CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Basketball has been growing in interest everywhere in Canada thanks to the success of the Toronto Raptors but it just hasn’t caught on here yet as it should.
Island hoop fans can get a chance to see the best basketball in the region Monday at 2 p.m. at Eastlink Centre when the Island Storm entertains the first-place Moncton Magic, the defending National Basketball League of Canada champs.
The Storm, the highest-scoring team in the circuit, has the two best guards in the league in Alex Campbell and Johnathan Loyd and they accounted for 57 total points in Sunday’s 136-97 rout of the visiting Windsor Express, who dumped Moncton by 10 points the following night in New Brunswick.
Point guard Devin Sibley, who was recently with Halifax, has been added to the Storm and he comes with impressive credentials, so Island fans should get a look at what he can do as well.
There’s no love lost between Moncton head coach Joe Salerno and the Storm, where he started his pro coaching career. Moncton has talent with Corey Allmond, Billy White, Denzell Taylor and Wayne McCullough. This should be a thriller, so let’s get out and support the Storm.
Hockey
It’s been quite a week for Islanders that were born on the other side of the Hillsborough Bridge as they’ve been making news in the NHL and internationally.
Goaltender Drew MacIntyre, who has seen NHL action and been a standout in every league he’s played in, is now stopping pucks in the top pro hockey league in Japan. He is in the middle of the playoffs and in his most recent outing stopped 65 shots in a 1-0 overtime loss to Seoul, South Korea. The six-team league includes teams from Russia, Japan and South Korea.
On the NHL front, and also from Stratford, Zack MacEwen scored a goal – a beauty on a quick release – helping the Vancouver Canucks dump Nashville on Monday. Good news as well from over the bridge as Stratford resident and Dalhousie, N.B., native Gordie Dwyer has landed the head coaching job with the Shawinigan Cataractes in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
New York Islanders Ross Johnston of Suffolk and Noah Dobson of Summerside both looked good as the Isles upset Washington 5-3 on Monday. What was notable was Johnston’s strong skating and speed, which he has improved. Dobson gets better every game, making the Islanders a tough opponent to play against, helped in part by head coach Barry Trotz, who stresses responsibility in your own end first.
It’s great to see our Islanders in the playoff hunt.
Also in hockey news, the sixth annual para ice hockey tournament gets underway today at Crapaud with the P.E.I. Ice Breakers meeting Cape Breton in the 1:30 p.m. opener. One of the standouts for the Island team is Jillian Dunphy, who I see every Saturday at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park (CDP) and at all the Charlottetown Islander junior games.
Best of luck Jillian.
In Kensington today and Sunday, the best major midget hockey players in New Brunswick and P.E.I. will be competing in the first showcase tournament, which will attract hockey scouts from all across the region.
Luke Beck’s much-improved Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Knights play at 4 p.m. today against the Saint John Vitos while at 7:30 p.m. the Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild entertains the Northern Moose.
The Knights have been led by guys like Simon Hughes, Colby Huggan and Max Chisolm while the high-powered, Kyle Dunn-coached Wild has much more firepower with the likes of Austin Arsenaut, Alex Graham, Donovan Arsenault,Sam MacNeill and Landon Clow.
On the NHL front, it looks like neither the Toronto Maple Leafs nor the Montreal Canadiens will make the playoffs this spring. The Habs will be without Shea Weber for the remainder of the season, which will put an end to their slim playoff hopes while the high-scoring Leafs have less than a 50-50 chance of making it to post-season. The Leafs, already without Morgan Rielly, lost lost speedster Andreas Johnsson with a knee injury in Thursday’s 3-2 loss to Dallas. They have a tough schedule down the stretch, which could mean they’ll be on the sidelines come playoff time.
Harness racing
Meridian Farms owner Bill Andrew purchased seven head at the Ohio Blooded Horse Sale earlier this week with two being trot mares. Ontario-based trainer Patrick Shepherd also purchased three pacers for his Ontario stable.
A week ago at Mohawk, Lisburn posted a sharp 1:51:1 score for owner Kevin Harvey and driver Louie Philippe Roy in a $14,000 pace. In the $32,000 top class, So Much More (James MacDonald) came from far back, closing in 26:2, to upset Easy Lover Hanover and eight others in a sizzling 1:50:2.
At Mohawk tonight, Lisburn moves up to the $21,000 class and has Post 3 in Race 9 against the likes of Physicallyinclined and Oceanview Magnum, who won his last start versus $20,000 claimers in 1:55:1. Also at Mohawk, James MacDonald handles So Much More in the $36,000 top class against Easy Lover Hanover and seven others.
At Yonkers on Thursday night, Getting Messi was third in 1:58 in a $20,000 conditioned trot.
Red Shores marketing and brands manager Lee Drake says CDP will be hosting the Atlantic Regional Driving Championship on Saturday, June 13. Mark this date on your calendar or on your phone.
Fred MacDonald's column appears every Saturday in The Guardian. He can be reached at [email protected].
