University of Toronto basketball coach is from Woodstock, while Guelph's bench boss hails from Tillsonburg
OUA exhibition game scheduled for Oct. 22 at St Mary's High School
By
Mark Schadenberg
Sometimes
rivalries are created by geography, sometimes from playoff past experiences
(Blue Jays versus Rangers), or perhaps due to player connections.
In
Ontario University Association (OUA) men’s basketball a rivalry will be renewed
on Saturday, Oct 22 at St Mary’s High School in Woodstock (2 p.m.) when the
Guelph Gryphons meet the Toronto Varsity Blues. Tickets are very economical at
$5 each.
The
affiliation or relationship here is that Guelph head coach Chris O’Rourke is
from Tillsonburg and Toronto bench boss John Campbell is from Woodstock.
I
remember Campbell playing basketball at WCI as I was a Red Devil back then too.
The
match is a fundraiser for Oxford Attack minor basketball and is also organized
by the Oxford basketball referees association.
TORONTO
BLUES
Last
year, Toronto Blues were 5-14 in the East Division, while the Gryphons were
9-10 in the Central Division, but last year’s statistics are not relevant as a
new season approaches and two Oxford County coaches want wins in a neutral site
game in Woodstock.
Both
squads begin their regular seasons on Saturday, Nov. 5 (Guelph at Western and
Toronto at Waterloo), so the Woodstock encounter is a final look at who should
be in the starting five and who might not make the squad at all.
John
Campbell is also well known due to the fact he is a second generation OUA coach
from Woodstock as his dad Peter (retired) was a long-time coach for both the Laurier
Golden Hawks and Laurentian Voyageurs.
John
Campbell is at his second school as head coach as he spent 11 years with the Dalhousie
Tigers, earning Atlantic conference coach of the year honours in 2010-11, and
earning two AUS conference championships.
The
16-17 season marks his 4th year at Toronto. Prior to Dalhousie, he
was coach for the Laurentian women’s team, winning two OUA titles.
He
has also been an assistant coach with Team Canada at the World University Games
on three occasions.
The
Blues were led last season by Devin Johnson and his 22.4 points per game, which
was 2nd in the OUA league. The 6-foot-5 forward from Ajax does return for a 5th season, so he will be a player to watch in Woodstock. Johnson also averaged 7.7
rebounds.
Daniel
Johansson, who is from Sweden, is a returning starter as a 6-foot-7 forward.
GUELPH
GRYPHONS
If
you’re impressed with the resume of John Campbell at U of T, check out the
biography of Guelph head coach Chris O’Rourke from Tillsonburg. O’Rourke has been
head coach of the Gryphons for 18 seasons.
O’Rourke
was a member of the 1989 OUA champion Gryphons as a player and regarded as one
of the best ever 3-point shooters as Guelph would earn two CIS silver medals
during his playing time.
O’Rourke
would coach at the OBA level in the off-season, including the provincial
juvenile boys’ team, and was an assistant coach of a bronze-medal U21 team at
the world championships.
Also
a second generation coaching standout, Chris’s dad Brian was an extremely
successful high school coach in Tillsonburg at Glendale.
In
offensive production, guards Taylor Boers (10.3 ppg), Jon Wallace (14.2) and
Daniel Dooley (12.7; 3.1 assists per game) are all 3rd-year veteran
players who led the team in scoring last season in the back court. Top forward
in scoring was another returning player in Ahmed Haroon at 11.9 ppg and 5.6
rebounds per game.
Wallace
was named team MVP at the school’s awards banquet.
Among
their other pre-season games was a narrow 84-76 loss to the NCAA Div 1 Univ of
Buffalo Bulls. Dooley led the Gryphons in that contest with 19.
Previously, the Guelph roster had more local content as Jack Beatty -- a Woodstock Collegiate Red Devils grad -- was a 5th year guard and second on the team in rebounds last season, but he has graduated and is now an assistant coach for Guelph.
Previously, the Guelph roster had more local content as Jack Beatty -- a Woodstock Collegiate Red Devils grad -- was a 5th year guard and second on the team in rebounds last season, but he has graduated and is now an assistant coach for Guelph.
Chris O'Rourke
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