AUS hoops tourney to celebrate the sport at all levels

BY JOHN DECOSTE

jdecoste@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

“One weekend, six teams, one champion.” This is how Atlantic University Sport is promoting this weekend’s ‘Final Six’ men’s basketball championship tournament.

The departure of the CIS championship from Halifax after 24 years leaves the AUS championship March 7-9 as the biggest game in town for AUS officials and they’re using the opportunity to celebrate and promote the sport of basketball at all levels.

At a Feb. 22 press conference at the Halifax Metro Centre (site of the championship weekend), AUS executive director Phil Currie announced that the ‘Final Six’ organizing committee is enhancing its relationship with Basketball Nova Scotia.

Minor basketball, and in particular the Steve Nash youth basketball program, will be featured prominently throughout the weekend.

The Metro League midget boys’ and girls’ championship finals will be played at the Metro Centre Saturday afternoon, March 8. Minor basketball teams or those affiliated with the Steve Nash program can take advantage of dicounted ticket prices through BNS.

“We’re looking forward to our best championship tournament in several years,” Currie said. “Our conference has proven to be extremely competitive this season, and any one of our top six teams could possibly walk away with the banner.”

In addition, thanks to the enhanced partnership with Basketball Nova Scotia, “fans will be exposed to the sport of basketball at all levels, from the ‘grassroots’ on up. It should truly be a celebration of the game, which is the underlying theme of this year’s event.”

This year’s tournament will return to the traditional Friday through Sunday format, with quarter-finals at 6 and 8:15 p.m. Friday, semi-finals at 6 and 8:15 p.m. Saturday and the championship at 2 p.m. Sunday.



Rainmen on hand, too

At halftime of Sunday’s final, Metro’s professional hoops team, the Halifax Rainmen of the American Basketball Association, will put on a demonstration and team members will be available to sign autographs.

Basketball Nova Scotia executive director Don Ehler, a Windsor native and Acadia graduate, said that some 1,200 youngsters aged six and seven are involved in Steve Nash youth basketball programs throughout Nova Scotia.

To help promote youth basketball, Ehler confirmed that any Steve Nash program or other minor basketball organization purchasing 10 tickets or more for the ‘Final Six’ will get their tickets for $5 apiece.

There will also be an opportunity for minor basketball players to participate in some of the halftime activities during the championship weekend. As well, anyone with tickets for

the March 8 semi-finals will be able to watch the Metro midget finals at no extra charge.

Currie also announced that former Memorial University stalwart (and current Halifax Rainmen team captain) Peter Benoite will serve as Honorary Chair for the ‘Final Six’.



‘Great ambassador’

“Peter has been a great ambassador for basketball both in his home province of Newfoundland and here in the Halifax community since joining the Rainmen,” Currie said. “We could think of no more appropriate way of recognizing his contributions.”

Benoit, an academic all-Canadian each of his five years at Memorial and a first-team athletic all-Canadian in 1996-1997, his final season with the SeaHawks, averaged 14.6 points per game and scored 1,429 points in his AUS career.

He’s a former recipient of the James Bayer Memorial Scholarship and was nominated for a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University in England. He played professionally in Germany and is currently in his first season with the Rainmen.

“This is a special celebration, and an honour for me to be chosen,” Benoite said. “I have great memories of this tournament,” having been involved as both a player and coach.

“I know that coaches, athletes and fans from all over Atlantic Canada will be treated to some outstanding basketball. I look forward to presenting the championship trophy to this year’s winner.”