It looks like J.C Richardson is back on the map.

The Aaron Redpath-Tyrell Samuels-Leon Alexander era came to a close in 2011, and it seems that a new crop is arising for the storm.

Lead by Pinky Lewis tournament MVP Marcus Ottey and his 26 points, J.C Richardson defeated a resilient Father Goetz team 74-66.

But it wasn’t just Ottey–who usually earns the headlines thanks to his combination of superb athleticism and grace. Instead, it was a full team effort on both ends of the floor that was able to secure the Ajax representative their first tournament championship of the young season.

Jusiah Chen (14) Tyler Ceasar (12), and Matthew McKail (11) chipped in with double-figure scoring respectively. In addition, cadet national team member Tyrell Leotaud was a main contributor all tournament, and is gradually breaking out of his shell.

For Father Goetz, it was two new faces in Marcos Clennon and Matthew Carating who lead with 22 apiece. Freddy Ibrahim added 13.

J.C Richardson Head Coach Mike McFetters believes that his team is beginning to gel, and is witnessing consistent improvement.

“Absolutely…I think we got better over the last week and I think we got better over this tournament,” he said.

“To be good, we’re going to have to have energy, so I was pretty impressed. That’s the best we’ve played so far this year.”

Naturally, it will take experiences such as this one for players to learn and adjust to their roles this early in the season. Jusiah Chen, a transfer point guard from Dunbarton has been thrown into the fire, and looks to be learning on the fly.

“It’s a little challenging when you bring in another guy from a different school and you hand him the one-spot,” said McFetters. “So I think they are starting to read off what he does, and he is starting to understand where to give people the ball.”

With that being said, this JCR team possesses no shortage of talent and has great room to grow throughout the rest of the season.

“It’s still early, you have to keep getting better every month, you can’t peak in November,” McFetters told NPH.

Having been there [OFSAA] a couple times before, McFetters hopes that his group will have a steady incline into March to be playing their best basketball when it matters most.

“We have tough teams that have OFSAA aspirations in our group; Pickering, Pineridge, Notre Dame, and even Dunbarton will want to have a say in it.”

For now, J.C Richardson will continue building to fulfill their own aspirations.

 

Pinky Lewis All-Stars

MVP: Marcus Ottey – JC Richardson

1st Team:

• Jesiah Chen – JC Richardson
• Marcos Clennon – Father Goetz
• Matthew Carating – Father Goetz
• Nicola Farkic – Cameron Heights
• Cormack Brown – Sarnia St.Pats

2nd Team

• Gene Spagnuolo – Villanova
• Chase Vassell – Pine Ridge
• Dalton Maceachera – Governor Simcoe
• Tevaun Kokko – Newmarket
• Martin Kulinich – Thornlea

3rd Team

• Daniel Passley – St. Martin
• Matt Elcock – Hamilton St.Mary’s
• Jordan Brathwaite – Bishop Reding
• TJ Lall – Galt
• Lucas Olstroon – St. Francis (St. Catharines)