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HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: Western event has some intriguing matchups
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.
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