Mustangs Backcourt Club Blog

Mustangs Drop Second Straight To Laurier

2012-01-29T12:17:00.000-08:00

LONDON, Ont. – For the second time in eight days, the Western Mustangs’ men’s basketball team was beaten 89-73 by the Laurier Golden Hawks on Saturday – this time on the road at the Wilfrid Laurier Athletic Complex.

BOX SCORE

The No. 6 CIS-ranked Hawks were too much for the Mustangs once again on Saturday, and the home side jumped out to an early 27-12 lead after one quarter of play. Leading 42-26 coming out of the half, Laurier then pushed its lead to 25 points, 71-46, after three quarters to put the game out of reach.

To its credit, Western fought hard in the fourth and outscored the home side 27-18 in the final period, closing the gap to as few as 11 with 2:29 remaining. But it was too late for the Mustangs, who fell to 5-12 with the loss. Laurier, meanwhile, improved to 14-2 on the year, which puts them in top spot in the OUA West.

Patrick Donnelly and Kale Harrison dominated the beginning of the game, scoring 14 and 10 points, respectively, in the first quarter to give the Hawks an early 15-point advantage.

Maxwell Allin finished as the top scorer for the Hawks, netting 23 on 8-of-16 shooting (including a game-high five three-pointers). The third-year guard nearly had a triple-double, adding nine rebounds and nine assists on the afternoon. Donnelly ended up with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting while posting a game-high 14 rebounds for a double-double.

The Mustangs were once again led by the one-two scoring punch of Ryan Barbeau and Peter Scholtes, who tallied 28 and 22 points, respectively, during Saturday’s loss.

The Mustangs (5-12) will return to action this Wednesday night, Feb. 1, when they will travel to Guelph to take on the Gryphons (8-7) at 8:00 p.m. That game will be available via Live Stream at: http://www.ssncanada.ca/game/2789/

Mustangs vs Waterloo Highlights

2012-01-26T12:30:00.001-08:00

Mustang Coach John Curcio's Weekly London HS Basketball Podcast

2012-01-26T06:45:00.001-08:00

CLICK HERE for audio link

Free Press sports reporter Steve Green chats with John Curcio, assistant coach of the UWO men's basketball team, about a game of the week in TVRA senior boys basketball. It's exam week, so time to review how the teams have done in the first two-thirds of the season.

Balanced attack lifts Western over Waterloo

2012-01-25T19:54:00.000-08:00

By- Mustangs Athletics

LONDON, Ont. – The Western Mustangs’ men’s basketball team pulled away in the fourth quarter Wednesday night, outscoring the visiting Waterloo Warriors 16-4 in the opening three minutes of the final period en route to an 81-69 win at Alumni Hall.

BOX SCORE

Ryan Barbeau scored 10 of those 16 points and tallied 12 in a row in the fourth for the Mustangs, who improved to 5-10 with the win. The Warriors, meanwhile, fell to 4-11.

Leading by just three at halftime, the Mustangs shot an even 50% (17-for-34) in the second half Wednesday night on the way to 47 points over the final two quarters.

Barbeau finished with a game-high 20 points (8-for-16 from the floor) for the Mustangs to go along with a team-high seven assists and two steals. Peter Scholtes went 7-for-12 from the floor for 19 points, while Nathan DiLoreto made four three-pointers en route to 15 points and Ryan Higgins made a pair of three-pointers and finished with 10 points.

Mike Wright was the top scorer for the Warriors, tallying 16 points on 7-of-16 shooting, including a pair of three-pointers. Andrew Melbourne had 12 points (5-for-10) and five rebounds, while Wayne Bridge had 11 points and four boards.

The Mustangs (5-10) are back in action this Saturday, Jan. 28, when they will travel to Laurier for a rematch against the No. 6 CIS-ranked Golden Hawks (13-2), who came away with an 89-73 win over Western last Saturday. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m

Mustangs vs. Waterloo Pre-view

2012-01-25T08:40:00.000-08:00

From Mustangs Athletics

LONDON, Ont. – The Western Mustangs' men's and women’s basketball teams are back at home for another doubleheader this Wednesday, Jan. 25 against the Waterloo Warriors. Action at Alumni Hall starts at 6:00 p.m. For tickets, click here.

MEN

Western Mustangs (4-10, 3-4 home) vs. Waterloo Warriors (4-10, 1-7 away)

Wednesday, Jan. 25: 8:00 p.m.
Alumni Hall
Tickets
Watch game via Live Stream at: http://www.ssncanada.ca/game/3196/

The Mustangs are now 1-5 in the new year, with their lone victory coming on Jan. 14 when they earned a 101-93 win over Brock in St. Catharines. Last time out, the men dropped an 89-73 decision to the No. 6 CIS-ranked Laurier Golden Hawks at Alumni Hall last Saturday (Jan. 21). At 4-10, the Mustangs are tied at the bottom of the OUA West with the Waterloo Warriors, the team they'll face Wednesday night. Since going 4-1 to start the season, the Warriors have lost nine in a row, including their most recent outing -- an 80-68 loss to Guelph on Saturday.

The Mustangs enter Wednesday's game shooting 44.2% overall on the season, and 35.8% from three-point range. The Warriors, meanwhile, are at 42.5% overall and 37.4% from beyond the arc, which ranks 9th in the CIS. Both teams make a lot of three-pointers, with Western coming in at No. 7 and Waterloo No. 8 in makes per game. But the Warriors have been more efficient in that area. During last Saturday's loss to Laurier, the Mustangs struggled from beyond the arc for the second straight game, making just 5-of-23 in the contest. Ryan Barbeau had three of those treys, and he remains the OUA's scoring leader at 20.6 ppg.

Team Stat Leaders

	Western	Waterloo
Points (PPG)	Ryan Barbeau 20.6	Mike Wright 13.9
Rebounds (RPG)	Peter Scholtes 4.4	Brendan Smith 7.2
Assists (APG)	Barbeau 3.6	Wright 3.6
Steals	Scholtes 21	Wayne Bridge 15
Blocks	Quinn Henderson/Scholtes 2	Smith 8

No. 6 Laurier too much for Western

2012-01-22T08:41:00.000-08:00

LONDON, Ont. – The No. 6 CIS-ranked Laurier Golden Hawks played as advertised Saturday afternoon, shooting 49.4% from the floor en route to an 89-73 win over the hometown Western Mustangs at Alumni Hall.

BOX SCORE

Ahead by just one, 37-36, at the half, the Hawks surged ahead with an offensive outburst in the third, outscoring the Mustangs 28-13 in the period to take a 16-point lead into the fourth. Patrick Donnelly did a lot of the damage in the third, scoring all 13 of his points in the quarter.

Maxwell Allin led the Hawks in scoring with 23 points on 9-of-19 shooting to go along with a game-high eight assists. Matthew Buckley had a big 21-point, 18-rebound double-double, while Donnelly managed a double-double of his own (13 points and 10 rebounds). Kyle Enright, the OUA three-point leader, knocked down a trio of treys en route to his 15 points. Kyle Harrison, who entered the day as Laurier’s leading scorer (fourth overall in the OUA) at 18.4 ppg, was held to just two points on 1-of-7 shooting.

Ryan Barbeau, the OUA’s top scorer, led the Mustangs once again on Saturday, pouring in 25 points on 8-of-18 shooting, including 3-of-6 from three-point range. The fifth-year senior added seven rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals in a game-high 38 minutes. Peter Scholtes, who also went 8-for-18 from the floor, finished with 20 points, while Quinn Henderson went 5-for-13 and finished with 14 points.

The Mustangs (4-10) are back in action this Wednesday, Jan. 25, when they will welcome the Waterloo Warriors (4-10) for an 8:00 p.m. game at Alumni Hall. For tickets, click here. That game will also available via Live Stream at: http://www.ssncanada.ca/game/3196/

Mustangs Fall to Lancers

2012-01-19T08:47:00.000-08:00

From Mustangs Athletics

LONDON, Ont. – Enrico Di Loreto had a game-high 26 points Wednesday night to help lead the visiting Windsor Lancers to a 79-62 win over the Western Mustangs at Alumni Hall.

With the win, the Lancers improved to 10-3 on the season, which puts them in a tie for second in the OUA’s West division. The Mustangs, meanwhile, fell to 4-9.

Windsor built an eight-point lead after one quarter and a 13-point lead at the half before surging ahead by 27 after three quarters, 69-42.

Di Loreto went 8-of-15 from the field, including 6-for-8 from three-point range en route to his game-high 26 points. Josh Collins had 15 points and a team-high five assists for Windsor, while Lien Phillip had 10 points and five rebounds.

Ryan Barbeau led the Mustangs in scoring with 16 points on 5-of-11 shooting. Jermaine Bernard had 10 points, five rebounds and a team-high six assists.

The Windsor men shot 44.4% (28-for-63) overall, and 46.4% (13-for-28) from three-point range, while the Mustangs were just 36.6% (26-for-71) overall and an anemic 13.8% (4-for-29) from beyond the arc. Neither team shot well from the free throw line, as the Lancers were an even 50% (10-for-20) and Western was 46.2% (6-for-13).

The Mustangs (4-9) are back in action this Saturday, Jan. 21, when they’ll host the Laurier Golden Hawks (11-2) at 3:00 p.m. at Alumni Hall.. For tickets, click here. That game will also available via Live Stream at: http://www.ssncanada.ca/game/2982

London Free Press Article on Ryan Barbeau

2012-01-18T08:10:00.000-08:00

For link CLICK HERE

Shooting pain

UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL: Mustangs' Ryan Barbeau leads league in minutes and scoring

By MORRIS DALLA COSTA, The London Free Press

He's leading Ontario university men's basketball in scoring average.

He's second in field goals made.

He leads the league in minutes played.

It's probably Western guard Ryan Barbeau's best season.

He's doing it all with stress fractures in both legs.

It's really hard to believe.

Barbeau needs two months of complete rest for the legs to heal. But the most he will concede to the painful injury is sitting out most practices, although he isn't willing to concede even that completely. He has been forced to sit out two games when it was an afternoon start after a game the night before.

But even at practice, he'll try and steal 10 minutes on the floor for the less strenuous activity until the coaches kick him off.

He takes the basketball before, during and after practice and just keeps shooting. When a game or practice is done, he heads for a 20-minute ice bath, two times a day.

A week ago against Guelph, Barbeau collapsed on the floor. He had to drag his legs to get himself upright. He hobbled off for about 30 seconds but at the first opportunity came back on. He'd missed all of 30 seconds of the 40-minute game.

"It's pretty painful," Barbeau said. "It feels like little knives but it's also that mental feeling knowing that that bone can snap at any time. It's a weird feeling. The bones are pretty weak."

So what the heck are you doing?

"I don't know. I actually don't," he said. "If this wasn't my last year I probably wouldn't do it. If I had a year left I would have shut it down a long time ago. But I want to finish nice and strong."

The Belleville native is saving his best for last. He's tough. It's rare when he isn't sporting a black eye, cuts or some sort of bruise or sprain. In his fifth year, he's blossomed into one of the top guards in the province, even when playing on two bad legs.

"There's the one player that you can coax into thinking they are injured, then there's the other that at the end of the season, you didn't even know he was injured. That's Ryan," said Mustangs' coach Brad Campbell. "We meet with trainers and the trainers get to know different personalities. If Ryan is injured, it's 10 times worse than he would admit because he's that tough."

Barbeau has moved to an elite level. He's always been a slick ball handler who can shoot and doesn't mind working inside against the big people.

His numbers suggest something far better this year. He's leading the league in scoring at almost 23 points a game. He averages almost 36 minutes a game.

"I wish I could do more to help the team make the playoffs," he said.

Like maybe play a full 40 minutes?

"I try not to think about (the injury)," Barbeau said. "I don't think about it during the games at all. I put it in the back of my mind.

"The doctors say play at your own risk. I'm going to play. I have this year and then who knows."

When Barbeau takes to the floor, his legs are completely wrapped or bandaged.

"My numbers are pretty good. I'm playing the best I can under the circumstances," he said. "I think I could do better if I was healthy. My mobility would be a lot better. My defence would be a lot better.

"Other teams pick up full court. I'm not sure if that's the strategy because of the legs or not. . . . They think if they can pick up the pace they can wear us down a little bit. But it's not going to affect me. I'm just going to do what I do."

Barbeau leads this team by example. But he's also developed into a more vocal leader. Becoming a leader is something he's proud of and something coach Campbell appreciates.

"The first year here, he hardly spoke. He came in as almost a mute," Campbell said. "He's really matured into that (leadership) role. It was so noticeable because he was so silent. Over the five-year period he's matured and developed into an extension of the coach. He's very vocal and been outstanding helping to coach our young team."

All Barbeau wants is to get this team into the playoffs. After that, he says, anything can happen.

Helping to get this team there would be a nice conclusion to his university career. He names his two trips to the nationals as a highlight as well as the last three years as captain and leader of the team.

"You know, the last five years have been a special moment for me."

--- --- ---

MUSTANG BASKETBALL

Wednesday at Alumni Hall

6 p.m.: Women, Western vs. Windsor

8 p.m.: Men, Western vs. Windsor

E-mail morris.dallacosta@sunmedia.ca, or follow MoDaCoatLFPress on Twitter.

Mustangs vs Windsor Wed. Jan.18 8pm

2012-01-17T09:24:00.000-08:00

Game preview by Mustangs Athletics

LONDON, Ont. – The Western Mustangs' men’s basketball team returns home this Wednesday night, Jan. 18, for a game against the Windsor Lancers at 8:00 p.m. at Alumni Hall. For tickets, click here.

Western Mustangs (4-8, 3-2 home) vs. Windsor Lancers (9-3, 2-3 away)

Wednesday, Jan. 11: 8:00 p.m.
Alumni Hall
Tickets
Watch game via Live Stream at: http://www.ssncanada.ca/game/2978/

After losing their first three games to open 2012, the Mustangs earned a 101-93 win over Brock on Saturday, Jan. 18, in St. Catharines. At 4-8, the Western men currently find themselves at the bottom of the OUA's tough West division. Windsor (9-3), meanwhile, is tied for third in the division with McMaster. The Lancers are riding a six-game winning streak dating back to Dec. 2. On the season, Windsor is shooting 45% from the field overall, and 33.6% from three-point range. Western comes in higher, at 46% overall and 39.1% from beyond the arc (which ranks seventh in the CIS). The Mustangs also have a higher percentage at the free throw line (74.9%) compared to the Lancers, whose 61.6% mark ranks second-last in the CIS.

Team Stat Leaders

	Western	Windsor
Points (PPG)	Ryan Barbeau 20.6	Enrico Di loreto 20.8
Rebounds (RPG)	Peter Scholtes 4.4	Lien Phillip 11.4
Assists (APG)	Barbeau 3.6	Josh Collins 6.1
Steals	Scholtes 18	Collins 36
Blocks	Scholtes 2	Rotimi Osuntola Jr. 13

Western wins high-scoring affair over Brock

2012-01-15T05:26:00.000-08:00

Story by Mustangs Athletics

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – The Western Mustangs men’s basketball team went on a 17-1 run in the fourth quarter Saturday evening and didn’t look back en route to a high-scoring 101-93 win over the hometown Brock Badgers at Bob Davis Gymnasium.

Trailing by as much as 11 in the third quarter, the Badgers nearly pulled even when Tshing Kasamba made a pair of free throws to make it 74-73 Western at the 9:32 mark of the fourth quarter. But the Mustangs immediately went on a 17-1 run, which included three 3-pointers from second-year guard Quinn Henderson.

