Vaughan Voyageurs Rise to New Heights, Repeat As OFSAA Champions in Complete Team Effort!

NPH TOP PERFORMERS

Vaughan

• Henry Tan- 23 points

• Justin Jackson- 8 points

OTTAWA,ON–In the dictionary, the word team is defined as “A number of persons associated together in work or activity.”

However, the Vaughan Voyageurs are not just associated, they are practically family.

In speaking with parents after the game, NPH discovered that this core group has been together since the age of six playing for the same club team (St. David’s) and growing in unison.

At the 2011-2012 AAAA OFSAA championships which took place in Ottawa, Ontario, the Voyageurs exemplified the definition of team as they rolled through the competition en route to their back-to-back OFSAA championship, defeating Eastern Commerce 86-51.

The deep roster was used efficiently used, despite losing a major piece in Andrew Wiggins this season.

Henry Tan, Troy Reid-Knight, Roshane Roberts and Cy Samuels all played significant roles at some point throughout the tournament, yet Gymnopoulos admits it wasn’t always easy to mesh, especially in the beginning of the season.

“Guys weren’t happy at all at times, but that’s part of the growing process and at the same time you try to teach them that it’s a luxury to have a deep team…everyday in practice you are being challenged because all 14 guys can ball.”

Roshane Roberts, a name not usually talked about was a major reason for Vaughan’s success as he elevated his game to new heights through the championships. Cy Samuels, who grew up with Roberts tells NPH about his team mate’s production.

“Honestly, I’ve been playing with Roshane since we were little kids and he’s always been working hard. People always underestimated him and he always said he wanted to work hard to prove himself and this year he really stepped up.”

Roberts shot the ball at a high percentage all tournament including a 23-point performance in the quarter-final game against Marial Shayok and St. Patrick’s.

The team came into the season with some growing pains, struggling to make it click. However as the regular season progressed, so did their performance.

“After winning this tournament last year, we came into this season a little too over confident so that was a huge challenge, but we worked through it and we did it,” said Gymnopoulos.

I suppose the only question left to ask is…three-peat?
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