The men’s and women’s basketball seasons could not have been more different. The women had a strong season from start to finish with only a few bumps on the road, while the men’s year was tumultuous, to say the least. The women made history by being the first Canadian school to win an NCAA playoff game, while the men probably got into the record books for most inactive players. The women’s season was the apple to the men’s moldy orange.
And although the two teams played drastically different seasons, there was one thing that tied them together: superstar performances from a few superstar players. Now, Justin Brown from the men’s side, and Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe and Kristina Collins from the women’s are being recognized by the GNAC for their incredible efforts this season.
Raincock-Ekunwe broke her own record this year by posting a near-unbelievable 22 double doubles. Considering the team played 27 games, that feat becomes all the more impressive. She finished second in the GNAC in points, but first in points-per-game; her 358 rebounds were first in the conference, and it wasn’t close (Seattle Pacific’s Nyesha Sims was second with 213). She was the proverbial immovable object for the Clan, borderline unstoppable around the hoop. There’s no doubt she’s the star of the team, if not the GNAC, and that wasn’t lost on her coach.
“Nayo is one of the best athletes in Division II basketball,” stated head coach Bruce Langford. “She has the ability to dominant games.”
As flattered as Raincock-
Ekunwe was to earn GNAC all-conference first-team honours, she wasn’t about to take all the credit herself.
“It’s a really big honour,” said Raincock-Ekunwe. “Being unanimously voted to be on the team from the other coaches feels great, but I think the team has improved a lot. Our shooting is a lot better, our teamwork is better, we play together, and a lot of people have stepped up this year whereas last year two or three players scored most of the baskets. Everyone came to play this year.”
One of those teammates who certainly came to play was point guard Kristina Collins. She didn’t make the GNAC first-team, but was given honourable mentions.
The secret’s out on Collins; one GNAC coach called her the best point guard in the league. She directs the offense, and her chemistry with Raincock-Ekunwe is undeniable. Her trademarked three-pointer is simply clutch, and has won games for the Clan.
“In my mind Kristina is more than an honourable mention,” added Langford. “She certainly is to our team. She is an integral part of our offence and much of what she does goes unnoticed. She led the league in threes and hit many of them at key times.”
In a season full of bright spots, these two shone brilliantly among the rest.
And while the men experienced a season of turmoil, Justin Brown was one key reason the team got as far as they did. He led the team (and finished fourth in the conference) with 17.6 points per game, and finished seventh in the GNAC in steals. He was a spark plug for a sputtering Clan engine, and despite a rough season, he graduates from the program on a high note.
“It feels good to be recognized and to know that my hard work on and off the court
paid off,” said Brown of his GNAC all-conference second-team honours.
“I certainly couldn’t have had success without the coaches and my teammates so I’m just really happy for
my whole team and the whole school.”
It’s a nice bit of light shed
on an otherwise pretty dark season for the men’s side, though things do look brighter as the team begins to prepare for next year.
Regardless, Brown, along with Raincock-Ekunwe and Collins, were special players for
their respective teams, and earned every bit of their newfound recognition.