Brock got the deficit back to six points, but the Mustangs made six straight free throws down the stretch (including four from Henderson) and didn’t budge in earning the big road win.

Henderson finished with 21 points in addition to a team-leading nine rebounds. Ryan Barbeau, meanwhile, went 5-for-8 from the floor and a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line to also finish with 21 points. Rookie Jermaine Bernard had 15 points and three steals off the bench for the Mustangs.

Kasamba led the Badgers offensively, tallying 19 points on 6-of-12 shooting while also adding a game-high six steals. Jameson Tipping had 18 points and a team-high seven rebounds, while Didi Mukendi had 16 points.

The Western men shot an impressive 59.3% (32-for-54) from the floor, including 10-for-23 (43.5%) from beyond the arc. They also went 84.4% (27-for-32) from the free throw line. The Badgers, meanwhile, shot 44.8% overall, but were just 8-for-31 (25.8%) from three-point range and a meager 69.4% (25-for-36) from the free throw line. The Mustangs outrebounded the Badgers 33-26 overall.

The Mustangs (3-8) return home on Wednesday, Jan. 18 for an 8:00 p.m. game against the visiting Windsor Lancers (8-3) at Alumni Hall. For tickets, click here. That game will also be available via Live Stream at: http://www.ssncanada.ca/game/2978/

High School Basketball Podcast with LFPress' Steve Green and Mustang's AC John Curcio

2012-01-12T01:00:00.000-08:00

Steve Green of the London Free Press and the Mustang's Assistant Coach John Curcio Preview the London High School Match-up of the week Aquinas vs Westminster on Thurs Jan. 12.

CLICK HERE for link

Article in Today's London Free Press

2012-01-11T07:54:00.000-08:00

Injuries hamper Mustangs

UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL

By MORRIS DALLA COSTA, The London Free Press

The Western Mustangs men's basketball team is 3-7 this season.

Now, that may not be a surprise to many who believed the young team was going to struggle in the Ontario university West.
But it would be nice to see just how well this team could do, if they managed to have just a semblance of good health.
For the second year in a row, the Mustangs have gone through a succession of injuries. A team with a lot of experience and depth might be able to push through, but this isn't a team with a lot of experience and depth.
"Initially, we only expected things to be different in terms of overall health and to have a few guys in our lineup. Which we don't," head coach Brad Campbell said.
"In terms of the team we are fielding right now, we've made some adjustments over the Christmas break that showcases more a smaller lineup and puts the team in a situation that deals with small ball from the perimeter."
Part of that is because one of Campbell's key injuries is Adam Jesperson, one of their only big men. Last year, he missed a lot of the season with a hand injury.
"The hand is good. Now it's knee issues," said Campbell with a rueful laugh. It's a situation where if you don't laugh, you'll wind up crying. Aside from that, they also have to nurse veteran guard Ryan Barbeau through the rest of the season. Barbeau is leading the OUA in scoring average at almost 20 points a game.
He is also in the Top 3 in minutes played in Canada (every year, he is among the leaders in minutes played in the country). Now he is suffering from stress fractures in both shins.
"After we played Queen's on December 2, they said he had to take two months off but we only had one over Christmas," Campbell said. "The only thing that will help it is rest. When we played Lakehead last weekend, he played Friday but he had to sit out Saturday."
Campbell said when Barbeau plays, "he's fantastic."
"The reality is for the rest of the year, he's not going to be able to practice very much the rest of the way so we can save him for games," Campbell said. "That isn't ideal, but this way we get his outstanding play the rest of the way."
The other player who has made a huge impact is Peter Scholtes. The Oakridge grad is sixth in the OUA in scoring average with almost 18 a game. He had 19 and 35 points in games against Lakehead, the No. 3-ranked team in Canada.
"He's showed that he is a big matchup problem, which we thought he would eventually develop into. Against the No. 3 team in the country, that was a little earlier than we expected," Campbell said.
The Mustangs get a chance to claw closer to a playoff spot Wednesday when they take on the 4-6 Guelph Gryphons at Alumni Hall at 8 p.m.

Mustangs vs Guelph Wed. Jan. 11 8pm

2012-01-10T13:49:00.000-08:00

Story by Mustangs Athletics

LONDON, Ont. – The Western Mustangs men’s basketball team returns home this Wednesday night, Jan. 11, for a game against the Guelph Gryphons at 8:00 p.m. at Alumni Hall. For tickets, click here.

Western Mustangs (3-7, 3-1 home) vs. Guelph Gryphons (5-5, 4-2 away)

Wednesday, Jan. 11: 8:00 p.m.
Alumni Hall
Tickets
Watch game via Live Stream at: http://www.ssncanada.ca/game/2976/

Both teams are coming off a pair of losses. The Mustangs dropped two on the road to Lakehead over the weekend, 91-73 on Friday night, and 87-66 on Saturday night. The Gryphons, meanwhile, also dropped two road games to start 2012, losing 77-74 to Brock and 70-59 to Windsor. Prior to that, however, the Guelph men had been a perfect 4-0 on the road. Western, meanwhile, is 3-1 at home so far in 2011-12. The Mustangs are in the basement of the OUA's tough West division, but just two games behind the Gryphons.

The Mustangs come into Wednesday's contest with an edge in the shooting department. Western is 44.6% from the field overall and 40.3% from three-point range, which ranks seventh in the CIS. They're also 5th in the nation in attempts and third in three-point makes. Guelph, meanwhile, has posted a 41.7% mark from the field overall this season, and 33.3% from beyond the arc. The Gryphons' strength is in its rebounding, especially on the offensive glass, where they rank seventh in the CIS with 13.7 offensive rebounds per game.

Team Stat Leaders

	Western	Guelph
Points (PPG)	Ryan Barbeau 21.9	Kareem Malcolm 18.7
Rebounds (RPG)	Peter Scholtes 4.5	Daniel McCarthy 6.6
Assists (APG)	Barbeau 4.1	Malcolm 3.0
Steals	Scholtes 18	Zachary Angus/McCarthy 14
Blocks	Scholtes 2	Sheriff Wiredu/Malcolm 3

Lakehead tops Western for second straight night

2012-01-08T11:09:00.000-08:00

Story by- Mustangs Athletics

THUNDER BAY, Ont. – Leading by four coming out of the half, the Lakehead Thunderwolves poured in 28 third-quarter points and outscored visiting Western by 15 in the frame to win their second game in consecutive nights over the Mustangs – this time an 87-66 decision.

Venzal Russell scored the first 10 points of the second half, including a pair of three-pointers to turn a four-point advantage into 14 points before the Mustangs got their first bucket of the third quarter. Ahead 64-45 after three, the Wolves cruised from then on to the 21-point point win.

Russell led the Lakehead offense, pouring in 25 on 10-of-17 shooting. Joseph Jones scored 16 points off the bench, including notching a trio of three-pointers. Greg Carter had 13 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Western’s Peter Scholtes, meanwhile, exploded for 35 points to lead all scorers on the night. The second-year forward went 5-for-6 from three-point range and 13-for-23 overall while also adding five rebounds. Jermaine Bernard was the only other double-digit scorer for the Mustangs, as the rookie guard tallied 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting.

Ryan Barbeau sat out the game due to injury. Quinn Henderson also missed the game due to illness.

Lakehead shot 49.2% (32-for-65) overall, including 42.3% (11-for-26) from three-point range. Western was 40% (24-for-60) from the field, and 50% (10-for-20) from beyond the arc.

The Mustangs (3-7) return home on Wednesday, Jan. 11 for an 8:00 p.m. game against the visiting Guelph Gryphons (5-5) at Alumni Hall. For tickets, click here. That game will also available via Live Stream at: http://www.ssncanada.ca/game/2976

Barbeau's 24 not enough as Wolves roll to 91-73 win

2012-01-07T11:08:00.000-08:00

Story by Mustangs Athletics

THUNDER BAY, Ont. -- The Western Mustangs' 2012 portion of the schedule began against a tough opponent Friday night, as the Lakehead Thunderwolves built a 23-point halftime lead and rolled to a 91-73 win over the visiting Mustangs.

The Western men closed to the gap to as few as 11 points in the second half, but were unable to get any closer as the hometown Wolves outscored their opponent 18-16 in the final quarter to secure the victory.

Ryan Barbeau led all scorers with 24 points on an impressive 10-of-13 from the floor, including a pair of three-pointers. Peter Scholtes went 6-for-13 for 19 points, while Quinn Henderson had 11 points and a team-high five rebounds.

Ryan Thomson led the Lakehead men, making six three-pointers en route to his team-high 23 points. Yoosrie Salhia had 18 points, four rebounds and a pair of steals, while Venzal Russell tallied 12 points, two steals and a game-high seven assists.

Quinn Henderson Wins Mustangs Annual Poker Tourney

2012-01-03T19:48:00.000-08:00

Quinn Henderson at the Final Table

Quinn Henderson took down a final table of Peter Scholtes (finished 2nd), Adam Jespersen,Coach Campbell, Nick Yu (Trainer) and Nathan DiLoreto to win the Mustangs annual poker tournament. In case you wanted to know Coach Barnes was the first contestant knocked out.

Cathedral PW Champs

2011-12-30T20:03:00.000-08:00

Cathedral 2011-12 Purple & White Champions

D'Youville PW Runner-up

2011-12-30T20:00:00.000-08:00

D'Youville 2011-12 Purple & White Runner-Up

Governor Simcoe Consolation Champs

2011-12-30T19:57:00.000-08:00

Governor Simcoe Consolation Champs

Purple & White Championship Article in London Free Press

2011-12-30T19:23:00.000-08:00

Hamilton trounces Panthers

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS': Cathedral Gaels win 71-56 over Brampton

By STEVE GREEN, The London Free Press

The Cathedral Gaels might want to start thinking about coming to London a bit more often.
After all, the campus at Western is practically a home away from home for the perennial Hamilton high school basketball power.
They won the 1994 OFSAA AAA tournament at Alumni Hall and Friday night made it three Purple and White tournament victories in six years with a 71-56 win over the Brampton D'Youville Panthers that wasn't even that close.
And it made Gaels head coach Brian Daly 12-0 at the Purple and White - he was the assistant for his brother Mark when Cathedral won in 2006 and 2007.
"That's hilarious," Daly said with a big smile. "It's a little-known fact, but it's a running joke in the family. Maybe I should retire now."
The Gaels simply dominated in every facet of the game against a team that may have been more athletic, but just didn't compete at either end of the court.
"That was probably our best game of the year," Daly said, who only had nine players at his disposal. "The positive is we played well and we came together as a team and beat an excellent team with relative ease. The thing a lot of people think you can't do against an athletic team is rebound, yet we're taller than them at every position except one. The guys just came to play for a full 32 minutes."
None more so than tournament MVP Steve Dely. He's built like a football player, but he has a deft dribble, can hit the outside shot and is a presence on the boards. He scored 17 of his game-high 19 points in the opening two quarters as the Gaels took a 40-23 lead and were never threatened.
"This is a bit unexpected," he said. "They're ranked high in the province, but we just hit our shots early. We just came off a tough loss (to Ancaster Tonnos in league play) and we were really hungry to come here and use this as an opportunity to get back on track."
Both teams are AAAA schools, so a meeting at OFSAA isn't out of the question.
"We're just going to look at this as a positive, but we also know we've got adjustments to make to out outside defence," Dely said. "We know these are going to be the teams we're going to have to beat down the road, so we have to prepare for them being quicker."
Panthers head coach Carlo Zoffranieri was understandably dismayed by his team's effort.
"That's what we're like sometimes," he said. "Sometimes, we just don't show up. Maybe they didn't sleep well last night. Maybe they didn't take today seriously. But it's frustrating and disappointing, because we demand more from them.
"We win some games where we don't play well, but we don't always play teams as good as that one. We're consistent with our lack of focus at times."
Neil Santos, the Gaels' dynamo at point guard, added 17 points for Cathedral. James Agyeman, Abed Emran and Aaron Ariri all had 13 for the Panthers, with Jazz Rai adding 10.
Dely and Santos were joined on the first all-star team by Gerge Johnson of London Catholic Central, which lost 52-41 to Cathedral in the semifinals earlier Friday, Kevin Ramos of D'Youville and Caleb Agada of Burlington Assumption.
Named to the second all-star team were Rai, Dani Elgadi of Waterloo CI, Mike Grantis of St. Catharines Governor Simcoe and Garrison Thomas of Assumption.

PW Champions Neil Santos + Steven Dely - Cathedral

2011-12-30T15:31:00.001-08:00

Uploaded by www.cellspin.net

Purple & White Finals Set

2011-12-30T12:07:00.000-08:00

Championship Final
D'Youville vs. Cathedral 5:30pm Alumni Hall

Consolation Final
WCI vs. Governor Simcoe 3:30pm Alumni Hall

Jazz Rai + Kevin Ramos- D'Youville

2011-12-30T12:03:00.001-08:00

D'Youville's Kevin Ramos and Jazz Rai talk about their win over Burlington Assumption in the Purple & White Championship Semis.

Uploaded by www.cellspin.net

Day 3 Results

2011-12-30T07:31:00.000-08:00

For live updates check coach Campbell on Twitter @Brad_Campbell_3 #purpleandwhite

Other Games
Sarnia Northern 60
London MTS         53
North- Ravenhort 14 pts
MTS- Adam Vandervoort 20pts

Windsor CCH          61
Cardinal Newman     60
CCH- Mylder 17pts
Newman- Gillen 15pts

St. Chris        49
St. Theresa   54
St Chris - Mike Rocca 15pts
St. Theresa - Stubbs 16 pts

Banting     66
Anderson 62
Banting- Field 23pts
Anderson - Huftcroft 35 pts

Consolation Semi

Gov Simcoe      58
Westminister    19
Gov- Mike Grantis 14 pts

North Park       31
WCI                38
WCI- Elgadi - 22pts
NP- Marcus Jones 11pts

Championship Semi

D'Youville      52
Assumption    41

Cathedral             52
London CCH         41
Cath- Saleh 12pts
CCH - George Johnson 15 pts

London Free Press Purple & White Pics

2011-12-29T19:27:00.001-08:00

Pics from Cathedral vs Banting game

CLICK HERE

54th Annual Purple & White Draw for Friday Dec. 30th

2011-12-29T17:50:00.000-08:00

Championship Semi Finals

Burlington Assumption vs D'Youville      1:30pm Alumni Hall
Cathedral vs. London CCH                       1:30pm Thames Hall

Consolation Semi Finals

North Park vs. WCI                                  12:00pm Alumni Hall
Westminster vs. Gov Simcoe                    12:00pm Thames Hall

Other Games

Windsor CCH vs. Cardinal Newman        9am Alumni Hall
Sanria Northern vs. MTS                          9am Thames Hall
St. Theresa vs. St. Chris                           10:30am Alumni Hall
Banting vs.  Anderson                              10:30am Thames Hall

Audio Interview with London CCH's Curtis D'Hollander

2011-12-29T17:14:00.000-08:00

Chat with Curtis D'hollander after his game winning 3pt shot vs St. Theresa to take CCH to the Purple & White Championship Semi Final (CCH 43- St. Theresa 42).

