February 26, 2020

Voyageurs Gray continues to rise the all-time ranks with latest Player of the Year selection

Burlington, Ont. – Another year, another award for one of the most decorated players in Ontario University Athletics history. A third consecutive Player of the Year nod for the Laurentian superstar headlines a competitive campaign on the court, as both the Voyageurs and Carleton Ravens claim multiple accolades as part of the 2019-20 OUA men’s basketball major award winners and all-stars.

Player of the Year – Kadre Gray, Laurentian Voyageurs

The accolades continue to pour in for Kadre Gray, as the Laurentian Voyageurs star has added yet another chapter to his impressive university career. The senior guard has now reeled off his fourth major award, claiming his third consecutive Player of the Year selection in the OUA after earning top rookie honours in his debut season.

The Toronto, Ont. native was once again at the forefront of Laurentian’s success, buoying the team to a consistent place among the country’s ranked representatives. Not only did he help make his team a mainstay on the national stage, but himself as well. He led the country in scoring with 23.8 points per game, while finishing second in passing at 6.5 assists per contest. He was also adept at getting to the free throw line, once again topping the country with 174 makes, connecting at a 91.6 FT% clip (3rd in U SPORTS). The two-time OUA Male Athlete of the Year rounded out another multi-dimensional campaign with 6.5 rebounds per outing.

More than just this season being a statistical success for the decorated veteran, Gray added to what has become an illustrious post-secondary career on hardwood. Thanks to his 29-point performance against the Queen’s Gaels on February 7, Gray became just the fourth male player to eclipse 2,000 points in OUA history. By season’s end, Gray took over the second spot on the all-time provincial scoring list, sitting at 2,072 points in just four years.

Defensive Player of the Year – Lock Lam, Lakehead Thunderwolves

While no one was better than Gray on the offensive end of the court, it was Lakehead’s Lock Lam that stood out defensively, proving to be one of the most effective rim protectors anywhere in the country. Lam’s affinity for the block set him up with a slew of individual accolades on the season and helped him cap off his junior year with the OUA Defensive Player of the Year selection.

Lam’s impact was felt in many facets of the game, including on offence where he chipped with 13.5 points per game and on the glass. When it comes to the latter, the Ottawa, Ont. native was one of the best in the business, pulling down 9.2 rebounds per game (8th in OUA) including a second-best total of 157 on the defensive end, but rim protection was Lam’s true calling card.

The paint was certainly locked down with Lam on the floor, as he produced an unparalleled 3.5 blocks per contest to lead the nation. His 77 total rejections on the year put him more than 30 clear of the next closest shot-blocker in Canada, which was just the tip of iceberg for the gifted forward. Lam’s lofty numbers broke three Lakehead ball control records this season, including most blocks in a season, most career blocks (131) – a number he reached after only playing two seasons (46 games) – and most blocks in one game. The final feat was the epitome of defensive dominance, as he turned away nine shot attempts from Queen’s in his team’s regular season finale. All-told, Lam registered 18 games with multiple blocked shots, including six contests with at least five swats.

Rookie of the Year – Lloyd Pandi, Carleton Ravens

The only team to top Lam’s Thunderwolves in the OUA ranks this season was the Carleton Ravens, who soared to the nation’s number one seed all season long. While the Ravens have long found their success with a talented and deep cast of characters, one of their newest additions was able make a name for himself in a big way for the reigning OUA and U SPORTS champions. And for his on-court efforts, Lloyd Pandi has been named the 2019-20 Rookie of the Year.

Finishing just outside the top 20 in conference scoring, Pandi was no stranger to point production on the year. He started his post-secondary journey with an 18-point outing against Waterloo and would go on to produce double-digit scoring in all but one of the games he suited up for this season. His 16.1 points per game, which included five nights of 20+ points, paced the top-ranked Ravens and he did so while also registering a team-high 22.8 minutes of court time. A big part of Pandi’s success on offence was his efficiency, as the all-rookie and first team all-star selection was successful on a U SPORTS-leading 66.1% of his field goal attempts.

