TOPS IN THE EAST AND WEST MEET TO BATTLE FOR WILSON CUP

HAMILTON, Ont. – The top teams from the east and west division are set to go toe-to-toe for the Wilson Cup, Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Men’s Basketball Championship this weekend. Rebounding from a division final lost last year to the York Lions, the No.2 Carleton Ravens (19-3) are set to regain the OUA Championship banner. The No.8 Lancers (16-6), on the other spectrum have not won the championship since the 1978-79 season, and will be ready to bring the trophy back to Windsor, after a 27 year hiatus. The Windsor Lancers will play host to the Carleton Ravens in the Wilson Cup, presented by Investors Group, Saturday March 10 at 8:00 pm.

“This is great for our program. We are excited to be back in the Wilson Cup as it has been a long time for our program,” says OUA West Coach of the Year, and Head Coach of the Windsor Lancers Chris Oliver. “Our path keeps getting tougher as Carleton is the standard for excellence nationally. We expect a competitive playoff caliber basketball game.”

The Lancers, most recently played some of their best basketball of the year at the most critical time against the Marauders last weekend in the West Division Finals. Windsor dominated all facets of the match-up, carrying a 37-18 half-time lead into the break. Led by Wilson Player of the Game, Kevin Kloostra’s (Chatham, Ontario) game high 20 points, the Lancers saw three players in double digits. The Lancers demonstrated that they were able to shut down any momentum the opposition generated, showcasing their ability to hit the big shot when it was needed.

For the Ravens, their road to the Wilson cup was through their cross-town rival Ottawa Gee-Gees. Stuart Turnbull (Kingston, Ontario) drained the game-winning free-throw with three seconds remaining in regulation time as the Ravens downed the Gee-Gees 65-63. Carleton had Ottawa’s dismal shooting on their side throughout the night, as twice the Gee-Gees went on two, seven minute runs without a basket. Led by OUA East Most Valuable Player and Wilson Player of the game, Osvaldo Jeanty (Gloucester, Ontario) who had 11 points and four rebounds on the night, the Ravens were able to claw their way back into the championship final.

Teammates are usually pretty close, but on the Windsor Lancers squad, a trio of brothers, are tighter than most. Fourth year starters, teammates and brothers, Rich and Greg Allin (Chatham, Ontario) have gotten the chance to play with their younger brother Conor Allin (Chatham, Ontario) this season. Rich being the eldest of the three, all stand taller than 6’4, and will be relied upon as key components of Coach Oliver’s squad for the championship game.

The 2007 Wilson Cup, not only is a definitive competition of East and West, but the teams themselves show off some of the best talent from the Windsor and Ottawa region. The Lancers boast seven of their top 12 players from their own back yard of Windsor and Chatham. OUA first-team all-star Kevin Kloostra, second team all-star Ryan Steer, and the three Allin brother’s are all products of the Windsor/Chatham region, while point guard Corey Boswell is just a jaunt away across the border in Detroit, Michigan. In comparison, six of Carleton’s 12 key players stem from Ottawa, while Osvaldo Jeanty is from Gloucester, and Stuart Turnbull calls Kingston home.

When looking at the head-to-head stats of these two teams they are very close in comparison, edging each other out in various statistic categories. Carleton has the slight advantage over the Lancers this season in points per game (76.95), points against average (62.82) and field goal percentage (45.5). The Lancers counter back with better figures in free throw percentage (74.7), three-point shooting (36.8), average rebounds per game (38.38), and assists per game (19.52). Carleton and Windsor are two teams in the OUA who do not see each other very often. Playing only once a year, the past five contests has seen Carleton walk away victorious. On January 7, 2005 the Lancers were defeated 69-39 by the Ravens, and the same outcome the following year on January 14, 2006 where Windsor lost with a score of 87-59. Revealing Windsor’s vast improvement up the ranks in the first game of the 2006-07 regular season the Lancers held in tight with Carleton losing only by a basket 73-71.

Both teams will be looking to head into the CIS Championships on a winning note, and with very close stats, and a close contest this season, the game could be a tight one in front of a sold out Windsor crowd.

Carleton Ravens Team Leaders (regular season)

Points
1. Osvaldo Jeanty- 17.1 ppg
2. Aaron Doornekamp- 12.8 ppg
3. Jean-Emmanuel Jean-Marie- 10.4 ppg
4. Stuart Turnbull- 9.8 ppg
5. Ryan Bell- 6.9 ppg

Rebounds
1. Aaron Doornekamp- 6.5 rpg
2. Stuart Turnbull- 4.4 rpg
3. Jean-Emmanuel Jean-Marie- 4.1 rpg

Assists
1. Aaron Doornekamp- 74
2. Osvaldo Jeanty- 65
3. Stuart Turnbull- 54

Steals
1. Stuart Turnbull-37
2. Aaron Doornekamp- 25
3. Jean-Emmanuel Jean-Marie- 20

Windsor Lancers Team Leaders (regular season)

Points
1. Kevin Kloostra- 16.8
2. Greg Surmacz- 15.2
3. Ryan Steer- 13.7
4. Greg Allin- 8.7
5. Rich Allin- 7.7

Rebounds
1. Greg Surmacz- 10.2
2. Greg Allin- 6.0
3. Rich Allin 5.1

Assists
1. Ryan Steer- 156
2. Kevin Kloostra- 47
3. Greg Allin- 44

Steals
1. Ryan Steer- 30
2. Kevin Kloostra- 19
3. Greg Allin-15

24 teams, 4 CIS berths, 2 OUA champions - the OUA basketball playoffs, presented by Investors Group.

- OUA -

Michelle Church
Communications & Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics

Tel: (905) 540-5156
Fax: (905) 574-2840
E-mail: michelle.church@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca