The Brandon University Bobcats are pleased to announce the third recruit for the men’s basketball team for the upcoming season, in 6-foot-2 shooting guard Ryan Hawley of Winnipeg. Hawley is coming off an impressive senior varsity high school season in which he helped the Garden City Gophers to a Manitoba AAAA provincial title. Hawley spent his grade 12 season at Garden City after transferring from Kildonan East Collegiate. He transferred to the Gophers because of their basketball program, and the decision was a good one as they lost only three games all year en route to a provincial title, capped by an amazing final. The Gophers trailed the Sisler Spartans by 20 at the half before mounting an impressive come-back to win 87-84.
Hawley was also this year’s 3-point contest champion in the high school division of the annual University of Winnipeg Wesmen Classic. His experience and ability to shoot the ball made Bobcats head coach Gil Cheung want Hawley to be a part of his program.
"Ryan will add some outside shooting to our team right away and I think he has the potential to be a solid CIS player,” says Cheung. “He is a gym rat and loves the game. He will have a great opportunity to learn and develop under some of our returnees as well."
After talking to a few small colleges, when Hawley took a call from Cheung, it didn’t take long for him to make up his mind.
“I’d been in contact with a few colleges, but after hearing from Coach Cheung and what he had to say I knew I wanted to be a Bobcat,” said Hawley via telephone from his home in Winnipeg.
“The fact that it’s a great program with great players, and it’s just two hours down the road from home made it an easy decision,” Hawley added.
“My parents would want me to say I’m excited for the education, and of course I am, but I’m just really excited to play for Brandon, I’ve heard they have great fans, they’re a very good team, and I’m excited to get there and get started,” Hawley concluded.