CLICK HERE for AUDIO

Purple & White Round 1 & 2 Results Results

2011-12-29T07:24:00.000-08:00

Round 1

Burlington Assumption 52
London Westminster       48
West - E. Franklin 10pts
Assumption - Caleb Aganda 25pts

St. Chris                         62
Brantford North Park     57
St Chris - Mike Rocca 26pts
NP- Marcus jones 16pts

Cardinal Newman          50
Governor Simcoe             37
Gov- Mike Grantis 13pts
Newman- J Goldson 19pts

Windsor CCH                68
Sanria Northern               54
North- R. Soula 15pts
CCH- Mychal Mulder 17pts

St. Theresa                    41
WCI                               39
WCI - Jacob Ranton 19pts
St. Theresa - R. Fox 14pts

London CCH              58
Anderson                      46
CCH- George Johnson 24 pts
Anderson - Jake Hutchcroft 22pts

Cathedral                     51
Banting                         49
Banting- Jason hawke 15pts
Cathedral - Neil Santos 14pts

D'Youville                    65
London MTS                52
DY- Jazz Rai 16pts
MTS- Adam Vandervoort 20pts

Round 2

Championship Side

Assumption 70
Windsor CCH 69
Assumption- Caleb Aganda 24 pts
CCH - Mychal Mulder 27 pts

Cathedral   67
St, Chris    62
Cathedral- Furas Saleh 16pts
St. Chris - Mike Rocca 26pts

London CCH   43
St. Theresa        42

D'Youville              66
Cardinal Newman    38

Consolations Side

Westmister 58
Northern      54
West- E. Franklin 20pts
Northern - C. Winberg 11pts

North Park    44 OT
Banting         42
North Park - Marcus Jones 15pts
Banting - J. Field 18pts

Governor Simcoe   63
London MTA         51
Gov- Max Dottin 18pts
MTS- Adam Vandervoort 28pts

WCI          66
Anderson   42
Anderson - Jake Hutchcroft 16 pts
WCI - Jacob Ranton 21 pts

Today's London Free Press Article On Purple & White

2011-12-28T18:31:00.000-08:00

For Link CLICK HERE

UWO offers preview

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: Western event has some intriguing matchups

By STEVE GREEN, The London Free Press

Fans of top-level Ontario high school boys' basketball are once again getting a late Christmas present in the form of the Purple and White senior tournament at Western.

The 54th edition, which tips off Thursday at Alumni and Thames halls, brings together six local entries with some of the best from across the province. Carrying the local hopes will be Westminster, Banting, Mother Teresa and Catholic Central from London, as well as the dynamic Sarnia duo of Northern and St. Christopher's.

Among the top out-of-town teams are Whitby Anderson (last year's OFSAA AAA champion, whose roster includes a surefire NCAA Division I recruit in Dyshawn Pierre), Hamilton Cardinal Newman, Windsor Catholic Central, Hamilton Cathedral and Brampton D'Youville (one of the top 10 teams in the province).

"The teams we try to bring in are the creme de la creme of the province," said Western men's assistant coach John Curcio, who is also the Mustangs' chief recruiter. "So the London teams are going to get tested early. It's a good measuring stick and we try to match up the local teams with teams across the province, so they get to find out early where they stand."

Among the more intriguing first-round matchups Thursday are Northern vs. Windsor CCH at 10:30 a.m. at Alumni and Banting vs. Hamilton Cathedral at the same time at Thames. Northern and Windsor CCH will almost certainly cross paths at the SWOSSAA AAA level, while Banting, which made it to the OFSAA AAA tournament last season, will be facing a perennial OFSAA participant in the Gaels.

But the tournament serves another purpose, as it's Western's best chance to recruit.

"We want to bring in the best players in the province to see our campus, see our facilities and get to know our program and our coaches," Curcio said. "More than half of our current roster has played in the Purple and White, which is nice. We talk to a lot of kids across the province throughout the recruiting process, but to spend two days with them and their families and coaches certainly helps in us getting to build a relationship with the kids.

"We try to reserve some spots for local teams with players we're trying to recruit, but we also go across the province looking for the best teams with players who have (university) potential."

And the tournament has seen many now-familiar names play in it, such as former NBAer and former Canadian national coach Leo Rautins, Western greats John Steifelmeyer and Jimmy Grozelle, former Olympian Barry Howson and a pair of 2011 NBA first-round draft picks in Cory Joseph of Pickering (San Antonio Spurs) and Tristan Thompson of Brampton (who played at D'Youville), who were teammates at the University of Texas.

The tournament begins Thursday at 9 a.m., with the championship game set for Friday at 5 p.m. at Alumni Hall.

--- --- ---
Purple and White
When: Thursday and Friday
Where: Alumni and Thames halls, UWO
Schedule: Thursday — First round — At Alumni: Westminster vs. Burlington Assumption, 9 a.m.; Northern vs. Windsor CCH, 10:30 a.m.; St. Catharines Governor Simcoe vs. Hamilton Cardinal Newman, noon; Mother Teresa vs. Brampton D’Youville, 1:30 p.m.; At Thames: Brantford North Park vs. St. Christopher’s, 9 a.m.; Hamilton Cathedral vs. Banting, 10:30 a.m.; Midland St. Theresa vs. Waterloo CI, noon; London CCH vs. Whitby Anderson, 1:30 p.m.; Championship quarterfinals, 3 and 6 p.m. at Alumni and Thames; Consolation quarterfinals, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. at Alumni and Thames; Friday — Consolation semifinals, noon at Alumni and Thames; Championship semifinals, 1:30 p.m. at Alumni and Thames; Consolation final, 3:30 p.m. at Alumni; Championship final, 5 p.m. at Alumni.
Admission: $3 for single game, $5 for a one-day pass, $8 for two-day pass; available at the door.

54th Annual Purple & White Pre-view

2011-12-27T13:10:00.000-08:00

The London Free Press' Steve Green and Mustangs' assistant coach John Curcio preview the 54th annual Purple & White Senior Boys High School Basketball Tournamnet Dec. 29-30.

CLICK HERE for link to podcast.

Quinn Henderson Selected Daemen College Tournament All-Star

2011-12-23T11:41:00.000-08:00

Quinn Henderson averaged 15 ppg and 5rpg during the two game Daemen Classic Tournament and was rewarded with his selection to the all- tournament team.

All-Classic Team

Mark Coppola Daemen
Jim Regan Daemen
Quinn Henderson Western Ontario
Kevin Dawson St. Francis
Dennis Norford Fisher.

Mustangs fall 54-53 to Host Daemen College

2011-12-22T11:31:00.000-08:00

Mustangs Athletics

AMHERST, N.Y. – A layup by Daemen College’s Mark Coppola with 34 seconds left in the game proved to be the winner Thursday night, as the host Wildcats edged the visiting Western Mustangs, 54-53, in an exhibition game at Lumsden Gymnasium in Amherst, NY.

In their second game of the Daemen College Holiday Classic, the Mustangs fell just short in their comeback bid on Thursday after being outscored by eight in the first half. The Western men shot 54.5% (12-for-22) in the second period, and a Greg Morrow dunk gave the Mustangs a slim two-point lead (53-51) with 58 seconds left on the clock, but the Wildcats’ Troy Nowak made a free throw with 34 seconds to go and Coppola put the home team ahead following a steal and a layup. The Mustangs had two chances on the other end, but were unable to convert either and dropped their second straight in the Holiday Classic.

For the second day in a row, Quinn Henderson led the Mustangs in scoring with 16 points and six rebounds. The second-year guard was 5-of-9 from the floor, including 3-of-7 from three-point range. Jermaine Bernard had 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting, while Peter Scholtes had nine points and added a team-high four assists and four steals.

Jim Regan was the top scorer for the Wildcats, going 7-for-11 from the floor for 15 points. Dom Mazzocchi had a game-high nine rebounds.

Mustangs again played without Ryan Barbeau, Charlie Drouin and Adam Jespersen all due to injuries.

The Mustangs (3-5) will return to OUA action following the Christmas break with a pair of road games against Lakehead (7-1) on Friday, Jan. 6 and Saturday, Jan. 7 before returning home to play the Guelph Gryphons (5-3) on Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 8:00 p.m. at Alumni Hall. For tickets, click here. That game will also be available via Live Stream at: http://www.ssncanada.ca/game/2976

Mustangs fall to St. Francis in Daemen College Tournament

2011-12-21T11:27:00.000-08:00

Mustangs Athletics

AMHERST, N.Y. -- The Western Mustangs were outshot down the stretch Wednesday afternoon and lost their opening game of the Daemen College Holiday Classic, 66-54, to the University of St. Francis Cougars (NAIA) at Lumsden Gymnasium in Amherst, NY.

Trailing by two points at the half, the Mustangs shot just 35.7% (10-for-28) in the second period, while the Cougars went 13-for-25 (52.0%) to surge ahead and secure the 12-point victory in the exhibition contest.

Q Owens led all scorers with 23 points on 9-of-21 shooting. Kevin Dawson had 16 points and eight rebounds for the Cougars, while Scott Kohne produced a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Western's Quinn Henderson (Dundas, Ont.), a second-year guard, led the Mustangs with 14 points and eight rebounds. Rookie Jermaine Bernard (Toronto, Ont.) had 13 points and a pair of steals, while Peter Scholtes (London, Ont.) finished with 11 points and four assists in the low-scoring affair. Western's leading scorer, Ryan Barbeau (Belleville, Ont.), did not play in Wednesday's game.

In a close first half, the Mustangs took a lead for the first time, 24-22, with 2:35 left on the clock. But a pair of jumpers by Kohne and Owens sent the Cougars into halftime with a 26-24 advantage. The game remained close for the first eight minutes into the second half, and Nick Berardi (Barrie, Ont.), a first-year forward, pulled the Mustangs even at 36-36 with 12:19 left. But St. Francis began to pull away at that point, starting with an Owens three-pointer. Just over three minutes later, Western was down 12.

Mustangs played without Ryan Barbeau, Charlie Drouin and Adam Jespersen all due to injury.

The Mustangs are back in action tomorrow, Thursday, Dec. 22, for another exhibition contest -- this time against the host Daemen College Wildcats at 6 p.m. at Lumsden Gymnasium.

Mustang Assistant Coach John Curcio Talks London High School Basketball #2

2011-12-20T15:56:00.000-08:00

In this week's installment Steve Green of the London Free Press and Mustang assistant coach John Curcio talk about this week's marquis match-up Banting vs MTS and more.

CLICK HERE for podcast

Happy Holidays!!

2011-12-17T15:40:00.001-08:00

Mustang Assistant Coach John Curcio Talks London High School Basketball

2011-12-14T01:30:00.000-08:00

Current Mustang Assistant Coach John Curcio and the London Free Press' Steve Green Talk about London's top High School Basketball match-up this week.

CLICK HERE for audio podcast.

Coach Campbell & Ryan Barbeau Visit London Ramblers U12 Practice

2011-12-13T05:02:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the Ramblers U12 Boys who let Coach Campbell and Ryan Barbeau do some instruction during Monday night's practice. Good Luck this season!

54th Annual Purple & White Draw Released Dec. 29-30

2011-12-12T03:22:00.000-08:00

Pre-views and more info to come......

Ryan Barbeau - Captain's Blog #2

2011-12-11T17:07:00.000-08:00

5th year PG Ryan Barbeau gives us his 2nd Captain's Blog installment.......

Tis The Season!

Hello all! I just wanted to bring you up to date on basically the first half of the season, our progression and what the second half looks like for your Mustangs! As you have probably read about, we are currently 3-5 and sit at the bottom of the OUA west standings, but the light is certainly not as dim as it seems, as that record could easily read as its reciprocal. Some poor late game execution and lack of toughness down the stretch is all that keeps us from being in the middle of the pack.

After the trip to Ottawa, where we played very poorly and came away with two losses, we knew that it was time to make a change and we needed to become tougher and more disciplined with the stuff that we were trying to accomplish, both offensively and defensively. Playing at the University of Toronto the following Friday night was a very tough task for our young team, as Toronto is one of the better teams in the East and a very veteran group. I thought that we battled extremely hard all game and with Pete providing an offensive spark for us we were able to be in a one possession game with the clock winding down and had it not been for yours truly missing a crucial three pointer we may have been able to get the game into overtime. That loss definitely hurt but we had to regroup to face a very athletic Ryerson team the very next night. Once again, the fourth quarter hurt us and we were unable to come up with enough defensive stops to secure the win, and ended up losing that game as well. I think what we learned from that weekend was that we are very capable of competing and giving ourselves a chance to win the game, we just need to be more disciplined and learn to execute better in the fourth quarters. Being 1-5, we knew we needed two wins the following weekend against Queens and RMC. Quinn Henderson (16 points) provided us with an offensive spark against Queens and our three point shooting allowed us to come away with the win, in front of 1200 screaming grade 6 kids from all over London. It was a pretty cool environment to play in and definitely one of the highlights of the season so far! The next day we played RMC and were able to come away with the win behind a double double from freshman Jermaine Bernard (15 points, 10 assists). Safe to say it was nice to end the first half of the season on a winning note and hopefully we can carry this momentum into January.

I truly do not think that our team is very far away from becoming one of the better teams in the OUA West. Getting Adam back, hopefully in January is going to add toughness and a rebounding aspect that we have been lacking thus far this season. I can see that the rookies on the team are starting to feel their way into the system and becoming more comfortable with what we are trying to do, and I also think that because guys are starting to know their roles it is going to make January and February much more successful!

Just want to end up wishing the entire Mustangs Family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Western Gazette Article on Friday's Game vs Queen's

2011-12-06T08:42:00.000-08:00

For link Click Here

Mustangs end losing skid in dominating way

December 6, 2011
By Christian Campbell Western Gazette

Looks like the sixth time was the charm on Friday night as the Western Mustangs finally snapped their five game losing streak by defeating the Queen’s Gaels 85-64.

Alumni Hall was filled with a raucous crowd of elementary school children that cheered every Mustangs basket and booed every Gaels score, and Mustangs head coach Brad Campbell believes the support fuelled his team.

“We had a little bit more energy out there. We just seem to play a little harder and have a little bit more energy at home. The big crowd helped us today,” he said.

The Mustangs came out of the gate quickly, opening up a 9-2 advantage in the first three minutes of the game.

However, the Gaels responded with back-to-back three-pointers from Matt Baker and Mackenzie Simpson, cutting the Mustang’s early lead to one.

The two teams then began to battle for the advantage.

The Mustangs connected on multiple three-pointers, however they were unable to pull away because the Gaels’ swarming interior defence forced the Mustangs to commit several turnovers, which led to points on the other end for Queen’s.

By the end of the first quarter, the Mustangs had a five-point advantage with a score of 21-16.

In the second frame, the Gaels looked to slow the Mustangs’ offence down with a full-court press that transitioned into a 2-3 zone. However the Mustangs countered with crisp passing and deadeye three-point shooting.

On the game the Mustangs shot a scorching 51 percent from beyond the arc, hitting 17 three-pointers in total.

Leading the way was starting point guard Ryan Barbeau, who in the quarter played the role of zone buster by connecting on three of his game-high six three-pointers.

“Barbeau is a great three-point shooter—Higgins as well. And in their home gym they were shooting the ball a lot better than they have in their last few games. Unfortunately, defensively we gave them too many open looks and they knocked them all down,” Chris Aim, Queen’s assistant coach, said.

With their defence unable to stem the tide, the Gaels looked for help from their offence to keep pace with the high scoring Mustangs.

However, Western used an aggressive man-to-man defensive scheme to prevent the Gaels from getting any open looks at the basket, and Queen’s subsequently went cold from the field.

