For the women’s team, Eyer becomes team captain for the first time in her fifth and final season at Manitoba. Eyer, 22, played in all 22 conference regular season games in 2013-14 and was sixth in conference three-point made at 2.1 per game (22 games/46 made three points shots). The 5’7” guard for Winnipeg was third on the team in scoring with 9.0 points per game plus was first on the team in three point percentage at .404 and second on squad in free throw percentage with .909 last season.
Hynes talked about Eyer, “Robyn was a captain last year (assistant) and will continue to lead on and off the court as she leads by example. She plays and works hard while representing this team well during her fifth season with the Bisons.”
For the men, Walton, 27, is captain for the third consecutive season (after missing last season due to injury) while Ali, 21, is a captain for a second consecutive season and Anders, 23, is a first time captain. Walton did not see conference action last season but was 2012-13 Canada West Second Team All-Star at the guard position after leading the team and ninth in conference scoring with 17.3 points per game in 2012-13. Ali played in all 22 conference regular season games and was sixth in Canada West 3-point percentage at .418 during the 2013-14 season. Anders also played in all 22 conference games and was third on team in rebounding with 5.4 per game in 2013-14.
Schepp stated, “All three have solid leadership core values of what we want in student-athletes. They have emerged as leaders on and off the court and hold themselves plus their teammates to high standards.”
The conference season opens for both Bisons basketball teams at home against Trinity Western on the October 31-November 1 weekend at Investors Group Athletic Centre.
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2014-15 Bison Women’s Basketball Canada West Preview
General Info
Team: Manitoba Bisons
Name of Venue: Investors Group Athletic Centre
Head coach: Michel Hynes/1st year
Conference: Canada West
Quick Facts
2014 Canada West Pre-season coaches’ poll rank: #14
2013-14 Canada West Standings finish: 5-17, 8th in Prairie Division and T-13th place in Canada West
2014 Canada West Playoff: Did not qualified for playoffs
2014 CIS Nationals Placing: Did not qualified for CIS Nationals
Last Canada West Title: none
Last CIS Title: 1996-97 season
Key returnees: Robyn Eyer, Sheree Carmona-Galdamez, Stephanie Gill, Vanessa DeVries,
Key additions: Montana Kinzel
Key departures: Christiane Fischer, Morgan Cross
2014-15 Preview: For this season, the Bisons women’s basketball team will have a familiar face at head coach. Michele Hynes takes over permanently at the helm after two years as co-coach with Randy Kusano and looks to improve the culture for the BIsons.
Her goal early in her coaching career is to mold a team that will grow over the year and stick with the game plan. The squad might not win every time out but Hynes is placing emphasis also on development and experience playing at the conference level for the young squad in 2014-15 season.
The Bisons have a core group that returns from last season, which saw them improve on the win total from the previous season. The core starts with fifth year guard and team captain Robyn Eyer (last season: second in Canada West in three-point percentage), fifth year guard Sheree Carmona-Galdamez (last season: top Bison in scoring at 10.8 points per game), fifth year guard Stephanie Gill (last season: T-12th in Canada West in three-point made) and fifth year forward Vanessa DeVries (last season: second on Bisons in rebounding at 5.0 per game). In addition, fifth year forwards Samantha Pyke and Allison Balasko plus third year forward Rebecca Potter and sophomores Jenilyn Monton, Christina Posthumus and Claire Harvey will add depth to a lineup that can be versatile depending on the opponent.
A rookie that should make an immediate impact at Manitoba is 6’0” forward Montana Kinzel. Kinzel was the fourth ranked player in the province in the 2013-14 season playing for Linden Christian High School. Coming off a AAA provincial championship in 2012-2013, the AAA school competed in the AAAA division and Kinzel averaged 24 points, ten rebounds, three steals and three blocks per game as she guided her squad to a 26-5 record. She was selected as an AAAA Female All-Manitoba Team selection and Graduating All-Star Team MVP.
Hynes is looking for the team to control the tempo and have better shot selection on offence (more in the paint shots and less three points) while playing tough defence and keeping the scores in the 55-60 point range. She like the mix of veterans and enthusiasm of the young players that are focused on the process of being a better program with a competitiveness that will create a new culture.
This is a start of a new cycle for the Bison women’s basketball. They will be a tough team to play in the ultra-competitive new Pioneer division in Canada West this season.
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2014-15 Bison Men’s Basketball Canada West Preview
General Info
Team: Manitoba Bisons
Name of Venue: Investors Group Athletic Centre
Head coach: Kirby Schepp/6th year Conference: Canada West
Quick Facts
2014 Canada West Pre-season coaches’ poll rank: #9
2013-14 Canada West Standings finish: 6-16, T-6th in Prairie Division and T-12th place in Canada West
2014 Canada West Playoff: Did not qualified for playoffs
2014 CIS Nationals Placing: Did not qualified for CIS Nationals
Last Canada West Title: none
Last CIS Title: 1975-76 season
Key returnees: Stephan Walton, Wyatt Anders, Amir Ali, Andre Arruda, Justus Alleyn
Key additions: Jonathan Alexander, Alfreeman Flowers
Key departures: Dan Penner, Yigit Ozsayiner
2014-15 Preview: The Bison men’s basketball team looks to bounce back from a tough season outside of the playoffs in 2013-14. Last season, the team was dealt a huge blow as 2012-13 Canada West Second Team All-Star, captain and fifth year guard Stephan Walton was lost for the season just before conference play started.
The good news for Manitoba is that Walton is healthy and back to complete his fifth year in 2014-15. He continues to play at an all-star level already in the 2014 pre-season and will again by leaned upon to run the offence from the point guard position.
Along with Walton, there is a solid group that returns with other team captains fifth year forward Wyatt Anders ((last season: third on Bisons in rebounding at 5.4 per game) and fifth year guard Amir Ali (last season: sixth in Canada West in three-point percentage) providing experience and leadership on and off the court. In addition, sophomore players Andre Arruda (last season: top Bison in scoring at 13.8 points per game plus seventh in conference minutes played), who was 2013-14 CIS and Canada West All-Rookie Team selection, and Justus Alleyn (last season: third on team in minutes and sixth in team scoring at 6.9 ppg.) will continue to grown in year two. Fourth year guard Mike Holloway and third year guard AJ Basi both with see minutes and provide a spark on both sides of the ball.
Two new players at Manitoba should provide an impact and additional depth to the roster as third year forward Jonathan Alexander comes from Toronto and Tyler Junior College while fourth year forward Alfreeman Flowers played at Missouri Western State University before becoming a Bison.
Head coach Kirby Schepp, in his sixth year, feels this year’s edition is more athletic than last year and wants to play up-tempo basketball with scoring in the 90 point range. He is pleased with the balanced scoring with contributions from numerous players and solid defence shown so far during the pre-season.
The new Pioneer division provides top competition with ‘no nights off’ and Schepp stated that it will be intense every game and he “would be surprised, if we do not surprise teams this season.” Manitoba seeks to make it back to the playoffs in 2014-15.