CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The UPEI Panthers are ready to apply what they’ve been practising in a game situation.
The men’s basketball team gets that opportunity tonight when it plays the first game of its pre-season schedule on home court.
“It’s been a month of beating each other up, and we’re ready to see somebody different,” head coach Darrell Glenn said after Tuesday’s practice. “I know the guys are really looking forward to it.”
The field for the four-team Mickey Place memorial men’s basketball tournament at UPEI consists of Atlantic University Sport rivals, the Cape Breton Capers and Saint Mary’s Huskies, plus the Ottawa Gee-Gees from Ontario.
The Panthers will have a new look this year with about half of its roster being new to the team.
UPEI (6-14) finished in a three-way tie for sixth place last season but ended up in the basement of the eight-team conference due to the tie-breaking formula. It hasn’t made the playoffs since 2016, when it lost by a bucket to Dalhousie.
This year, Glenn sees the deepest and most competitive squad he has had since taking over the program for the 2017-18 season.
At Tuesday’s practice, the team was applying a lot of pressure defensively and it appears that will be one of the team’s keys to have success this season. The team wants to get up and down the floor and won’t be relying on one guy to be the focal point of the offence and drop 30 points a night on the opposition.
“That’s not our identity,” Glenn said.
“We’re going to need contributions from a lot of people, and I think we have enough people that can contribute that that shouldn't be a major issue.”
The team has added depth, particularly in the frontcourt, this season. Defensively, it wants to contain dribble penetration and force teams to make contested shots.
“We want to play with a lot of energy, and I think we have the group that can do that,” Glenn said.
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Schedule
A look at the men’s schedule for the Mickey Place Memorial Basketball Tournament at UPEI.
Today
4 p.m. – Cape Breton vs. Saint Mary’s.
8 p.m. – Ottawa vs. UPEI.
Saturday
4 p.m. – Ottawa vs. Saint Mary’s.
8 p.m. – Cape Breton vs. UPEI.
Sunday
11 a.m. – Ottawa vs. Cape Breton.
3 p.m. – Saint Mary’s vs. UPEI.
Note – The weekend also consists of the Breakfast of Champions with TV analyst Leo Rautins speaking on Saturday, plus a skills clinic for students. Both events are sold out. Rautins has been on the Canadian basketball scene for more than 30 years as a player, coach, broadcaster and ambassador of the game.