In addition to Pandi’s team-leading numbers on offence, the Ottawa, Ont. native also buoyed the black birds in rebounding (6.3 RPG) – with nearly half coming on the offensive glass (3.1; 5th in OUA) – and blocks (0.7 BLK/G), showcasing an all-around skill-set that goes well beyond someone just arriving on the university scene.

Coach of the Year – Taffe Charles, Carleton Ravens

Just like the Ravens are no strangers to successful players, they are also familiar with high-calibre coaching, something that they received from their new bench boss, Taffe Charles, this season. After leading the Ravens’ women’s team to lofty heights over his 12 years at the helm, he successfully transitioned into his new role with the men’s contingent en route to an OUA Coach of the Year selection in his debut season.

The former Ravens player jumped right into his new role and led Carleton to a 21-1 record. With only the one blemish on an otherwise spotless record, the Ravens were a mainstay at the top of the national ranks, never wavering from the country’s No. 1 seed. With Charles at the helm, the team’s reign as the most dominant on both ends of the floor remained well intact, as they poured in a naton-best 97.8 points per contest, while holding the opposition to just 63.5. To help them achieve these grand numbers, Charles’ crew reeled off OUA-leading ranks in field goal percentage (50.9), three-point percentage (38.3), rebound margin per game (12.7) and turnovers per contest (10.5).

While this marks the first time that Charles has garnered the recognition for his current role, he is no stranger to the accolade overall, having earned the distinction as the women’s coach of the year two years prior – the second such selection of his career after an East Division nod in 2009-10 – when he led his team to an undefeated season as both OUA and U SPORTS champions.

Ken Shields Award – Litha Ncanisa, Laurentian Voyageurs

On-court contributions have once again thrust several individuals into the spotlight, and while Litha Ncanisa has advanced his game on the hardwood, it is the undeniable community contributions from the Laurentian product that have helped him shine brightest this season and earn him the 2019-20 Ken Shields Award.

Among additional involvement, including an active role with Laurentian’s Read to Achieve program, Ncanisa’s biggest mark comes as the co-founder – along with teammate Gray and assistant coach Hediyeh Karimian – of ULU (Uluntu = Humanity, Lungisa = Justice, Usawa = Equity). The organization is one that the trio thought should be in place based on their observations and personal experiences of inequality within the justice system, education, workplaces, and social constructs of racialized minorities.

The native of Cape Town, RSA remains focused on empowering and encouraging people to stand up against discrimination and has spread this message across several audiences. Through ULU, Ncanisa has been a part of visits to several schools and businesses, has helped facilitate workshops and presentations, and will be one of the keynote speakers at this year’s Greater Sudbury Police Services Year-End Gala. Within opportunities like these, the fourth-year law and justice major has shared his own experiences as a minority and advocates for the continued education and open conversation surrounding these inequalities.

Officials Award of Merit – Tony Turnbull

From those who have excelled between the whistles to those making the calls, the Officials Award of Merit goes to Tony Turnbull, who has been called upon to officiate not only some of the biggest games in the OUA, but across a number of high profile leagues during his career.

Turnbull, who is set to officiate the upcoming U SPORTS Men’s Final 8 in Ottawa, has also taken on the role for events like the 2019 Canadian Elite Basketball League Final Four, several OCAA and CCAA men’s championships, and a pair of U SPORTS women’s championships. A member of last year’s OUA Wilson Cup crew and veteran part of postseason officiating crews for over 15 years, Turnbull is now a multi-time winner of the conference honour.

In addition to these major award recipients are a collection of fellow phenoms from the hardwood, who turned in all-star campaigns for their respective schools, the complete list of which is below.

Major Award Winners

Player of the Year – Kadre Gray, Laurentian

Defensive Player of the Year – Lock Lam, Lakehead

Rookie of the Year – Lloyd Pandi, Carleton

Ken Shields Award – Litha Ncanisa, Laurentian

Coach of the Year – Taffe Charles, Carleton

Officials Award of Merit – Tony Turnbull

First Team All-Stars (presented by Wilson)

Kadre Gray, Laurentian

Calvin Epistola, Ottawa

Tevaun Kokko, Ryerson

Lloyd Pandi, Carleton