On the eve of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) men’s basketball championship, four members of the host Lakeland Rustlers were among those honoured with regular-season awards Wednesday.
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Lakeland coach Sheray Thomas was named the coach of the year in the North Division and three of his players earned all-conference distinction. Two of those Rustlers received further recognition as Taleh Wade was selected as the North’s player of the year and Bahaeddin (Baha) Salma was chosen as the division’s defensive player of the year.
Wade and Rustlers teammate Jordan Horobetz-Simpson were honoured as first-team all-conference players and Salma received a second-team all-conference nod.
The ACAC championship runs Thursday through Saturday at the Lakeland College campus gym in Lloydminster. The first game for the Rustlers is at 8 p.m. Thursday against the Ambrose Lions of Calgary.
In other first-round games Thursday, the defending-champion Briercrest Clippers meet the Keyano Huskies at 1 p.m., the Concordia Thunder face the SAIT Trojans at 3 p.m., and the NAIT Ooks go against the Lethbridge Kodiaks at 6 p.m.
The night before the three-day, eight-team championship tournament, the best talents in the regular season were saluted for their performances.
Horobetz-Simpson, one of the first-team all-conference choices, hopes home-court advantage can make a difference for the Rustlers this week.
“The guys are definitely excited,” said Horobetz-Simpson, a 22-year-old Winnipeg native who returned to Lakeland this year after a stint with the Carleton Ravens in U Sports basketball.
“I know (hosting the ACAC tournament) is something a lot of us wished for in the past, and it finally came to be.
“We’ll need as much support as possible. We want the whole city to pack the gym. The more energy, the better. We thrive off it.”
The Rustlers posted a 17-3 record in the regular season to gain ACAC championship-hosting rights and become the North Division’s top seed.
“We’ve struggled with consistently playing at that championship level,” Horobetz-Simpson said in an interview with the Lloydminster Meridian Source. “However, the past couple of weeks of practice have really inspired me personally. Now, it’s just time to execute.
“It will take everything we’ve got every game to win. Teams aren’t just going to come out and roll over. We’re going to get every team’s best game. Everybody is hunting for that ’chip.”
The gold-medal game is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, after the 3 p.m. bronze-medal match.
Overall, 11 games are on the tournament schedule, including four each on Thursday and Friday.
COACHES OF THE YEAR
Thomas, the Rustlers’ coach since 2015, is a back-to-back winner as the North coach of the year. This has been his best season, including a nine-game winning streak to cap regular-season play.
“Sheray has grown as a coach over the last numbers of years at Lakeland,” the school’s athletic director, Alan Rogan, said in a news release.
“He has created a family culture inside the basketball program that has led to success on and off the court.”
Matthew Daley, whose nationally ranked SAIT club led the conference with a perfect 21-0 record, was named the ACAC South Division coach of the year.
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
In his first season at Lakeland, and his fourth year of collegiate eligibility, Wade has been dominant with the Rustlers.
“Taleh is an impact player that can score in bunches,” Thomas said. “He’s meant a lot to the team, with his smart game play. He’s a game-changer when he gets going.”
Wade, an Arkansas native, has Canadian university experience with the Algoma Thunderbirds of Ontario.
The South Division player of the year is Marcus Masters, an integral part of SAIT’s record-breaking season.
DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Salma, an all-conference player for three straight seasons, is in his final year of collegiate eligibility.
“We’re glad Baha is being recognized for being the premier defensive player in the ACAC,” coach Thomas said. “He’s a ball-hawk, a disrupter and a focal point of our defence.”
Salma is a science student from Saskatoon.
The defensive player of the year from the South is SAIT’s Cam Carter, a third-year Trojan from Baltimore.
ROOKIES OF THE YEAR
Selected as the top freshmen in the ACAC were the North’s Malik Edwards of Concordia University of Edmonton and the South’s Marley Kenion of Lethbridge Polytechnic.
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
North first team
Taleh Wade, Lakeland Rustlers.
DJ Haynes, Keyano Huskies.
Jonathan Barwegen, King’s Eagles.
Jordan Horobetz-Simpson, Lakeland Rustlers.
Kohl Wedman, NAIT Ooks.
North second team
Keellaa Gatwech, Concordia Thunder.
Brett Marlow, Augustana Vikings.
Deandre Rowe, Keyano Huskies.
Serhat Chen, NAIT Ooks.
Bahaeddin Salma, Lakeland Rustlers.
South first team
Marcus Masters, SAIT Trojans.
Killian Yopa, SAIT Trojans.
Levi Balderson, Lethbridge Kodiaks.
Gabe Vig, Briercrest Clippers.
Jarom Walton, Ambrose Lions.
South second team
Marc-Denault Gabriel, SAIT Trojans.
Jordan Biggar, Medicine Hat Rattlers.
Nathaniel Hosannah, Lethbridge Kodiaks.
Pelumi Ajayi, St. Mary’s Lightning
Cam Carter, SAIT Trojans.
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