They were unable to find a rhythm offensively and the Mustangs doubled Queen’s score in the quarter, outscoring them 26-13.

At halftime the score was 47-29 for the Mustangs.

Looking to avoid the second half letdown that has typified their games as of late, the Mustangs came out playing a full-court press in the third.

This forced the Gaels into multiple turnovers as they struggled to get the ball up the court against the speedy Mustangs defenders. The steals led to fast breaks for the Mustangs and allowed them to continue to extend their lead.

Leading the way once again was Ryan Barbeau, who finished the game with three steals.

“Our defensive energy in the first three quarters was outstanding. Our pressure really helped us today,” he said.

The third quarter also marked a significant milestone in Barbeau’s career. At the midway point of the third quarter, he scored his 1,000th career point as a Western Mustang.

Unsurprisingly, the point came off of a fast-break lay-up.

“I knew about the milestone heading into the game. I can’t say that I wasn’t thinking about it, I was a little bit, but my main focus today was just getting a win,” Barbeau said.

Barbeau finished the game with 32 points and six assists.

At the end of the third, the Mustangs had once again doubled the Gaels’ output, outscoring them 24-12, pushing their lead to 71-42.

However, the Gaels showed heart in the final quarter. They crashed the offensive boards, played physical defence and began to connect on three-pointers, refusing to give up on the game. The Gaels outscored the Mustangs 23-14 in the final quarter.

“We have to play 40 minutes of consistent basketball. We’ve been getting better as the year has gone on, playing well for 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 25 minutes, but we haven’t yet been able to put together a full game,” Aim said.

However, when the final buzzer sounded, the Mustangs had still pulled out a rather lopsided 85-64 victory.

Mustangs 94 RMC 53

2011-12-03T19:48:00.000-08:00

Mustangs #8 Quinn Henderson, #5 Jermaine Bernard and #12 Greg Morrow vs RMC

Article from London Free Press By Steve Green

On-line CLICK HERE

A second one-sided win over a Kingston school in as many days has the Western men's basketball team in a lot better shape heading into the Christmas break.

Saturday's 94-53 win over the Royal Military College Paladins, coming on the heels of an 85-64 drubbing of Queen's, improved the Mustangs to 3-5 in the OUA West Division and kept them well in the playoff hunt.

As expected against a team that fell to 0-8 in the OUA East, the Mustangs dominated in all facets. They outshot the Paladins 59.4% to 35.2%, out-rebounded them 47-19 and had 19 steals to the visitors' seven.

Peter Scholtes led six Mustangs in double figures with a game-high 20 points as well as seven rebounds. Jermaine Bernard added 15 points, Greg Morrow had 13 and Ryan Higgins and Quinn Henderson 12 apiece for the Mustangs, who blew the game open early with a 31-7 first quarter.

Nicholas Fowler, James Byun and Connor Duke all had 13 points for the Paladins.

Barbeau hits 1,000th career point in rout of Queen's, 85-64

2011-12-02T12:19:00.000-08:00

On-line CLICK HERE

By Brad Congelio Mustangs Athletics

The shooting clinic was open.

The University of Western Ontario Mustangs (2-5) shot a blistering 51-percent from beyond the arc on its way to an 85-64 victory over visiting Queen’s University, snapping a five-game skid. The Mustangs were led by Ryan Barbeau, who continued to cap a stellar career with a 32-point performance, one of which was the 1,000^th of his career.

With just under three minutes elapsed in the game, it seemed that a Mustang rout was on as they sprinted out to a 9-2 lead thanks to two foul shots by Peter Scholtes. Queen’s University quickly cut the Mustang momentum with back-to-back 3-pointers from Matt Baker and Mackenzie Simpson. Simpson’s trey at the 4:18 mark pulled Queen’s to within one – but that is as close as it would get for the rest of the game.

Western Ontario would bust the game wide open early in the second period off of a Charlie Drouin layup which put the spread in double-digits, 28-18. The Mustangs continued their 3-point clinic en route to shooting over 50-percent from 3-point land in the second quarter. UWO took a 47-29 lead into the locker room.

The game became, arguably, out of reach mid-way through the third stanza when a Queen’s turnover led to a coast-to-coast Mustang fast break that led to an easy layup by Nathan DiLoreto, one that would point the point spread in favour of Western by 31.

Barbeau’s 32, including going 6-for-10 from deep, led the Mustangs. Additionally, Quinn Henderson and Scholtes contributed 16 and 11, respectively. Barbeau also marked three steals on the afternoon.

The Western Mustangs will be in action again on December 3^rd when they welcome RMC into Alumni Hall for a 3p.m. tipoff.

Together We Stand Up Game Day Program

2011-12-02T07:47:00.000-08:00

Ryan Barbeau Interview with CJBK 1290am Radio London

2011-12-01T09:48:00.000-08:00

To listen to Nov. 30th interview CLICK HERE

Packed Gym and Special Start Time This Friday vs Queen's

2011-11-29T11:37:00.000-08:00

for Link CLICK HERE

Mustangs to host Queen's, RMC this weekend

Story from Mustangs Athletics

LONDON, Ont. – The Western Mustangs men’s basketball team returns home this weekend for a pair of OUA regular season games. On Friday, they'll take on the Queen's Gaels at a special time (12:15 p.m.) as part of an event with the Thames Valley District School Board and its Safe Schools initiative. On Saturday, the men will take on the RMC Paladins at 3:00 p.m. For tickets to either game, click here.

Western Mustangs (1-5, 1-1 home) vs. Queen's Gaels (0-6, 0-2 away)

Friday, Dec. 2: 12:15 p.m.
Alumni Hall
Tickets
Watch game via Live Stream at: http://www.ssncanada.ca/game/2956

**
Special Event: The Western Mustangs have teamed up with the Thames Valley District School Board for a unique event in support of the Safe Schools ‘UPSTANDER’ campaign, which seeks to prevent bullying and violence and to create a safe and caring learning environment at schools.

Over 1,200 Grade 6 students will be welcomed Friday morning by Western athletics staff and student-athletes to Alumni Hall for the launch of the new film “S.O.S”, which seeks to help students recognize the harmful effects of bullying and to help inspire students to become 'upstanders' and strengthen their community. Following the film, the students will get the chance to watch the Mustangs take on the Queen’s Gaels in men’s basketball action at 12:15 p.m.
**

The Mustangs (1-5) are off to a slow start to the 2011-12 season and have lost five straight heading into this weekend. Last time out, the Mustangs lost 87-76 to the Ryerson Rams. Ryan Barbeau enters Friday's game averaging 19.8 points per game through six contests, second-best in the OUA. The fifth-year senior is just 26 points shy of 1,000 for his Western Mustangs career ... Queen's has struggled so far this season, losing each of their first six games. The Gaels are coming off a 69-60 loss to Brock, in which Nikola Misljencevic had a team-high 16 points.

Team Stat Leaders

	Western	Queen's
Points (PPG)	Ryan Barbeau 19.8	Nikola Misljencevic 14.2
Rebounds (RPG)	Peter Scholtes 4.0	Mackenzie Simpson 5.0
Assists	Ryan Barbeau 25	Matt Baker 10
Steals	Peter Scholtes 13	Alex Weatherill 10
Blocks	Peter Scholtes 2	John Lenz/Mackenzie Simpson 1

Western Mustangs (1-5, 1-1 home) vs. RMC Paladins (0-6, 0-2 away)

Saturday, Dec. 3: 3:00 p.m.
Alumni Hall
Tickets
Watch game via Live Stream at: http://www.ssncanada.ca/game/2958

RMC (0-6) is coming off a 98-51 loss to McMaster last Saturday. The Paladins' leading scorer, Connor Duke, had nearly half the team's points (25) in that contest, and his 16.2 ppg ranks 13th in the OUA. Idris Said-Madjid is not far behind at 15th (15.8 ppg).

Team Stat Leaders

	Western	RMC
Points (PPG)	Ryan Barbeau 19.8	Connor Duke 16.2
Rebounds (RPG)	Peter Scholtes 4.0	Liam Wright 6.0
Assists	Ryan Barbeau 25	Connor Duke 19
Steals	Peter Scholtes 13	Idris Said-Madjid/Liam Wright 3
Blocks	Peter Scholtes 2	Connor Duke 5

Ryan Barbeau Western Goodlife Male Ahtlete of the Week

2011-11-28T13:40:00.000-08:00

On-line CLICK HERE

Barbeau, Dillon named Goodlife Fitness Athletes of the Week

Story by Bethany Wood - Mustangs Athleteics

Mustangs Ryan Barbeau and Katie Dillon are this week's Athletes of the Week presented by Goodlife Fitness for their outstanding performances this weekend.

Barbeau, a point guard on the men's basketball team, had a 51-point weekend after scoring 30 points on Friday against the Toronto Varsity Blues and 21 points on Saturday versus the Ryerson Rams. He sits at an average 19.83 points per game - second in the OUA standings.

Additionally, the fifth-year veteran is a mere 26 points shy of reaching a 1000 career points milestone. He'll aim to surpass this in the Mustangs' upcoming home games next weekend against Queen's and RMC.

Katie Dillon had a four point weekend for the Mustangs women's hockey team for their win over Ryerson Rams on Saturday and loss to Toronto Varsity Blues on Sunday. On Saturday, Dillon repeated the two-goal scoring game she had the previous weekend against Waterloo, and followed up with a goal and assist on Sunday.

Dillon now has eleven goals this season with 17 total points so far, and looks to best that mark in the New Year when the Mustangs host the Laurier Golden Hawks.

Congratulations to both athletes for their exceptional commitment, leadership, and results!

Mustangs Suffer Rough Road Weekend

2011-11-21T14:45:00.000-08:00

Mustangs suffered large defeats to both Carleton U and Ottawa U on Friday and Saturday night.

Carleton 96 Mustangs 43

Ottawa 84 Mustangs 57

Next up for the Mustangs is U of T and Ryerson this weekend in Toronto

Game Day: @ #1 Carleton 8pm

2011-11-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

Game can be seen on SSN Canada live at 8pm CLICK HERE

Western Gazette Article on Game vs Laurentian On Saturday

2011-11-16T07:44:00.000-08:00

Click Here for Link

Laurentian fights back to drop Mustangs

November 16, 2011
By Ryan Stern

Manny Pasquale hit a step back three-pointer with 0.7 seconds left that stunned the Mustangs squad and crowd alike. In a back and forth game, it was the Laurentian Voyageurs that came out on top, storming back to defeat the Western Mustangs 87-86.

“There was 16 seconds left, we had a play drawn up and it didn’t work,” Shawn Swords, Laurentian’s head coach, said. “It was in the hands of Manny and he’s a great player and he made a play.”

The Mustangs stormed out of the gate to take a 22-12 lead at the end of the first quarter. The ease with which this lead was attained made it look like Western would gallop to an easy victory.

The Mustangs lead swelled to as much as 17 points midway through the second quarter before momentum began to change hands. As the Voyageurs started to turn the tables, the Mustangs saw their lead vanish to a mere four points as the first half drew to a close.

Laurentian came out with a similar intensity in the third quarter and managed to wrestle the lead away from the Mustangs by quarters end, after a barrage of transition three-pointers off the hot hand of Pasquale. After three quarters, Laurentian led 60-58, setting up the photo finish in the fourth quarter.

The game continued as a seesaw battle for much of the fourth quarter as it appeared that neither team was capable of missing. Laurentian led by one point in the final 30 seconds, when Ryan Barbeau, who came alive in the fourth quarter, sunk a critical lay-up while being fouled . After hitting the free throw, Barbeau put the Mustangs up 86-84 with just 16 seconds left in a game that seemed destined for a Mustang victory or overtime. Unfortunately for the Mustangs, Pasquale had different plans, as his three-pointer in the next possession sealed the Mustangs fate.

“It was the sequence of events before the shot that hurt us,” Brad Campbell, Mustangs head coach, said. “An outstanding player made a good shot and they came through. But all in all a bad defensive fourth quarter was what hurt us.”

After the game, several of the Mustangs were at a loss for words, but also understood that there is no point in getting hung up on a loss this early in the season.

“It happens—for us it is being able to bounce back,” Ryan Higgins, a Mustang guard, said after the loss. “Basketball is a game of bounces, and it can’t work every time. We put ourselves in a good situation early and just couldn’t close. We’ll be ready next game.”

Barbeau led all Mustangs with 27 points, while Pasquale led all scorers with a game-high 29 points. The loss drops the Mustangs to 1-1 on the season as they prepare for an important early season matchup against the Carleton Ravens next Friday.

Mustangs Weekend in Review

2011-11-14T14:27:00.000-08:00

Mustangs lose heartbreaker to Laurentian

2011-11-13T11:32:00.000-08:00

1st yr guard Jermaine Bernard

For Link CLICK HERE

Story by Ray Kim - Mustangs Athletics

LONDON, Ont – Coming off a hard-fought win over York on Friday night, the Mustangs looked a bit tired on Saturday night as they fell 88-87 in a closely-contested affair to the Laurentian Voyageurs at Alumni Hall.

The Mustangs led by 10 points after the first quarter, thanks to a three-pointer from rookie guard Jermaine Bernard and six points from 6-foot-5 forward Peter Scholtes.

But Western struggled stopping Laurentian’s third-year guard Manny Pasquale. Pasquale used his penetration to create havoc on the court. Rookie guard Alex Ratte, meanwhile, added nine points in the quarter. Each team battled throughout the second quarter, and the Mustangs held a slim four-point lead, 45-41, at the half.

The third quarter saw the Voyageurs battle to take a 60-58 lead, as the Mustangs could not stop Laurentian’s fast-paced style of play.

In the final quarter, Ryan Barbeau’s performance helped the Mustangs regain the lead. His 3-point conversion with 16 seconds left gave the Mustangs an 86-84 lead until Pasquale made a clutch three-pointer with 0.7 seconds left to make it an 87-86 finish.

The Mustangs will travel to Ottawa to take on Carleton on Friday, Nov. 18 at 8 p.m.

Laurentian 87 Mustangs 86

2011-11-13T11:25:00.000-08:00

Mustangs lose on buzzer beater to Voyageurs.

Ryan Barbeau 29pts 9asst 5rbs
Peter Scholtes 18pts 3rbs
Ryan Higgins 15pts

More to come....

London Community News Article on Friday's Game vs York

2011-11-12T11:22:00.000-08:00

Quinn Henderson goes up strong vs York

Click Here for Link

Mustangs win opener

Photos by Mike Maloney/London Community News
The University of Western Ontario (UWO) Mustangs men’s basketball started their 2011-12 regular season campaign on the right foot at Alumni Hall on Friday night (Nov. 11), defeating the York University Lions 78-60.
With Ryan Higgins and Ryan Barbeau setting the pace for Western, shooting for 24 and 22 points respectively on the game, UWO controlled much of the play through much of the first half, building up a solid 49-23 lead.
Western stumbled a bit through the third quarter, allowing York to claw back within eight points headed into the final frame but that is as close as they would get. Stepping up the pace in the fourth quarter, the Mustangs out hustled the Lions, adding 19 more points to their tally while allowing only nine to seal the victory.
The Western men take to the Alumni Hall hardcourt again on Saturday night (Nov. 12) when they play host to Laurentian before heading off on the road next weekend with games against Carleton on Friday (Nov. 18) and Ottawa on Saturday (Nov. 19).

