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Three Canucks seek two spots
BASKETBALL: The London Lightning expect to name 10 of 12 players by Thursday
Last Updated: October 11, 2011 8:08pm
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- 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.
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