The CMU men’s basketball team has announced the addition of Hapnot Collegiate’s Sam Kinsley for the 2013-14 season. The 6’5 post was recognized by the Manitoba Basketball Coaches Association earlier this year with the prestigious Carl Ridd Award, presented annually to one male and one female graduate, who excels on the court, in the classroom and is heavily involved in the community. A 2012 Provincial All-Star, Kinsley led Flin Flon’s Hapnot Kopper Kings the the 2013 ‘AAA’ MHSAA Provincial Championship Final where he was again honoured with the Player’s Choice Award and ‘AAA’ All-Manitoba First-Team selection. One of Kinsley’s greatest team achievements came last summer when as a member of the Provincial 17-under team, he captured the 2012 National Silver Medal in Sherbrooke, Quebec.
Outgoing head coach Darcy Coss was very involved in the recruiting of Kinsley to CMU, “Sam is a strong athlete who possesses a great motor and even greater size and versatility. He has the ability to score from multiple areas on the court and in many different ways. Sam is a great rebounder and can run the floor with the best, “explains Coss, “His overall athleticism and high character will be a major addition to CMU.”
Coss is only sorry that he will not have the opportunity to coach Kinsley at the college-level. The vacant head coaching position Coss left was not vacant for long. 2012 Manitoba Games coach and current coach with Linden Christian, Billy Isaac, accepted the offer to coach the Blazers last week.
Coss moves into a new opportunity with his project, StatTrackers, developed in 2012. The company was hired last month by the MCAC to provide and track comprehensive basketball statistics for the 2013-14 season.
After tipping-off in an at-home exhibition with Providence on September 27th, as part of CMU’s Fall Festival activities, Kinsley and the Blazers will travel to Edmonton to take part in their first-ever CIS-ACAC Alberta Showcase Tournament October 3-5. The tournament features both CIS and ACAC teams from from the Wild Rose Province. CMU will be the first team outside of Alberta accepted to compete in the major tournament.