Mustangs 78 York 60

2011-11-11T20:33:00.001-08:00

Mustangs 78 York 60. Ryan Higgins 24pts 3stls, Ryan Barbeau 22pts 4ast 5rbs, Jermaine Bernard 11pts, 2ast 6rbs
More to come...

Mustangs Open OUA League Play Tonight 8pm vs York

2011-11-11T01:17:00.000-08:00

Catch the Mustangs as they take on York tonight at 8pm at Alumni Hall. You can also catch the game Live on-line at SSN Canada for link CLICK HERE

Mustangs Pre-view in London Free Press

2011-11-08T12:37:00.000-08:00

Click Here for link

Young horses ready to gallop

UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL: Mustangs men

By MORRIS DALLA COSTA, THE LONDON FREE PRESS

The standard for being called young now belongs to the Western Mustangs men's basketball team.

"I've never had a team this young, never," said coach Brad Campbell. "We were looking at some young teams around the country but we are the youngest average-age team in the country."

No argument there. The Mustangs have eight first-year and three second-year players on the roster. Their most experienced player is fifth-year guard Ryan Barbeau, followed by third-year man Adam Jespersen. But in terms of experience, Jespersen has missed a lot of time through injury, sitting out most of last year with hand and wrist woes.

This season hasn't started any better for the 6-foot-8 forward. He is waiting an assessment on a knee injury. It isn't expected to be serious but it will take him out of action for at least two weeks.

Missing Jespersen not only hurts in terms of experience but also size. He's the Mustangs' tallest player.

Garrett Olexiuk, who would have been a fifth-year player and one of the team's best, wasn't able to come back from knee injuries he sustained last year.

"He was hoping he could do something if he took the summer off," Campbell said. "He held out some hope but in September he made the decision to call it quits."

The jump from high school basketball to university ball is enormous. Even with talented young players, it is going to take a while to adjust to the play.

"I think our young kids are phenomenal in terms of work ethic, enthusiasm and some ability to play at the CIS level," Campbell said. "Some things need to be cleaned up and instead of being one dimensional you need another dimension and some of that is going to come with work and experience.

"We like this group and when it matures it's going to be very good. Right now, we are in a situation where we are beating ourselves a little too much."

Traditionally, the Mustangs have been a team that generates a great deal of their offence down low in the key. But this year's version of the Mustangs doesn't have much size, although they are a little bigger than they would be normally at the guard position.

Campbell is especially happy with three members of his recruiting class, six-foot guard Jermaine Bernard out of Toronto and 6-foot-4 guard Ryan Higgins from Fergus and 6-foot-3 forward Greg Morrow from Banting. Morrow, however, is suffering from a sore back.

The good news is his second-year returners got a lot of playing time last year, led by Quinn Henderson, Nathan DiLoreto and Peter Scholtes.

The bad news is that the young players will get a lot of playing time.

"There's going to be some rough times," Campbell said. It's also going to change the way he coaches. "It entirely changes. Each season, every new team has its own challenges and way you have to coach. We're taking it very slow. In a normal year, we'd have a lot more offensive systems and options, defensively as well. There's just been an incredible amount of teaching. Teaching is going to go on a lot longer than normal."

The Mustangs open their regular season Friday at 8 p.m. against York Lions at Alumni Hall.

Captain's Blog #1

2011-11-07T08:13:00.000-08:00

Mustang's 5th yr Captain Ryan Barbeau

Hello All,

I would like to take this time to formally welcome everyone to another year in Mustangs basketball, a fresh new era of competition and another year to get better and try to make it back to the national stage. As this is my 5^th and final year with the Mustangs my expectations for myself and also for the team are extremely high and I would love to end my tenure here with nothing less than a trip back to Nationals. The team this year is much different then past teams, we have many new faces and over half of the team is comprised of rookies, which definitely makes us one of the youngest teams in the country. Newcomers include: Ryan Higgins, Nick Berardi, Dave Inkumsah, Tony Spiridis, Gregory Morrow, Chuck Drouin, Larry Blyth and Jermaine Bernard. Each rookie will be given the opportunity to contribute to this teams success and as daunting a task as that may be for a first year player, it is something we are going to need. With the losses of veteran players such as Andy Wedemire, Brett Lawerence and Marcus Barnett, we are going to need everyone to contribute in different ways. Whether that is shooting the 3, being a tough rebounder, setting screens or scoring, each guy is going to need to do what they an to help this team be successful. As is usually the case within this program, we have all become very close friends in a very short time. We all enjoy hanging out with one another and as you can probably guess, have experienced some awesome times “hanging” out on the Ceeps dance floor/stage.

We have struggled as of late, losing 7 of our first 9 games, but we have been competitive in nearly all of them, as was seen with our loss to Calgary, a game we debatably should have won, against one of the better teams in the country. I think that as we become more cohesive as a unit and guys start to understand what exactly their roles are and how they can individually help make this team better, then we will begin to show improvement and become extremely competitive once the season begins. We open up our regular season this weekend at home against York (Friday night @ 8pm) and Laurentian (saturday night @ 8pm) . This should be a great first test for us and hopefully we can be focused defensively and come out with two big W’s.

If you haven’t already, "Friend" Western Mens Basketball on facebook Click Here and become a part of the team.

Your Captain,

Ryan Barbeau

Nazareth 75 Mustangs 64

2011-11-04T20:19:00.000-07:00

Jermiane Bernard 13pts 6rbs
Ryan Barbeau 13pts

more to come...

OUA Mustangs Season Pre-view

2011-11-04T13:19:00.000-07:00

5th yr PG Ryan Barbeau

Click Here for link

WESTERN MUSTANGS MEN

Youth is the story for the Western Mustangs, as Coach Brad Campbell has brought in a large group of recruits making Western one of the league’s youngest teams.

Last year the Mustangs won a road playoff game at McMaster before losing to eventual OUA champion Lakehead in the semi-finals. However, Western has lost considerable talent to graduation, including all-star Andrew Wedemire (Sarnia, Ont.), whose consistent production will be hard to replace.

Fortunately, the most experienced Mustang is fifth-year point guard Ryan Barbeau (Belleville, Ont.), who will be looked at as the team’s leader. A former OUA all-star, Barbeau (14.4-PPG) is the final link to Western’s last team to qualify for the CIS championship in 2009. “We are going to go as far as Ryan takes us,” said Coach Campbell. “He’s an all-star calibre player who has been through it all and he makes other players better.” Barbeau will serve as a team captain as he wraps his varsity career.

A pair of sophomores will need to step up their contributions if Western is going to remain competitive. Forward Peter Scholtes started as a freshman and was named to the OUA West all-rookie team. The London native has been named a team captain in just his second year. Swingman Quinn Henderson (Dundas, Ont.) also played starter’s minutes and showed he has a deft shooting touch from long range. “It is an absolute must that we get more production from Peter and Quinn,” said Campbell. “On our team they are no longer young guys; they have to be veterans and leaders.”

Sophomore guard Nathan Diloreto (London, Ont.) also saw some action in his first year and will get more opportunities this season.

Some good news for Western is the return to health of post player Adam Jespersen (London, Ont.). Much heralded as a transfer from the NCAA ranks, Jespersen suffered a serious wrist injury that cut his season short and was slow to heal. At 6-8 and very skilled, a healthy Jespersen is a major addition to the Mustang line-up. “Having Adam back is essential to our success,” says the coach. “He brings size, veteran leadership, and he knows how to play.”

Coach Campbell went hard on the recruiting trail, as the Mustangs look to build future depth. Several of the rookies will get significant playing time, with guards Ryan Higgins (Fergus, Ont.), Jermaine Bernard (Toronto), and Greg Morrow (London, Ont.) expected to push for minutes. “Those three players will serve as a good cornerstone for the program,” said Campbell. “They will make an impact for us right now, but I think they can be special players in our league later on.”

Mustang fans can likely expect some growing pains as the freshmen adjust to playing at the CIS level.

Despite being one of the youngest teams in CIS, Coach Campbell isn’t conceding anything, adding “A really good season for us would be a top-four finish in the league, but our minimum goal is to make the playoffs. In the OUA West, anyone can beat anyone on any given night.”

Mustangs Travel To Rochester N.Y. For Two Games This Weekend

2011-11-03T07:19:00.000-07:00

The Mustangs will travel to Rochester N.Y. this weekend for two games vs a pair of NCAA DIII teams - Nazereth College and the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Game times have recently been changed note times:

Fri. Nov. 4th @ Nazereth 8pm
Sat. Nov. 5th @ RIT 12:30pm

Western Gazette Article vs Algoma

2011-11-01T09:20:00.000-07:00

2nd yr Forward Peter Scoltes vs Algoma

Click Here for link

Mustangs rebound against Thunderbirds

November 1, 2011
By David Wright

There were no treats, just tricks on Sunday afternoon as the Mustangs men’s basketball team hosted the Algoma Thunderbirds at Alumni Hall.

Coming off a big 83-51 loss last Tuesday to the Wittenberg Tigers, the Mustangs rebounded in a big way by outscoring the Thunderbirds 65-54 in what was the Mustangs’ last preseason home game.

Securing a win on Sunday was crucial, as the Mustangs desperately needed momentum as they head into league play on November 11.

“We’ve been in a slump, so we definitely needed to get this win. I think we came out in the first half and played great. The team played with intensity and did a great job today,” Ryan Barbeau, Mustangs captain, said.

Although there were a lot of positives to take away from the contest, turnovers seemed to be a major issue in this game as the Thunderbirds capitalized on many of the turnovers the Mustangs gave up. Mustangs head coach Brad Campbell was clearly frustrated about this.

“Turnovers are an issue for us—decision making and also just a lack of execution. Sometimes we go off and do things on our own when we have to stick to what has been asked. And that leads to a lot of frustration, not only for the coaching staff but I think also for some of the veteran players too who understand what’s being asked of them,” Campbell explained.

Turnovers and executing on their possessions is also a problem that the Thunderbirds need to address.

“Limiting our turnovers, taking care of the ball and executing a little bit better […] but the main thing is limiting our turnovers,” Thomas Cory, Thunderbirds’ head coach, said.

Playing in his fifth season, Barbeau is the most experienced player on the Mustangs squad. He showed his mettle on Sunday by leading the way with a game high 16 points while first-year guard Jermaine Bernard impressed by scoring 11 points, including a couple of field goals beyond the arc. The rest of the points were evenly distributed between the young Mustangs squad.

With only two players beyond their second year, one can only wonder how this inexperience will affect the Mustangs’ performance throughout the season.

“We’re obviously very young. Our average age is under 20 years old. But we can’t really use that as an excuse as we continue to move forward. We have an experience problem and we’re going to have to learn on the fly,” Campbell said.

“A lot of these guys are going to have some baptism by fire to learn that way […] there’s been some lessons learned and we can be a little bit more ready come league play,” Campbell said.

Cory, however, had nothing but praise for the young Western squad.

“Western is a well-coached team and they execute very well,” Cory said.

“We competed with a good university team,” he continued

Happy with the results of Sunday’s game, the Mustangs will hope to move forward, improving and becoming stronger as a team. When they host the York Lions on November 11, every shot, every point, and every game will count.

Mustangs 65 Algoma 54

2011-10-30T14:05:00.000-07:00

Ryan Barbeau 22pts 3 rbs
Quinn Henderson 10pts

More to come...

Former London OUA/CIS Official Don Cline Remembered

2011-10-25T17:23:00.000-07:00

Don Cline, centre, shows a picture of himself refereeing a Western basketball game to Robert Collins, left, the former PUC director of community and recreation services, and longtime Free Press sportswriter Bob Gage in this January 2002 photo. (QMI Agency file photo)

For link to article CLICK HERE

A love affair with family and basketball

REMEMBERED: Don Cline

By MORRIS DALLA COSTA, THE LONDON FREE PRESS

In the upcoming days, there will be a mountain of tributes from around the world for London's Don Cline.

His sudden death Sunday at age 64 has left not only the basketball community stunned, but those who knew the personable referee off the court.

His public epitaph will be one that denotes his status as one of the best and most respected amateur basketball officials in the world.

A more personal epitaph will be one that he would have found more important, a man focused on family and a devoted husband and father.

Bill Smith, a man who played when Cline refereed, officiated with Cline and was a scorekeeper when Cline worked games, nailed the man with the same certainty Cline whistled a foul.

"On and off the court, he was always a gentleman and a gentle man," Smith said Tuesday.

Those few words defined a man who had reached the pinnacle of success in his sport and in his life.

Cline died of an apparent heart attack.

"It was totally unexpected," said Jocelyn, Cline's wife of 39 years. "It happened so suddenly with no health issues.

"We're just on autopilot right now, one foot in front of the other. It's been heartening to see and hear, the calls, all the nice things people have said about Don. It will hard later on but it helps now."

Cline leaves two daughters, Emily, 27, and Becky, 29. Becky is on her way back from France where she works at the Juno Beach Centre.

"He was such a terrific father to the girls," Jocelyn said. "He participated in their lives. A relative in England said his girls were his prized possession (and) I included myself in that, and Don's dog Heidi in that."

Cline retired from officiating in 2002 with an eye-popping international and national resume.

He worked two Olympic Games (1984 in LA and 1996 in Atlanta), three Olympic qualifiers, three Pan American Games, two men's world championships, three women's world championships, 22 Canadian men's university championships, plus countless London and Ontario high school championships.

"He never ever, no matter what the circumstances, lost his cool. No matter how close the game, how aggressive teams were playing back and forth, he never lost his cool," Smith said.

Through all the years of adrenaline-pumped games, Cline never lost the respect of the players he officiated.

"As a player, you are never going to agree with all his calls. It's just natural," said John Stiefelmeyer, a former Western Mustang and MVP of the 1991 CIS championship team. "He was the guy if you knew he was reffing your game, you knew you were going to get a very fair referee. He was the type of individual who would always, after the game, if you wanted to talk to him, he would talk to you.

"He would always come to our practices before the season started and explain any rule changes. Sometimes the referee was just the referee but there was a face to Don. Forget the referee piece, you could always talk to him."

Stiefelmeyer recalled an OUA championship game against Guelph that Cline worked. It was a close game and Stiefelmeyer fouled out on a call by Cline.

"The game was on TV and I went and watched the foul," he said. "I knew I didn't foul him. We eventually won but after I said to him 'Don, there's no way I touched him.' He said 'John, from my view I had to call it' and he went through the whole explanation and by the end, you still didn't agree but you respected him because he would talk to you."

Keeping a potentially volatile situation calm was one of his strong suits.

"He was one of my mentors," said Ted Gibb, who at 63 still referees and assigns high school and college games. "Don was an interesting guy. He took professionalism to an extreme. Don knew everyone. When we did games together he would go over and shake hands and introduce me to the coaches and call them all by name. When the two captains came out at the start of the game, he'd call them by name.

"But once the game started it was 'coach' and 'No. 14' and occasionally, if he really felt he needed to say something to the coach or players to keep something under control, he would very quietly address them by name. He'd say 'Paul, I need you to get yourself under control. Let's get back to basketball.'

"And invariably, the game calmed down."

Larry Rooks has been a friend of Cline's for many years. They played basketball together at Beck Collegiate and after university, worked together in the PUC recreation department.

"He was very quiet," Rooks said. "But he loved his two girls. He took pride in what he did and he never tooted his own horn. He had reached the pinnacle of officiating, not only in Canada but worldwide, and you would never know it."

