Canadian University National Championship
 

...final weekend is this weekend.

In fact, the gold medal game is starting as I type.

If you can believe it, the Carlton Ravens (from Ottawa) are 5-time repeat national champions. For the past 24 years, the final weeked has been held in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This year, the final weekend is being played in Ottawa, the venue not far at all from Carlton University.

The semi-finals saw Acadia University (AUS finalists) defeat the dynasty Ravens in the second semi, in double overtime! Late it 2OT, an unfortunate situation happened. A shot taken near the end of the shot clock's count did not hit the rim. It was the minor officials that had to tell the on-court officials of such. The basket scored after the rebound was waived off, and the foul on this shot was not recorded either. Good job on the table crew!

In ironic fashion, Acadia (80 minutes from Halifax) had to travel to Ottawa (Carlton's home city) to have a good chance to win the national title. The other team is St.Catharine's, Ontario's Brock Badgers. The joke about Brock is that "if you can walk and talk, you can get into Brock."

Congrats to the officials Mike Thomson, Cam Moskal, and Pierre Marion for the assignment. The first two are international-carded FIBA officials, Mike with Olympic experience and Cam with Commonwealth Games experience. Pierre is a national evaluator. I've been to 2 national camps with Pierre as an evaluator and he is second to none. Also at the camp with me was Cam and it was plainly obvious that he's in a league of his own while at the camp.

Mike was an evaulator at a camp I went to in Spokane, Washington about 3 years ago. He is a fantastic evaluator and a great guy as well. I have never seen him officiate, but I have heard that he is a stud.

60 - 60 with 2:12 to play. Acadia with the ball.

62 - 60 Brock, with the ball and 1:10 to play.

Acadia on the line for 2. Made the first. Not the second. Held ball.... arrow to Acadia. TO with 0:52.7 left.

Brock by 3. Acadia TO with 0:07 to go. Under FIBA rules, TOs under 2:00 in Q4 go to division line opposite the table.

Acadia steps OOB trying to get open for the 3. Game over. Brock... WOW! Who would have guessed?

Stories do make their way east about some of the west vets doing camps in the US. I'm glad to hear he did his job well.

Not outdoors, I hope. :eek:

LOL Nope.... but Canada did just close the Arctic Winter Games 2008, with some games outside. I think speed igloo building was introduced this year. :D

I know some folks who went to the Arctic Games....all volunteer, no game fees or travel or anything, though they take pretty good care of you up there, apparently.

Mike Thomson is a great official, and a really nice guy.

Moskal is presence personified. He's big and uses his size to his advantage, and calls a great game. I thought he was going to the Olympics soon too?

If "they" were smart... :p

That makes sense. They want to get out of the cold as quickly as possible.