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By Dan Plouffe
In their first appearance in the provincial championships’ top division, the Gloucester Wolverines treated their hometown fans to a bronze medal win at the May 13-15 Ontario Cup U16 boys’ provincial basketball championships at Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School.
“I’m really proud of my guys,” signals Gloucester coach Carlson Blizzard. “They really came to play. I asked them to do it for their family and their club, and for coach Fabienne.”
Fabienne Blizzard, Carlos’ wife, was the coach who taught the Wolverines all the Xs and Os, Carlos notes. A tireless coach who wears many hats including Team Ontario, Fabienne was in Kingston the same weekend as the boys’ tournament in Ottawa to coach the Ottawa/Gloucester under-19 girls at the Junior Elite League of Ontario championship tournament, leading them to a 4th-place finish.
Fabienne’s impact was felt nonetheless as the Wolverines boys showed no panic in key moments of a tight bronze medal match against Scarborough, indicates Carlos, who says he had little coaching to do at the event thanks to her prior work.
In the final minute, cool-as-a-cucumber Paul Geddes nailed a three-pointer and a pair of free-throws as part of his team-high 13 points to pull the Wolverines ahead in the 76-69 contest.
“They killed it,” Carlos Blizzard says of his team’s efforts in the second half after trailing at the break, noting they stuck together through the difficult moments. “I’ve coached a lot of years, some groups were better than others, but these boys’ personalities – there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for them.”
Blizzard, also a football coach, says his team’s defensive desperation and depth were other principle keys to success.
“I could put anybody on the court,” highlights Blizzard, whose team received between 7-13 points from six players and 5 points from three more. “That’s how we beat these teams. We outrun their best eight players.”
The Wolverines lost 83-79 their opening game of pool play to the eventual champions – a group of GTA-based players competing under the same Guardsmen banner as the local club founded by Carleton Ravens coach Dave Smart.
Fifth-seeded Gloucester went on to beat York 78-65 and Waterloo 86-62 to reach the bronze medal match in their first appearance amongst the province’s top-8 teams in Div. 1.
“We proved on Friday night by playing Guardsmen close that we belong here,” Blizzard underlines, “and then the next two games proved that we were at the top.”
It was a solid showing all around for local basketball. Ottawa Next Level/Kanata Youth Basketball Association were silver medallists in Div. 2, the potential future Carleton Ravens with the Guardsmen won gold in the top tier with a 77-65 win over London in the final, and there was also Gloucester’s bronze.
“It’s a huge, huge accomplishment,” adds Blizzard, whose team came closest to winning a game against the champion team. “I’m really happy we came out with a medal.”
Notre-Dame CHS to pilot new elite academy
Backed by local basketball guru Tony House, a new boys’ basketball academy out of Notre-Dame High School will begin to operate in September 2016.
House – along with board of directors members Smart, former national team coach Leo Rautins, and past NBA player Milt Palacio – developed the program that will give high school players access to some of the top basketball coaches and training programs, and provide exposure to post-secondary recruiters by attending U.S. showcase events, they say in a media release.
The Ottawa Catholic School Board welcomed the initiative in response to an increasing demand for sports-specific training in high schools, the board notes.
“The CTA Board of Directors brings an unrivaled basketball credibility and experience to this project,” highlights House, who led his Ottawa Youth Basketball Academy Capitals to a U16 boys’ Div. 1 provincial title last season.
“All are committed to the goal of becoming the premier basketball academy in the world – to support and develop elite level basketball players to achieve their ultimate goals in basketball, academics and life,” House adds. “We have no doubt that this will grow into something very special for the Ottawa basketball community.”