Rooks nominated Cline for London's Sports Hall of Fame several years ago and readily admits he's "miffed" Cline has not been inducted.

"He should have been in when he was alive," Rooks said.

An oversight that should be rectified with the next vote.

And just one of several tributes suitable for a gentleman and a gentle man.

Mustangs go 0-3 at Laurentian Invitational

2011-10-25T10:11:00.000-07:00

5th yr Pg Ryan Barbeau

The Mustangs fought hard but came up short in all three games this past weekend at the Laurentian Invitational in Sudbury. "We were right in all three games and had our chances to win all three." commented Coach Campbell. "We made too many mistakes in critical times during each game. We must continue to improve in our execution at both ends of the floor if we want to closeout and win games".

Mustangs Captain 5th yr point guard Ryan Barbeau was selected a tournament all-star. Ryan led the Mustangs offensive attack in each game including an incredible 41 point effort in the tournament finale. "Ryan had an outstanding tournament. His 41pts in the Laurentian game were the most I have seen scored by a Mustang since Jim Grozelle's 50 pts in 2003." said Campbell.

Note:
- 3rd yr forward Adam Jespersen and 1st yr forward Larry Blyth did not play during the Tournament due to injury.
- 1st yr Forward Greg Morrow was also sidelined for the last two games of the tournament after playing vs Cape Breton on Friday with back trouble.
- During Friday's Cape Breton game 2nd yr Forward Nathan Diloreto and 2nd yr guard Quinn Henderson collided late in the game on a loose ball and were down for several minutes. Diloreto suffered a head laceration and Henderson received eight stitches in his mouth. Both returned to action for the last two games.

Game Recap
Oct. 21st Cape Breton 81-Mustangs 77
Ryan Higgins 17pts , Ryan Barbeau 15pts , Quinn Henderson 14pts , Greg Morrow 12pts

Oct. 22nd Bishop's 71-Mustangs 59
Peter Scholtes 20pts, Ryan Barbeau 13pts

Oct. 23rd Laurentian 95- Mustangs 87 OT
Ryan Barbeau 41pts , Peter Scholtes 17pts, Quinn Henderson 10pts

Laurentian Invitational All-Tournament Team

Onnex Blackwood - Bishop's Gaiters

James Dorsey - Cape Breton Capers

Isiah Pasquale - Laurentian Voyageurs

Alex Ratte - Laurentian Voyageurs

Ryan Barbeau - Western Mustangs

Game Day: vs Cape Breton @ Larentian U. 6pm

2011-10-21T00:49:00.000-07:00

Mustangs participate in the Laurentian Invitational tournament this weekend and will take on the Cape Breton Capers tonight at 6pm. Saturday the Mustangs take on Bishop's at 4pm and Sunday vs the host Laurentian at 1pm.

Stay tuned for updates.....

Former Mustang Great Andy Wedemire Blogs From Glasgow

2011-10-19T11:35:00.000-07:00

The Glasgow Rocks Andy Wedemire goes up strong for two

Click Here for link of Andy's blog

Wittenberg 83 Mustangs 51

2011-10-18T19:08:00.000-07:00

Team Captain Peter Scholtes

On-line Click Here

Story by Ray Kim - Mustangs Athletics

Tired Mustangs fall to Tigers in men's exhibition basketball

LONDON, Ont. – Coming off a hard fought win against the Transylvania Pioneers last night, the Western Mustangs did not have enough firepower to keep up with the Wittenberg Tigers on Tuesday night at Alumni Hall, losing the game 83-51.

6 foot 7 centre, Alex Brandt led the Tigers to victory by scoring a game high 21points, adding 6 rebounds. Ryan Barbeau once again led the Mustangs in scoring with 11 points in 27 minutes on the floor.

Western started off cold, shooting only 10.5% in the first quarter. The Mustangs trailed 19-6 after the first quarter.

The second quarter saw the Mustangs struggle, committing 6 turnovers, which turned into 10 points for the Tigers. Western faced a 39-14 deficit at the half.

Wittenberg pulled away in the second half to be up 31points after the third quarter 61-30. Western was outscored 22-21 in the fourth quarter to make it an 83-51 final.

The Mustangs fall to 1-4 on the preseason with the loss and will now travel to Sudbury this weekend to play in the Laurentian Tournament.

Game Day: vs Wittenberg NCAA D3 7pm Alumni Hall

2011-10-18T10:19:00.001-07:00

Mustangs 72 Transylvania 63

2011-10-17T19:25:00.000-07:00

Story by Mustangs Athletics Ray Kim

On-Line Click Here

Barbeau's clutch performance leads the Mustangs to victory in exhibition basketball action

LONDON, Ont. – The Western Mustangs men’s basketball team battled the Transylvania Pioneers (KY) on Monday in exhibition action at Alumni Hall, coming out on top 72-63.

After opening the pre-season with 3 losses, the revamped Mustangs were looking for the “W”. The Mustangs started with some great energy and in the first quarter, rookie Ryan Higgins from Fergus, Ontario led the team with his strong play. Higgins showed some potential doing a little bit of everything, closing out on shots, knocking down open jumpers, blocking shots and scrambling for the ball. Transylvania led after one, 24-22.

Both teams were sluggish coming out of the second quarter, turning the ball over many times and missing shots. The two teams went into halftime with Transylvania leading 34-32.

In the third quarter, Mustangs’ 2nd year guard Quinn Henderson helped his team keep up with the Pioneers by scoring 7 of his teams’ 12 points in another low scoring quarter for both teams. The Mustangs had cut the lead to 1 after three quarters, trailing 45-44 heading into the fourth.

The final quarter saw the Mustangs battle to take the lead. Heavy defensive pressure led by Jermaine Bernard, Peter Scholtes’ rebounds and Ryan Barbeau’s clutch baskets allowed Western to take and maintain the lead. Barbeau scored 10 of his game high 20 points in the fourth quarter, including a contested three. The Mustangs ended the game with a 72-63 victory.

The Mustangs will be looking for back to back wins tomorrow night when they take on Wittenberg College at 7 p.m at Alumni Hall.

Game Day: vs Transylvania (NCAA D2) 7pm Alumni Hall

2011-10-17T05:17:00.001-07:00

The Mustangs take on NCAA Division II Transylvania from Kentucky tonight at 7pm Alumni Hall.

Calgary 83 Mustangs 75

2011-10-15T06:08:00.000-07:00

Ryan Barbeau had a career high 39 pts

Mustangs Topped by Dinos 83-75 in Exhibition Basketball

10/15/2011 12:08:00 AM
Article by Mustangs Athletics - Chris McLachlin

LONDON, Ont. – The Western Mustangs hosted the University of Calgary Dinos tonight at Alumni Hall in men’s exhibition basketball play and the Dinos outscored the Mustangs 83-75.
Mustangs’ 5th year senior Ryan Barbeau scored five of his game-high 39 points in the first quarter, but it was the Dino’s who jumped out to the early lead 20-13 after the first. Jarred Ogungberri-Jackson paced the Dinos with six points in the first quarter.
The seven point edge in the first quarter proved to be the difference, as the two sides battled up and down the court the rest of the way.
The second quarter saw Calgary only add one point to their lead as the Western offense started to click and the two teams went into halftime with Calgary leading 41-33.
In the third quarter Barbeau caught fire, scoring 18 straight points for the Mustangs as the team scored 21 in the quarter, while the balanced Dinos attack scored 20 to make the score Calgary 61, Western 54 after three.
In the fourth quarter the Calgary defense adjusted their focus to Barbeau and second year Forward Peter Scholtes picked up the slack, pouring in nine of his 20 points in the final frame. Although the Mustangs fought hard and got the deficit within three points in the final minute, the Dinos made critical free throws and shots down the stretch to come out on top 83-75.
The top scorers in the game were Barbeau with 39 for the Mustangs while Ogungberri-Jackson and Tyler Fidler each had 18 for the visiting Dinos.
The Mustangs continue their exhibition schedule on Monday night when the host the Transylvania Pioneers at Alumni Hall at 7:00 PM. The following night they will host the Wittenberg College Tigers.

Game Day: Mustangs vs Calgary 7pm Alumni Hall

2011-10-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

This will be a great early test for the Mustangs. Calgary is coming off a 76-71 victory over Windsor last night.

Curtis looking to make London Lightning's Roster

2011-10-11T19:35:00.000-07:00

London Free Press Article by Steve Green

On-line Link Click Here

Three Canucks seek two spots

BASKETBALL: The London Lightning expect to name 10 of 12 players by Thursday

By STEVE GREEN, THE LONDON FREE PRESS

Last Updated: October 11, 2011 8:08pm

: Former Western Mustang Matt Curtis keeps the ball away from Nick Lother at London Lightning camp in London on Tuesday. Curtis and Lothar, along with former Fanshawe star Pat Sewell, are battling for two roster spots guaranteed to Canadians. (DEREK RUTTAN, The London Free Press)

With a 50-50 chance, the odds were pretty good for the four Canadian players invited to the London Lightning's inaugural training camp.

And with one of them having been cut, those odds are even better with the bulk of the final roster for the National Basketball League of Canada team expected to be announced Thursday.

"It's been tough, it's been a good workout," said Londoner Pat Sewell, a South grad and a former Canadian college player of the year with Fanshawe. "The boys are huge, but physically I think I've made my presence known. I've been getting boards, but my shot's not really falling, which is a little frustrating."

Former University of Windsor guard Isaac Kuon was one of two cuts made by head coach Micheal Ray Richardson as he looks to name at least 10 players on his 12-man roster $- including the league-mandated two Canadians - by Thursday. Even with his prospects that much brighter, Sewell is taking nothing for granted.

Asked if he felt confident, he said, "I am and I'm not. I mean, nothing's ever written in stone, but I'm more confident now than I was on the first day. I'm just still trying to get back to my own game. I've been out almost a year and a half now and good competition like this is hard to find."

Former Western Mustangs guard Matt Curtis and former Winnipeg Wesmen guard Nick Lother are the other two remaining Canucks. Lother, 23, is laid-back about his chances, much like Sewell.

"This is the highest level of basketball I've ever played," he said. "Some of these players have played all over the world and have a lot of experience. I'm just one of the guys who's all ears, who's taking it all in and just listening to what they and the coach have to say.

"I'm just doing whatever is asked of me and making sure I'm listening."

Two-a-day practices at the downtown YMCA - one at 6 a.m., the other in the afternoon - are something new for Lother, but it's not the biggest adjustment he's had to make.

"The guys are a lot bigger here, stronger, faster. It's important to understand that everyone on the floor can make plays, so you don't always have to do it yourself. My job is just to move the ball around and give other guys the opportunity to make plays."

Making the Lightning, Lother said, "would be one of my proudest moments" and it would be due in no small part to his Wesmen coach Mike Rainbault.

"He kind of rekindled my love for basketball."

Should Lother make the roster, one of his off-court duties will be speaking at local schools, a natural fit for Lother, who was an educational assistant in the Winnipeg school system.

"I love working with kids; I think they're great," he said. "I think it's important to share with them how to reach their goals and do things right."

But should Lother be the odd man out Thursday, it's been a blast.

"The guys are all saying how surprised they are at the talent we have up here," he said. "And I never really thought I had to work that much harder to prove myself just because I'm Canadian. I'm just lucky to have this opportunity and thankful to have it and I'm just enjoying the experience.

"Ultimately, it's the coach's decision and I'm just trying to play my best and put myself in a position to make the team, If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out and I'll just go home."

Centre Jeremy Saffore out of Tennessee-Chattanooga was the other player released, with six-foot guard DeAnthony Bowden (Creighton) and 6-foot-8 swingman Tyler King (Duke, Villanova) expected to join the team and get a late look from Richardson.

Andrew Wedemire with Glasgow Rocks

2011-10-07T05:55:00.000-07:00

Former Mustang great Andrew Wedemire with his new team the Glasgow Rocks

The official Glasgow Rocks home page Click Here

Game Day: vs Alumni @ Alumni Hall 8pm

2011-09-30T06:50:00.001-07:00

A homecoming tradition....

Article on 1st yr Mustang Tony Spiridis

2011-09-28T09:55:00.000-07:00

by Rusty Haines- My Kawartha.com

For link Click Here

Basketball player taking his game to the next level

Tony Spiridis. Thomas A. Stewart's Tony Spiridis pushes past IE Weldon player D. Marchen during the Kawartha senior boys basketball championship game at Kenner Collegiate on Wednesday (Feb. 23). TAS defeated Weldon 41-35. lance anderson/this week

Peterborough cager Tony Spiridis has taken his game to the next level.
The Thomas A Stewart grad has moved on from his high school gym to compete in the Ontario University Athletic men’s basketball league as a member of the University of Western Ontario Mustangs.
The “Stangs” are one of the country’s foremost university athletic programs, funding 38 varsity programs. The basketball programs alone account for 24 provincial championships over the years.
As excited as he is with his addition the team, Spiridis comments that it was the other things that Western provides that sealed his decision to become a Mustang.
“It offers good academics along with its athletic opportunities,” says Spiridis. “It was a good fit.”
Spiridis was accepted in Western’s Management and Organizational Studies program.
Throughout Spiridis’ high school basketball career his skills always spoke for themselves, but it’s the intangibles that are the first to be mentioned when discussing this Peterborough hard court standout.
“He picks things up very quickly,” remarks Mustangs’ head coach Brad Campbell, on how impressed he was with the Peterborough local made.
“He has a very high basketball IQ.”
The 6’4” Spiridis is also credited for being a team leader off and on the court during his high school career while guiding the TASS Griffins to three Central Ontario championships and to the provincial championships twice.
The Mustangs coaching staff feels that Spiridis has a huge amount of potential and in time will expand his role as his development as a player continues.
Campbell was also impressed with the impression that Spiridis made off the court.
“He’s an outstanding young man.”
It’s these attributes that cemented coach Campbell’s decision to offer Spiridis a spot on the 2011-12 roster.
The 19-year-old’s journey to the OUA began when his high school coach, Craig Muir, assisted Spiridis in setting up a trip to London.
A point guard in his final year of high school, the Western rookie will return to the more natural position of small forward when he joins the young Mustangs squad with hopes of rebounding from a tough, character building 2010 season.
Western began last season ranked sixth in the country, but as the season progressed, injuries and illness sidelined a number players contributing to their early exit in the playoffs against the eventual league champions, Lakehead University.
In discussing his goals, Spiridis is realistic and understanding of his first-year role.
“I want to improve my overall game and play as many minutes as I can," says the rookie.
The Mustangs kicked off their season in early August facing Michigan’s Oakland University and the University of St Louis, who is coached by basketball legend Rick Majerus.
Oakland and St Louis compete in the NCAA, the American college league.
Regular season play begins Nov. 11 versus York University at Alumni Hall, in London

Mustangs Take Time For Paintball Team Building

2011-09-24T00:15:00.000-07:00

Friday Sept 23 The Mustangs took some time out for some team building at Flagswipe Outdoor Paintball just outside London. The Mustangs were separated into two teams the Vets and the Rookies. Competitions took place on the various playing fields on Flagswipe's complex. In the end the two groups tied 3-3 in the 3hr event. Thanks to the Flagswipe staff.

1 Week Away Until Homecoming 2011

2011-09-23T09:20:00.001-07:00

Mustangs Select Team Captains For 2011-2012

2011-09-20T19:34:00.000-07:00

#10 Peter Scoltes

#6 Ryan Barbeau

In a team meeting on Monday September 19th the Mustangs selected 5th yr guard Ryan Barbeau (5'10, Belleville) and 2nd yr forward Peter Scholtes (6'5, London) as their team captains for the 2011-2012 season.

