. 20 in a 78-68 win over the Ryerson Rams when Foebel exploded for 35 points and 12 rebounds, hitting 13 of 25 shots from the floor and nine of 12 from the free-throw line, a performance that earned him OUA athlete of the week honours. The fourth-year History major finished the regular season ranked third in rebounding with 9.24 rpg and in the last 10 York outings, he's led the team in boards five times.
"He's a presence," Lions head coach Bob Bain says of the 6'10" centre. "Even the numbers don't tell you everything. He's intimidating and he forces players to alter a lot of shots throughout a game."
Hammer time
Coach Raso must love the recruiting season. The long-time McMaster head man doesn't have to venture very far to attract some of the best talent in the province seeing as a wealth of players have honed their jumpers right in his own backyard. The Marauders boast seven players from the Steel City, with another five coming from towns in the immediate surrounding areas. Two more come from Toronto, while second-year forward Andrew Capern, of Orleans, ON, is the only player that hails from more than an hour outside of Hamilton. John Obrovac, two-time Defensive Player of the Year Martin Ajayi (both from St. Thomas More) and second-year guard Nathan Histed (St. Mary's) are all products of the Hamilton separate school system, while veteran stars Adam Steiner and Justin Gunter are from Dundas, which is just a few full-court passes away from the Mac campus.
The Tut and Dan Show
Hoops coaches always covet a player who can change a game with their offence. Coach Bain is one of the luckier ones in the OUA seeing as he two guys that can light the scoreboard up. Despite playing in just 14 regular season games, missing eight overall with a broken bone in his hand, veteran all-star Dan Eves (Barrie, ON) led the team in scoring with an average of 18.7 ppg. Second-year point guard Tut Ruach (Toronto, ON) showed he could fill it up, as well, netting 17.3 ppg throughout the regular season. Ruach has amped it up even more in the playoffs, averaging 23.7 ppg in York's three post-season games. Overall, Eves led the team in scoring in 13 games, including two of the past three playoff tilts, while Ruach has paced the team in 16 games, and six of the past 10.
Jay and Silent Bob
Teammates are usually pretty close but on the McMaster squad, a pair of guards are tighter than most. Fifth-year veteran Rob Scully (Burlington, ON) got the chance to play with little brother Jason this season, as the younger of the Scully clan was welcomed to the Marauders lineup. Rob, a former OUA all-star, averaged 7.2 ppg this season, while Jason saw action in nine games as a rook, showing flashes of his future potential by sticking six of the eight threes he attempted. The siblings played their high school ball at Burlington's renowned Notre Dame, where they were coached by Marauders assistant Chris Dooley.
2006 OUA Wilson Cup
Saturday, March 11, 8:00 pm @ the Tait McKenzie Centre in Toronto, ON
No. 6 McMaster Marauders vs No. 8 York Lions
24 teams, 6 CIS berths, 2 OUA champions - the OUA basketball playoffs, presented by Investors Group.
- O U A -
(Photo: All-star Tut Ruach blows by a mesmerized opponent. The York guard is half of one of the most potent scoring combos in the country along with forward Dan Eves. Photo by Andrew Craig.)
Enquires can be addressed to:
David DiCenzo
Communications and Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Phone: 905-540-5156
Fax: 905-540-5149
Email: david.dicenzo@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
"It's been a great year," says Katz. "It's been hard work coming back from the injury and it's been up and down personally but it's been so rewarding to be with these guys. They're great guys and it's fun to win, of course."
Katz has been a presence in the playoffs so far, averaging 15 points and five rebounds in two Mac wins. The versatile guard is rounding back into his old form, though understandably, he's not all the way there. But Katz is his own toughest critic.
"I'm so excited for Ben," says McMaster head coach Joe Raso. "I've got more patience with Ben's injury than Ben does. He wants to be the guy that he was and he's not yet. He will be."
Raso says that while Katz is still improving physically, the bright Arts and Science major has used his experience to make plays - at both ends of the court.
"He's putting much more emphasis right now on his defence," the coach explains. "The offence is just coming but the defence is what he's done a great job with. He walks into the gym and most people think of Ben as a great offensive player and a defensive liability. No way."
