Written By Tristan Forde
With the anticipation of the upcoming U SPORTS basketball season lingering in the air, echoes of last season's events still resonate in the hearts of basketball fans.
The 2022-23 campaign featured a pair of Player of the Year winners in Sarah Gates and Thomas Kennedy, who showcased the unlimited talent that exists north of the border.
The men's national championship game was one for the ages, with some even going as far as saying it was the greatest basketball game to be played on Canadian soil. Not to mention, the Carleton Ravens became the first program to capture both the women’s and men’s U SPORTS national titles since 1985.
As the dawn of a new U SPORTS season approaches, nothing stirs up basketball fans like predictions, particularly when it comes to forecasting division and conference winners.
With that said, let’s dive into the women’s side of things and explore a few possibilities for the upcoming season.
1. The Alberta Pandas Win Canada West
The Alberta Pandas made a considerable push during last season's national tournament, where they lost in the semifinal to the Queen's Gaels. The Pandas went on to win in the bronze medal game and sent Saint Mary’s packing.
With Claire Signatovich returning for what could be her final season, she provides the Pandas with leadership and elite defence. Signatovich is coming off of a season where she was named U SPORTS Defensive Player of the Year and was an absolute force on the glass.
Jenna Harpe and Morgan Harris are returning to the Pandas as well, and will be two critical pieces to the team's success.
Harpe had a fantastic showing at last year's national tournament, earning herself a spot on the tournament all-star team. Harris, on the other hand, will be at the center of much attention as there will be a need for her to step up and be a reliable scoring option for the Pandas, especially with the departure of leading scorer Emma Kary.
There will be no shortage of competition for Alberta in 2023-24, with Saskatchewan and Regina chomping at the bit to take down the Pandas.
However, they are a battle-tested team that has proven they can win games when it matters most.
2. Jade Belmore Wins U SPORTS Player of the Year
When discussing elite talents in U SPORTS basketball, it is almost impossible to leave Jade Belmore out of the conversation.
All signs point to Belmore having a tremendous season. The Regina native led the Cougars to the playoffs last season, where they suffered an unfortunate early exit at the hands of the Calgary Dinos.
But, Belmore had an awe-inspiring 2022-23 campaign, finding herself in the top ten in the country in PPG, RPG, APG, while being named a Second Team All-Canadian.
Over the summer, Belmore was also chosen to play for Canada U23 in the annual GloblJam tournament. Being the only U SPORTS player on the roster, Belmore was surrounded by numerous NCAA talents such as Miami’s Shy Day-Wilson and Michigan State’s Isaline Alexander. The experience Belmore gained playing with, and against, some of the world top U23 talent figures to provide her with an extra edge this season.
3. Carleton Runs it Back
While questions loom about Carleton’s depth in the post after the departure of Emma Kieskamp, the defending national champions still look like the best team in the country.
Kali Pocrnic, who many consider to be the best point guard in the country, is returning for her fourth season and looked dominant throughout preseason play. Despite being slightly undersized, Pocrnic is an elite 3-level scorer and a brilliant facilitator who throws her body on the line play after play, taking charges and disrupting passing lanes.
Jacqueline Urban returns for her second season with the Ravens and will be an essential piece for Carleton. Urban had a fantastic rookie season, racking up multiple awards, including OUA Rookie of the Year, Canadian Rookie of the Year, OUA All-Rookie Team and Canadian All-Rookie Team.
Former OUA Defensive Player of the Year Tatyana Burke is returning to the Ravens after a year abroad. Burke only makes this team more challenging to deal with; she provides Carleton with not only elite defence but also another viable scoring option.
With a supporting cast that includes OUA Third Team Dorcas Buisa, Kyanna Jade-Poulin and Zerina Duvnjak, who have now got a taste of winning a national title, the Ravens remain the favourite to win the national tournament.
Now, let’s look at some early predictions for the men’s side.
1. UVic Goes Back-To-Back In Canada West
The UVic had as impressive of a season as any last year, finishing the regular season ranked second in the nation, and all signs point to them replicating that this season.
The nation's leading scorer, Diego Maffia, is returning for his fourth season with the Vikes. Maffia averaged nearly 25 PPG last season, earning him the Canada West Player of the Year award and a spot on the First Team All-Canadian roster.
Maffia played for the Vancouver Bandits in the CEBL this summer, where he was the franchises fourth-leading scorer in his rookie season.
Returning to the Vikes this season are 2022-23 All-Canadian Renaldo Robinson and third-year guard Elias Ralph, who can both score the ball at impressive slips and will be crucial to Victoria's success.
Through the preseason, the Vikes have looked like the best team in the conference, losing only to NCAA teams and getting big wins over opponents such as Alberta and Carleton.
As the season begins, Canada West is Victoria’s to lose.
2. Ottawa Is The Best Team In The OUA East
If you’ve been paying attention for the last few seasons, you’ve probably noticed that the OUA East is stacked with competition.
A division that is home to Ottawa, Carleton and Queen’s, three powerhouses that all made an appearance at the national tournament last year.
While Ottawa won the OUA championship last season and placed third at nationals, they weren't considered the best team in the OUA East throughout the season.
This season, however, it is hard to argue Ottawa isn’t the best, given the fact that they have the best-looking roster top to bottom.
While Carleton has a younger, more inexperienced core, Ottawa has plenty of veterans returning.
The talented pairing of Cole and Brock Newton is back for their third season with the Gee-Gees. The Newton brothers can score points in bunches when they are hot and play defence at a high level.
Veteran guard Kevin Otoo is returning to Ottawa and will be a crucial leader and energy player for the Gee-Gees.
Third-year transfer Khalifa Koulamallah joins Ottawa from Carleton. Koulamallah is a talented scorer and makes an excellent addition to the Gee-Gee backcourt.
Justin Ndjock-Tadjore joins the team from St. Bonaventure (NCAA) bringing size and athleticism, which the team lost with the departure of Guillaume Pepin.
The OUA East will no doubt continue to be a highly competitive division in 2023-24, but ahead of the season, Ottawa looks poised to be at the top.
3. TMU Makes An Appearence At The National Tournament
Many may view this as a hot take, but don’t be surprised to see TMU at the U SPORTS national tournament come March, especially considering both teams in the OUA championship move on to nationals, plus a wild card spot that often goes to an OUA team.
TMU had a respectable 14-8 season last year, where they made a playoff appearance and lost in a one-point thriller to Ottawa in the OUA quarterfinals.
This season, the Bold have arguably the best backcourt duo in U SPORTS with Aaron Rhooms and David Walker.
Walker played for Scarborough Shooting Stars in the CEBL this summer, averaging 10 PPG.
Rhooms on the other hand, represented Canada U23 in the GloblJam tournament.
Rhooms and Walker are an athletic duo that can score on all 3-levels and will be a one-two punch that'll be difficult to contain.
Forwards Simon Chamberlain and Lincoln Rosebush are a frontcourt pairing that will look to dominate in the OUA this season. Rosebush, at 6’10, brings size and rim protection to the Bold. Chamberlain can stretch the floor and knock down timely buckets when needed.
The big question about TMU is, can they play strong team defence for 40 minutes?
If they can, their chances in the OUA look favourable.