Barbeau enters his final year with the Mustangs and boasts an impressive resume. The former 2009-10 2nd team OUA West All-Star also was a team member of two past CIS National Semi Final Mustang teams in 2008 and 2009. Barbeau averaged 14.4 ppg, 3.8rpg and 4.1apg last season. "Ryan is the most expereinced player on our team and is a former league all-star. Ryan continues to be an extension of the coaching staff on the floor and has done a great job helping his younger teammates" comments Coach Campbell.

Scholtes an OUA West All-Rookie Team selection last season has impressed early on vs NCAA competition this season scoring 17pts vs Oakland on Aug. 16 and 21pts vs St. Louis on Aug 23rd. Scholtes averaged 9.3 ppg and 4.0 rpg last season. "Peter is an emerging star in our league and has established himself as our vocal leader. Pete's work ethic and basketball IQ also commands the respect of his teammates" said Coach Campbell.

Next up for the Mustangs is their annual Alumni Game Friday September 30 at 8pm Alumni Hall

2011 Open Try-out Information

2011-09-08T09:09:00.000-07:00

All candidates Meeting Monday Sept. 5 5pm Thames Hall Rm 3101 - if you plan on trying out you must attend.

To be eligible for Intercollegiate Sports, individuals must have a minimum of 3 full or equivalent courses. Graduate and transfer students, with some exceptions, are eligible for most sports. Students should check with the coach of their sport for specific requirements related to eligibility

Date(s), times and locations are subject to change, please make sure to check with the coach or the athletic office, 661-3551, Room 3170, Thames Hall or E-mail us at (mustangs@uwo.ca) for final details.

ALL PROSPECTIVE ATHLETES MUST CONTACT THE COACH BEFORE COMING TO TRYOUTS AND MUST ADHERE TO THE MEDICAL TRYOUT REQUIREMENTS LOCATED AT THE FOLLOWING LINK: http://www.westernmustangs.ca/sports/2011/6/24/Medical_Info.aspx?tab=athletecoachform

Sport	COACH/PHONE #	TEAM MEETING INFORMATION
Basketball (Men)	Brad Campbell Room 2146, Thames Hall 519-850-2416 bcampbe5@uwo.ca	Tryout Meeting: (All candidates required to attend) Monday, Sept. 12 at 5 p.m., in Thames Hall, Room 3101. Tryouts will begin Tuesday Sept. 13.

St. Louis 88 Mustangs 59

2011-08-24T09:03:00.000-07:00

Article from University of St. Louis Website
For link Click Here

Billikens top Western Ontario 88-59
Move to 2-0 on Canada Trip

Aug. 23, 2011

London, Ontario - Saint Louis moved to 2-0 on its Canadian exhibition tour with a 88-59 victory against the University of Western Ontario Tuesday night at Alumni Hall.

"We had some good stretches, especially on the defensive end," SLU assistant coach Jim Whitesell said. "Mike McCall really sparked us defensively by getting some deflections and run outs. As the game progressed, we built a good lead but we were unable to sustain our intensity like we would have liked. Give Western credit, they spread us out and we got caught up behind the ball. Overall, it was good playing like this for two games back-to-back. We are seeing some real positive things on this trip so far."

Tuesday's victory comes on the heels of a 98-57 win at Windsor Monday. Next, the Billikens head to Ottawa for a Thursday game against the University of Ottawa, and Friday and Saturday games against Carleton University.

Mike McCall led the Billikens with 16 points, while Kwamain Mitchell scored 12. Jake Barnett and Jordair Jett notched 11 points apiece. As a team, the Billikens shot 52 percent from the floor.

Mitchell collected a team-high seven assists to just one turnover. Barnett and Rob Loe led the team with five rebounds. Cody Ellis tallied a team-high five steals.

The Billikens quickly built a double-digit lead and took a 50-21 lead at halftime. SLU has scored at least 50 in the first half of each of the first two games on the exhibition swing

Game Day: St. Louis vs. Mustangs 7pm Alumni Hall

2011-08-23T08:24:00.001-07:00

Tickets available at the door.

SLU asst. Coach Jim Whitesell Talks about Canadian Tour

2011-08-22T10:18:00.000-07:00

ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis men's basketball conducted its 10th and final day of pre-trip practices this morning at Chaifetz Arena in preparation for the Billikens' 10-day, five-game tour through Ontario, Canada.

SLU began its summer camp Aug. 1 and held more than 15 full-team training sessions in the past three weeks. The Billikens depart for Canada Friday, Aug. 19.

The Billikens play four teams during their five-game tour, beginning with the University of Windsor Monday, Aug. 22, in Windsor, Ontario. SLU then heads to London, Ontario, a game against the University of Western Ontario Tuesday, Aug. 23. Following an off day Wednesday, the Bills face the University of Ottawa Thursday, Aug. 25. SLU plays the first of two tilts against Carleton University Friday, Aug. 26, and wraps up the trip Saturday, Aug. 27, against the Ravens.

The two games against Carleton are scheduled to be streamed live at www.ssncanada.ca. For in-game updates during all five games, visit our website at SLUBillikens.com, Twitter at SLU_Billikens or Facebook at Billiken Athletics. Full post-game reports and video highlights will be available on SLUBillikens.com as well.

Mustangs vs St. Louis Tues Aug 23 7pm

2011-08-18T11:38:00.001-07:00

Article on St. Louis Trip to Canada

2011-08-17T01:01:00.000-07:00

St. Louis will play the Mustangs Tues. Aug. 23rd 7pm Alumni Hall.

For on-line article Click Here

Baby News

2011-08-16T10:11:00.000-07:00

Jack Thomas Tweedie

Born Monday Aug 15th

9lbs 5 oz

Congratulations to former Mustang and current assistant coach Matt Tweedie and his wife Jess on the birth of their first child Jack Thomas Tweedie yesterday (that is why Matt wasn't at the game).

NCAA Game #1: Oakland 85 Mustangs 72

2011-08-15T20:12:00.000-07:00

Ryan Barbeau

article by Darryl Wheeler Mustangs Athletics

on-line link Click Here

The Western Mustangs men’s basketball team was defeated 85-72 by the Oakland University Grizzlies at Alumni Hall tonight in their first exhibition action of the season. Oakland, the current Summit League Champion, was looking to rebound from an 86-82 loss at the hands of the Windsor Lancers on Sunday.

The Grizzlies enter the 2011 campaign looking to replace departed all-American and NBA draft pick Keith Benson while Western looks to fill the gap that Andy Wedemire leaves. Wedemire graduated this year, but recently signed a pro contract with the Glasgow Rocks in Scotland. The match-up featured a returning mid-major freshman all-American in Oakland’s Travis Bader. It is also the first action Mustangs recruits Aaron Shadrach and Jermaine Bernard saw on the hardwood as part of the purple and white.

Right off the tip-off the action was fast tempo with many turnovers though, as both teams worked out the kinks. Western took the early lead 6-5, but Oakland quickly jumped to15-6 thanks to three consecutive three-pointers, two of which came courtesy of Dante Williams. Despite the deficit, the speed remained quick and the Mustangs got plenty of looks close to the basket. The Mustangs chipped away at the lead in the first half courtesy of Ryan Barbeau.

Midway through the first half, Oakland built up their lead to a nine-point advantage. Drew Valentine led the Grizzlies in first-half minutes while Brad Campbell rotated everyone so the freshman and sophomores could gain valuable minutes. Mustang Drew Berardi nailed a three from the corner to spurt a run for Western cutting the Oakland’s lead down to five. The young Western squad seemed at times, in the opening frame, to frustrate the Summit League champions.

Second-year man Peter Scholtes led the Mustang charge in the first half with aggressive play in the paint, combined with solid shooting. The Mustangs sliced the lead to two points at 32-30 with just over four minutes to go in the first half.

Alumni Hall got loud stemming off a long-range field goal from rookie Ryan Higgins to cut Oakland’s lead to just one point. The Mustangs shot then went from cold to hot as they grabbed their first lead of the game, 39-37, off a Quinn Henderson three-pointer with less than two minutes to go in the half. Henderson came back with a layup with four seconds left, giving the Mustangs a 42-41 lead halftime.

Berardi and Henderson for Western had strong first-half showings while Drew Valentine and Laval Lucas-Perry were effective in moving the ball up the court. The Grizzlies shot 61.9 percent from the field and 54.5 percent from three-point land. Western shot 48.3 percent in the first half and 50 percent from three-point range. Both teams shot multiple times from beyond the arc.

The opening of the second half saw Oakland jump back into the lead thanks to the large inside presence of six-foot, nine-inch centre Corey Petros and the speed of Lucas-Perry, forcing Western to call an early timeout. Oakland led 51-43 five minutes into the second half. The Grizzlies opened up this 10-point lead and maintained it thanks to the combo of Valentine and guard Ryan Bass. Despite opening up with a personal 12-point lead, Scholtes continued his knack for scoring from inside and outside, being one of the primary scorers to lead the Western attack. The second half showed a lot of aggressive play from both sides making the teams earn every basket with no free passes to the rim given.

With just over six minutes remaining in the game, the Grizzlies maintained their 10-point advantage. Western freshman Bernard helped to once again inch closer to the Summit League champions but the size and the speed of Oakland was just too much for the young Mustangs squad to handle. Third-year guard Bader shut the door on Western's hopes draining a three-pointer and putting the exclamation point on the game with a breakaway slam-dunk.

Lucas-Perry led Oakland with 28 points and Bader chipped in with 15. For Western, Sholtes led the Mustangs with 17 points and Henderson chipped in with 16. Both players were very effective finding the three-pointers and their way to the foul line.

Despite the loss, Barbeau exhibited his veteran presence on the court drawing multiple fouls while making it difficult for the Oakland offense gain momentum. The young Mustangs played a strong 40 minutes and will look to change the result next Tuesday, Aug. 23, at 7 p.m. at Alumni Hall where they host legendary coach Rick Majerus and his St. Louis Billiken squad of the Atlantic 10 conference.

Game Day: NCAA D-1 Oakland U. 7pm Alumni Hall

2011-08-15T01:57:00.000-07:00

5th yr PG Ryan Barbeau

Come see the Mustangs in early season action as they take on NCAA D-1 Oakland Grizzlies.

Tickets available at Door

$8 Adult
$5 Youth

Wedemire Signs Pro Contract

2011-08-11T18:46:00.000-07:00

Former Mustang Great Andy Wedemire

By- Darryl Wheeler Mustangs Athletics

Online link Click Here

Former Western Mustang and Sarnia, Ont. native Andrew Wedemire’s next journey in basketball will literally take him across the pond. The six-foot-six power forward will continue his career on the hardwood playing professionally overseas with the Glasgow Rocks in Scotland.

After a few months of rigorous training and mulling over offers, the former five-year standout and all-Canadian with the Mustangs will bring his talent and his physical inside-presence to the United Kingdom.

From day one as a Mustang he was a constant force and an immovable object that other teams had difficulty defending. His final season was capped off with a second all- Canadian selection and another first team OUA All-Star honour. During his career at Western, he was part of two CIS final-eight tournaments, including two national semi- final showings. While at Western, Wedemire was a also a very active member of the local community.

Article on Oakland's Canadian Trip

2011-08-10T01:30:00.000-07:00

This from the Oakland University Athletics Website

http://www.ougrizzlies.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/080811aaa.html

Oakland Standout Reggie Hamilton

Aug. 8, 2011

ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Oakland University men's basketball team will begin its foreign tour this Saturday-Monday, Aug. 13-15, in Canada. The Golden Grizzlies will face the University of Windsor and Western Ontario.

"We're excited for the opportunity to have 10 days of practice and play some games that do not mean much, other than evaluating players," said OU head coach Greg Kampe. "That is very important with the youth of our team this year in having five freshmen. Playing games with no pressure of winning and the ability to experiment with things is very appealing and important to the coaching staff."

OU and Windsor will kick-off the foreign tour at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The Golden Grizzlies and Lancers will tangle again on Sunday at 4 p.m. The final game of the tour will take place on Monday night against Western Ontario in London at 7 p.m.

Oakland won its second straight Summit League regular season and tournament championships in 2010-11. The Grizzlies fell to No. 4 seed Texas, 85-81, in the NCAA tournament in Tulsa, Okla. at the BOK Center. Oakland finished No. 8 inside the final CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll and a final RPI of 57.

Kampe, a five-time Summit League Coach of the Year, enters his 28th season at the helm. He was a finalist for the Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year and Jim Phelan Mid-Major Coach of the Year Awards. He ranks fifth in Division I with 27 seasons at the same school and tied for 24th amongst active D-I coaches with 470 victories (Jim Larranaga, George Mason).

Travis Bader, Reggie Hamilton and Drew Valentine all return to the starting lineup for the Golden Grizzlies. Bader, a shooting guard from Okemos, Mich., was named Mid-Major Freshman All-American by CollegeInsider.com and led The Summit League with 94 3-pointers made, fourth-best in school history. He finished with 10.5 points per game and ranked ninth in the NCAA with a .440 three-point field goal percentage.

Hamilton, a redshirt senior from Chicago, garnered All-Summit League first team honors last season after averaging 17.6 points per game. He finished second in the league with 187 assists and third in 3-pointers made per game with 2.3. Hamilton scored 20 or more points in all three Summit League tournament games and was named to The Summit League All-Tournament Team.

A native of Lansing, Mich., Valentine posted a career-best four double-doubles during his sophomore season and reached double figures in 15 games. He shot 58 percent from the floor in his final 19 games and finished seventh in the league with a .554 field goal percentage. Valentine also became one of the defensive stoppers for the Grizzlies and led The Summit League with close to two steals per contest in league play.

Blake Cushingberry also returns for the Golden Grizzlies after sitting out last season due to an ACL injury. The redshirt junior from Romeo, Mich. made 19 starts in his career and is a very talented defensive player. Michigan transfer Laval Lucas-Perry joins the team after missing last season due to NCAA transfer rule. A redshirt senior from Flint, Mich., Lucas-Perry is a sharp shooter that made 22 starts in U-M's 32 games in 2009-10.

Due to the foreign tour, the Golden Grizzlies have been able to practice during the month of August. After the trip, they will begin individual work outs in September and team practice will resume in mid-October.

NCAA August headliners: Western hosts teams from the Atlantic 10 and Summit League Conferences

2011-08-09T19:51:00.000-07:00

5th yr PG Ryan Barbeau

Article by Mustangs Athletics - Darryl Wheeler

On August 15and 23, the Western Mustang men’s basketball squad will suit up against NCAA Division I opponents in preparation for a competitive 2011-12 season in the OUA. The Mustangs are looking to build upon their OUA West semi-final appearance from a year ago.

Despite losing veterans Andy Wedemire, Marcus Barnett and Brett Lawrence, the team has a lot of talented freshman and sophomores. The leadership will come from fifth-year veteran Ryan Barbeau, a second team OUA West All-Star in 2009-10. Forward Peter Scholtes was named to the OUA West All-Rookie team in 2010-2011. In addition to the young guns, the Mustangs recruiting class was very strong. Expect the likes of Aaron Shadrach (Toronto, Ont.) to compete for playing time right away.

