CALGARY – The youth movement continues for the University of Calgary Dinos men's basketball team as head coach Dan Vanhooren enters his 14th season at the helm.
Though there's a core of veteran faces, there are seven new players on the 14-man roster. With that youth has come inconsistency throughout non-conference play, but Vanhooren knows he has a talented roster that has the potential to challenge the top teams in the conference once they come together.
The Dinos went 2-4 over two weekends of non-conference play, defeating McMaster and Westminster College (Utah) while falling by just two to Cape Breton in their home tournament at the Calgary Cup.
Unquestionably, the team's go-go guy will be fourth-year point guard Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson. The Winnipeg native averaged nearly 21 points per game for the Dinos last year and earned first-team all-star status in Canada West, and his veteran savvy, leadership, and solid play on both ends of the court will be the foundation of anything the Dinos are able to accomplish this season.
Ogungbemi-Jackson is joined in the backcourt by talented newcomer Josh Turner, who has the potential to crack the top-five in conference scoring. Veterans Josh Owen-Thomas and Matt Letkeman are back and will provide additional leadership to the squad, while Vanhooren brought in transfer Philip Barndt from Rocky Mountain College in Montana to help shore up the forward group. Clay Mulumba Mbayi is also back up front, and he'll look to overcome the injuries that have plagued his career and limited his playing time over the last two seasons.
"Josh can be a game-changer, for sure," said Vanhooren. "He's a very talented freshman, and once he gets some more sense on the floor he's going to be a great player in this league. I'm also looking for Matt Letkeman to have a breakout year. He's back after his first full off-season in forever, and if he can stay out of foul trouble he'll be an important guy for us."
The Dinos open conference play this weekend when they head on the road to face Trinity Western and Fraser Valley. Calgary begins its home schedule the following week when the Winnipeg Wesmen visit the Jack Simpson Gym Nov. 8-9.
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