The time away from the court gave the already-busy Katz an opportunity to work closer with the community and his efforts earned him this year's nominee for the Ken Shields Award, recognizing the athlete who best exemplifies outstanding achievement in academics, basketball and the community. Katz, a former national team member, has been captain of the Marauders for three years. He has authored two textbooks titled Hoops and Above the Rim to motivate young players and he helped establish a reading reward program in Hamilton with 300 elementary school-aged male students.
The Arts and Science student has also spent countless hours involved with the operation of basketball camps, in addition to volunteering his time at local schools and as the coach of the midget boy's basketball team at Blessed Sacrament.
Air Jordan
He may not have the hops of his namesake MJ, but York's Jordan Foebel (Ancaster, ON) has had an ability to dominate basketball games, just like Mike. The Lions big man in the middle missed five games this season due to injury but he's been tearing it up since his return in January, particularly on the glass. His best game of the year came back on Jan. 20 in a 78-68 win over the Ryerson Rams when Foebel exploded for 35 points and 12 rebounds, hitting 13 of 25 shots from the floor and nine of 12 from the free-throw line, a performance that earned him OUA athlete of the week honours. The fourth-year History major finished the regular season ranked third in rebounding with 9.24 rpg and in the last 10 York outings, he's led the team in boards five times.
"He's a presence," Lions head coach Bob Bain says of the 6'10" centre. "Even the numbers don't tell you everything. He's intimidating and he forces players to alter a lot of shots throughout a game."
Hammer time
Coach Raso must love the recruiting season. The long-time McMaster head man doesn't have to venture very far to attract some of the best talent in the province seeing as a wealth of players have honed their jumpers right in his own backyard. The Marauders boast seven players from the Steel City, with another five coming from towns in the immediate surrounding areas. Two more come from Toronto, while second-year forward Andrew Capern, of Orleans, ON, is the only player that hails from more than an hour outside of Hamilton. John Obrovac, two-time Defensive Player of the Year Martin Ajayi (both from St. Thomas More) and second-year guard Nathan Histed (St. Mary's) are all products of the Hamilton separate school system, while veteran stars Adam Steiner and Justin Gunter are from Dundas, which is just a few full-court passes away from the Mac campus.
The Tut and Dan Show
Hoops coaches always covet a player who can change a game with their offence. Coach Bain is one of the luckier ones in the OUA seeing as he two guys that can light the scoreboard up. Despite playing in just 14 regular season games, missing eight overall with a broken bone in his hand, veteran all-star Dan Eves (Barrie, ON) led the team in scoring with an average of 18.7 ppg. Second-year point guard Tut Ruach (Toronto, ON) showed he could fill it up, as well, netting 17.3 ppg throughout the regular season. Ruach has amped it up even more in the playoffs, averaging 23.7 ppg in York's three post-season games. Overall, Eves led the team in scoring in 13 games, including two of the past three playoff tilts, while Ruach has paced the team in 16 games, and six of the past 10.
Jay and Silent Bob
Teammates are usually pretty close but on the McMaster squad, a pair of guards are tighter than most. Fifth-year veteran Rob Scully (Burlington, ON) got the chance to play with little brother Jason this season, as the younger of the Scully clan was welcomed to the Marauders lineup. Rob, a former OUA all-star, averaged 7.2 ppg this season, while Jason saw action in nine games as a rook, showing flashes of his future potential by sticking six of the eight threes he attempted. The siblings played their high school ball at Burlington's renowned Notre Dame, where they were coached by Marauders assistant Chris Dooley.
2006 OUA Wilson Cup
Saturday, March 11, 8:00 pm @ the Tait McKenzie Centre in Toronto, ON
No. 6 McMaster Marauders vs No. 8 York Lions
24 teams, 6 CIS berths, 2 OUA champions - the OUA basketball playoffs, presented by Investors Group.
- O U A -
(Photo: All-star Tut Ruach blows by a mesmerized opponent. The York guard is half of one of the most potent scoring combos in the country along with forward Dan Eves. Photo by Andrew Craig.)
Enquires can be addressed to:
David DiCenzo
Communications and Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Phone: 905-540-5156
Fax: 905-540-5149
Email: david.dicenzo@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