The match-up versus Oakland University from Michigan will mark the Golden Grizzlies’ second visit to Alumni Hall since 2005. Having won the Summit League Basketball Championship in March, they are fresh off an NCAA tournament appearance where they were narrowly defeated by the Texas Longhorns 85-81. As well, star centre and The Summit League player of the year Keith Benson was drafted 48^th overall by the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. This honorable mention All-American was a dominant force inside the post and the Golden Grizzlies will begin the search for a new recruit on their Canada tour.

When the St. Louis Billikens suit up against the Western Mustangs on August 23, they will certainly be looking to get back on track from their disappointing 12-win, 19-loss season last year. The 2010-11 season saw injuries get in the way of a promising start. The season before, the Billikens went 23-9 qualifying for the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) tournament. With a coach like Rick Majerus who has brought teams to the promised land on numerous occasions, look for this Billiken squad to make a push in the loaded Atlantic 10 Conference that includes Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, and Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH, both perennial NCAA tournament goers. This trip marks the Billikens first trek across the border, one they hope will be a springboard to a successful season.

The Mustang squad will use this two-game summer schedule to get acquainted with the new recruits and prepare for a very competitive winter non-conference pre-season schedule, as well as a competitive OUA league.

Former Mustang Mark Porte Welcomes New Family Member

2011-07-29T13:29:00.000-07:00

Emma Porte 5lbs 9oz

Congratulations to former Mustang Mark Porte ('03) and his wife Lisa on their new addition, Emma Porte born July 27th 5lbs 9oz.

Tickets Now Available For Oakland & St. Louis Games

2011-07-25T12:23:00.001-07:00

Tickets are now available for both the Mustangs' games vs. NCAA Division I opponents. Both games are at Alumni Hall on the campus of the University of Western Ontario.

Monday Aug. 15 7pm vs. Oakland Click Here

Tuesday Aug. 23rd 7pm vs. St. Louis Click Here

Early Bird Sale
Adult - $5
Youth - $3
Ends Aug 1, 2011

Regular Price
Adult - $8
Youth - $5

New Mustang Aaron Shadrach Highlights

2011-07-20T17:11:00.001-07:00

Aaron Shadrach Commits to Mustangs

2011-07-20T07:19:00.000-07:00

From Mustangs Athletics Click Here for on-line article

The Western Mustangs men's basketball team is pleased to announce the commitment of Aaron Shadrach of Toronto, Ont., to the incoming 2011-12 recruiting class.

Shadrach, a 6'2" guard, comes to Western from Jarvis Collegiate in Toronto where he helped lead the Bulldogs to consecutive trips to “AAA” OFSAA in 2010 and 2011. Jarvis won the “AAA” OFSAA Bronze medal in 2010.

Considered a top talent, Shadrach is rated 86^th overall in the 2011 Flagrant Fouls High School rankings.

“Aaron is an extremely athletic guard who excels in transition and can also find ways to score. Aaron also has the ability to be a tenacious defender who can make life difficult for opposing guards,” comments Mustangs coach Brad Campbell.

The Jarvis team captain is excited about his commitment to the Purple & White. "Western seemed like the best fit for me. Not only do they offer great academics and a solid basketball program, but the overall experience of being a Western student is unmatched. I am very pleased with my decision to commit to the University of Western Ontario."

Mustangs Announce 2011-12 Schedule

2011-07-18T00:30:00.000-07:00

Returning Veteran PG Ryan Barbeau

Form Mustangs Athletics

Click Here for On-line article

Western Mustangs Men’s Basketball is pleased to announce its 2011-2012 schedule

Highlighting an exciting and challenging non-conference schedule, the Mustangs will open the season up against two top notch NCAA opponents.
On August 15, the Mustangs take on Oakland University from Oakland, Michigan. Oakland, the top team in the Summit League, qualified for the 2011 NCAA tournament where they were defeated by the University of Texas in the opening round. Keith Benson, an All-American member of Oakland’s 2010/11 squad was drafted 48th overall in this past June’s NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks. Oakland is projected to be atop the Summit league once again for 2011/12.
The Mustangs' second NCAA game will feature St. Louis University, Tuesday, August 23 at Alumni Hall. St. Louis plays in the Atlantic 10 Conference and are coached by the legendary Rick Majerus. Marjerus coached the University of Utah Utes from 1989-2004, reached the Final Four in 1998. They reached the NCAA National Championship Final, but eventually lost 78-69 to Kentucky. Majerus was selected the NCAA national coach of the year in 1998. He has had eleven of his former players selected in the NBA Draft includingthe second overall pick in 1998, Keith VanHorn. Majerus has been the head coach at St. Louis since 2007 and has steady made them more competitive in Atlantic 10 play.
The Mustangs will have a new look in 2011-12 as many newcomers hope to make an impact for the Purple & White. Graduated are OUA West 1st Team All-Star Andy Wedemire (Sarnia, Ont.), guard Brett Lawrence (Welland, Ont.) and guard Marcus Barnett (Hampton, Virginia). Returning starters Ryan Barbeau (Belleville, Ont.), Peter Scholtes (London, Ont.), Adam Jespersen (London, Ont.) and Quinn Henderson (Dundas, Ont.) will be asked to lead and carry the load for this year’s squad.
Highly touted in-coming players Greg Morrow (6’3, G, London, Ont.), Ryan Higgins (6’4, G , Fergus, Ont.), Charlie Drouin (6’5, F, Oakville, Ont.), Larry Blyth (6’5, F, Langley, B.C.) and Jermaine Bernard (6’0, PG, Toronto, Ont.) will be counted on to make an immediate impact and also make up what could be the best rookie class in Canada.
The 2011-12 Mustangs will be young, talented and deep as they prepare to take on the rest of the OUA beginning November 11 at home vs. York.
Mustangs Men’s Basketball Schedule
Aug.15 Oakland U 7pm Alumni Hall
Aug.23 St.Louis 7pm Alumni Hall
Sept. 30 Alumni Game 8pm Alumni Hall
Oct.14 Calgary 7pm Alumni Hall
Oct.17 Transylvania 7pm Alumni Hall
Oct.18 Wittenberg 7pm Alumni Hall
Oct.21-23 Laurentian Tournament TBA Sudbury, Ont.
Oct.29 Guelph Phoenix 5pm Alumni Hall
Oct.30 Algoma U 1pm Alumni Hall
Nov.4 Rocherster Wesleyn 7pm Rocherster, N.Y.
Nov.5 Rocherster Institute of Tech 1pm Rochester, N.Y.

Regular Season

Nov.11 York 8pm Alumni Hall
Nov.12 Laurentian 8pm Alumni Hall
Nov.18 Carleton 8pm Ottawa
Nov.19 Ottawa 8pm Ottawa
Nov.25 Toronto 8pm Toronto
Nov.26 Ryerson 8pm Toronto
Dec.2 Queen's 8pm Alumni Hall
Dec.3 RMC 8pm Alumni Hall
Jan.6 Lakehead 8pm Thunder Bay
Jan.7 Lakehead 8pm Thunder Bay
Jan.11 Guelph 8pm Alumni Hall
Jan.14 Brock 3pm St.Catherines
Jan.18 Windsor 8pm Alumni Hall
Jan.21 Laurier 3pm Alumni Hall
Jan.25 Waterloo 8pm Alumni Hall
Jan.28 Laurier 4pm Waterloo
Feb.1 Guelph 8pm Guelph
Feb.4 Brock(Alumni Day) 3pm Alumni Hall
Feb.8 McMaster 8pm Hamilton
Feb.11 Waterloo 2pm Waterloo
Feb.15 McMaster 8pm Alumni Hall
Feb.18 Windsor 4pm Windsor

Playoffs

Feb.22 OUA West 1/4 Final TBA TBA
Feb.25 OUA West semi Final TBA TBA
March.3 OUA Final four TBA ryerson
March.4 OUA Championship TBA ryerson TBA TBA
March.10-12 CIS National Championships TBA Halifax

Recap: 8th Annual Ricoh Mustangs Basketball Golf Classic

2011-07-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

The 8th Annual Ricoh Mustangs Basketball Classic in the books. This Year's tourny was our most sucessful ever! Jason Millquet, Kevin Barnes, Dave Robbins & Ryan Brown win at -17 (all time low score). Thanks to our Title Sponsor Ricoh and White level sponsors MBNA and North 44 Marketing. Thanks to all hole sponsors and prize donros as well.

Champions: -17 Jason Milliquet, Kevin Barnes, Dave Robbins, Ryan Brown
2nd place tie: -16 Terry Thompson, Jamie Ziegel, Ron Brailey, Ed Zubas
-16 Scott Baird, Jeff Lessif, Justin Hayes, Shane Cassidy
Other winners include:

Hole #3 London Commercial Reality Closest to the Pin - Brendan Noonan

Hole #6 Closest to Pin - Scott Baird

Hole #8 Closest to Pin - Matt Tweedie

Hole #9 Closest to the Keg- Pod Armstrong

Hole #12 Boston Pizza Closest to the Pizza Box - Carl Grindstaff

Hole #15 Closest to Pin - Jim Schmidt , Prize Draw - James Olsthoorn

Hole #18 Long Drive Over 60 - Craig Boydell, Under 60 - Brad Smith

Group Bean Bag Challenge - Matt Tweedie, RIck Santos, Joel Gillard, Matt Pearson

Picutres to follow soon........

The 8th Annual Ricoh Mustangs Basketball Golf Classic July 15th

2011-06-27T12:50:00.000-07:00

2010 Champs Pod Armstrong, Shawn Manuel, Scott MacKenzie, Wade Walker

Join us for this year's tourny @ Greenhills Golf & CC n London

Click Here to register on-line

Join alumni and friends of Western Basketball for a great day of fun, golf and prizes! All skill levels are welcome. Appropriate golf attire is required for all players. Register online individually or as a team. Rain or shine.

Friday July 15th 2011

Tickets are $60.00 per person for dinner only option or $150.00 per person (no refunds) and includes:

18 holes of golf with cart
Gift from club Link
Driving range use
Dinner buffet
Prize draws

SCHEDULE

12:00 p.m.
Arrival, check-in, driving range, etc.

12:30 p.m.
Shotgun start (scramble format)

5:00 p.m.
Social

5:30 p.m.
Dinner buffet & prizes

NCAA DIII Power WIttenberg to Visit Mustangs Oct. 18 7pm

2011-06-18T10:01:00.000-07:00

Article by Wittenberg Athletics
for link Click Here

Springfield, Ohio — Following a similar plan as NCAA Division I powerhouse programs Ohio State and Kentucky, Wittenberg University's men's basketball program will participate in a preseason training trip to Canada to prepare for the 2011-12 season. The Tigers are scheduled to play three games between Oct. 15-18 in three different Ontario cities.

The Buckeyes and Wildcats both have taken preseason trips to Canada over the past two years and followed them up with conference championships and deep runs in the NCAA Division I Tournament. Wittenberg Head Coach Bill Brown, class of 1973, hopes his team's trip provides a similar springboard for the Tigers after the program's most recent trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament in March.

The Tigers will play exhibition games against the University of Windsor, the University of Toronto and the University of Western Ontario. Along the way, and in keeping with the university's ambitious new Tiger GAME Plan initiative, Brown plans to make sure his scholar athletes take advantage of as many educational opportunities as possible.

"Though Ontario is not a great distance away, there will most definitely still be a different cultural feel for the players to observe," Brown said. "That should be particularly true in Toronto, where we will spend most of our time. Of course, the team-building aspect and outside competition we will be afforded should both pay big dividends for us as we prepare for the 2011-12 season."

The NCAA Division III program with the most wins and Final Four appearances in history enters the season with high hopes after finishing 20-9 overall a year ago. Eight letterwinners, including five players with at least 20 collegiate starting assignments to their credit, return to the line-up, including honorable mention All-America senior forward Clayton Black, class of 2012 from Lancaster, Ohio.

The Tigers are scheduled to open the 2011-12 season at home against Indiana University-East on Tuesday, Nov. 15.

Written By: Ryan Maurer

Mustangs to Play NCAA D1 St. Louis Billikens Tues. Aug. 23rd Alumni Hall 7pm

2011-06-14T19:54:00.000-07:00

Press Release from St. Louis University Website Click Here

Men's Basketball to Play Five Games in Canada

Will face Windsor, Western Ontario and Carleton

June 14, 2011

ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis University men's basketball will head to Canada in August for five exhibition games in preparation for the 2011-12 season. The trip, which takes advantage of an NCAA guideline allowing a program to take a foreign trip once every four years, grants the Billikens additional practice and playing time before the fall semester and gives fans an early glimpse of this year's team.

In addition to the five exhibition games, the Billikens receive 10 full-squad practice days in St. Louis prior to departing for Canada. Check SLUBillikens.com at a later date for information on open practices and other fan-friendly events.

"We are certainly excited about the trip to Canada," SLU head coach Rick Majerus said. "A key benefit of the trip is that it provides us with an opportunity for 10 days of practice. We're excited to be able to work with our players, and we feel confident that each and every one of them can become significantly better during that practice time by virtue of the individual attention we will be able to devote to them."

The first of the five exhibition games takes place Monday, Aug. 22, in Windsor, Ontario, located just across the border from Detroit, Mich. SLU faces the University of Windsor at 6 p.m. (CT) at the 2,500-seat St. Denis Centre on Windsor's campus.

SLU then heads east to London, Ontario, where it faces the University of Western Ontario Tuesday, Aug. 23. Game time at Alumni Hall is slated for 6 p.m. (CT).

Next, the Billikens head east through Ontario to Ottawa for three games against Carleton University Aug. 25-27. Those games will be played on campus as well, with times and ticket information to come.

"We will be competing against the Duke of Canadian basketball, Carleton University," Majerus said. "We are also going to face the University of Windsor and the University of Western Ontario, two teams the University of Kentucky played last year on its Canadian trip. All three teams are extraordinarily coached by Chris Oliver (Carleton), Dave Smart (Windsor) and Brad Campbell (Western Ontario).

"This is a great springboard into next season," Majerus continued. "We are so excited because right now we anticipate that 13 scholarship players will make the trip to Canada. It will be an educational and cultural endeavor. The Saint Louis Billikens are the beneficiaries of what figures to be a wonderful experience in life and on the court."

The Billikens return all five starters and all but two letterwinners from last year's squad. Sophomore guard Mike McCall led the team in scoring as a freshman last year, pumping in 10.4 ppg while also dishing out 93 assists. Senior forward Brian Conklin was second on the squad in scoring (8.7 ppg) and rebounding (4.3 rpg). Atlantic 10 Conference All-Rookie forward Dwayne Evans hauled in a team-best 6.5 rpg.

SLU also welcomes back junior guard Kwamain Mitchell, who redshirted a year ago. In 2009-10, Mitchell collected second-team All-Conference plaudits after tallying 15.9 ppg. Incoming freshman center John Manning and redshirt sophomore guard Jake Barnett, who sat out last season after transferring from Toledo, will be eligible to suit up for the Billikens in Canada.

Ticket information for the 2011-12 season can be obtained by visiting SLUBillikens.com or calling the Billiken Ticket Office at (314) 977-4SLU

Canadian Exhibition Tour
Monday, Aug. 22 vs. University of Windsor (Windsor, Ontario)
Tuesday, Aug. 23 vs. University of Western Ontario (London, Ontario)
Thursday, Aug. 25 vs. Carleton University (Ottawa, Ontario)
Friday, Aug. 26 vs. Carleton University (Ottawa, Ontario)
Saturday, Aug. 27 vs. Carleton University (Ottawa, Ontario)