SASKATOON, Sask. - This Friday at the Jack Simpson Gymnasium in Calgary, the University of Saskatchewan men's basketball team is set to return to the court and tip off the 2024-25 regular season. The Huskies will take on the UofC Dinos in a two-night doubleheader in a matchup between the No.8 and No. 3-ranked teams in the preseason coaches poll.
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2023-24 Recap
Regular Season: 13-13 (11-9) / 9th in Canada West
CW Playoffs: 0-1 / Lost to BDN 55-62 in CW Play-In
CW Team Ranks: Offence - 14th (72.2 PPG) / Defence - 5th (74.8 PAPG)
Regular Season Leaders (
RETURNING):
  Points -
Easton Thimm (195)
  Rebounds -
Easton Thimm (169)
  Assists -
Emmanuel Bonsu (47)
  Steals -
Emmanuel Bonsu (20)
  Blocks -
Ryker Wuttke (15)
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2024-25 Canada West Coaches Poll
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| 1. |
uVic Vikes |
10. |
Lethbridge Pronghorns |
| 2. |
UBC Thunderbirds |
11. |
UFV Cascades |
| 3. |
Calgary Dinos |
12. |
Brandon Bobcats |
| 4. |
Winnipeg Wesmen |
13. |
TRU Wolfpack |
| 5. |
Manitoba Bisons |
14. |
UBCO Heat |
| 6. |
Alberta Golden Bears |
15. |
MRU Cougars |
| 7. |
Regina Cougars |
16. |
UNBC Timberwolves |
| 8. |
Saskatchewan Huskies |
17. |
MacEwan Griffins |
| 9. |
TWU Spartans |
|
|
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Friday, November 1 marks the beginning of a 20-game campaign for the Huskies who are set to compete among 17 programs from across Western Canada for admittance into the 2025 conference playoffs. This season the Dogs will be tested early, as they face off with the Calgary Dinos, voted 3rd in the conference coaching poll, before hosting the No. 6-ranked Alberta Pandas in the 3rd week of regular season action. The defending champs will also close out the campaign with a test just before the playoffs as they take on the Regina Cougars in the a U-Prairie Challenge matchup, resented by SaskMilk.
This year's regular season will also follow format changes, featuring the 17 programs split into two divisions for an increased focus on regional rivalries. At the conclusion of the regular season, seven teams from the Prairie Division and ive from the Pacific will advance to the conference playoffs which have reverted to a multi-site format in 2024-25. The top four seeds will host play-in and quarterfinal matches on Feb. 21 and 22, followed by semifinals on Feb. 28 and March 1. The Canada West season will then culminate in a Championship game on March 7 or 8, 2024. The postseason road will then continue to Vancouver, with the UBC Thunderbirds set to host the 2025 U SPORTS Final Eight, beginning March 13.Â
The Huskies biggest challenge this season will be how they replace the production of former USask guard
Alexander Dewar, who following the 2023-24 season graduated and was drafted to the Saskatchewan Rattlers of the CEBL. Dewer led the team in scoring by a significant margin last year, but a stout group of returning student-athletes is up to the test. The Huskies will also look to make their second playoff appearance under the tutelage of head coach
Jamie Campbell, with the team earning a spot in 2023-24 conference play-in game in Campbell's third season with Saskatchewan.Â
For Campbell, an exciting season approaches as he looks to several student-athletes to take another step in their development and add to roster that is proven to be difficult to play against.Â
"We have a really young group this season that play hard and are competitive at the defensive end. Our success this year and how far we go as a team will be about how our student-athletes develop into new roles, and how those young players develop and improve throughout the season."
Keep reading for a breakdown of this year's Huskie men's basketball team.Â
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2024-25 Huskie Men's Basketball Recruiting Class
(Name / No. / Position / Height / Eligibility Year / College / Hometown / Last Team)
Maverick Burke / #7 / G / 6'2" /Â 1 / Education / Saskatoon, Sask. / Holy Cross Crusaders
Freddy Kapinga / #0 / G / 6'3" / 1 / Computer Science / Calgary, Alta. / Northern Pre-University
Dillyn Morin / #13 / G / 6'1" / 1 / Arts & Science / Saskatoon, Sask. / Walter Murray Collegiate
Ourael Mulutega / #21 / F / 6'7" / 1 / Arts & Science - Computer Science / Surrey, B.C. / Pacific Academy
Owen Murphy Wiebe / #10 / G / 6'2" / 1 / Business / Saskatoon, Sask. / Aden Bowman Collegiate
Quote from
Jamie Campbell on the 2024-25 recruiting class: "This season we have an exciting mix of incoming talent who have shown flashes through the preseason of their potential to contribute long term and make an impact this season. [Owen Murphy] Wiebe and [Dillyn] Morin bring the scoring to our backcourt that we have needed after the graduation of some key players. Meanwhile Freddy [Kapinga] brings perimeter defensive play that we have been looking for. Finally, Ourael adds some great skill for a player of his size to the lineup."
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Leading the way at in the backcourt is a pair of veteran guards in fourth-year student-athlete
Emmanuel Bonsu (Saint-Laurent, QC) and fifth-year
Griffin Sharkey (Cochrane, SK).
Last season, Bonsu was excellent in his role within the team but will be looked to this season to step into an expanded role. The 6-foot-3 business student scored 161 points last season and will see the offence run through him in 2024-25 as the Huskies point guard. A top perimeter defender in the conference, Bonsu has no problem getting it done himself at the offensive end either thanks to his great three-point shooting (38.8% in 2023-24) and ability to get to the rim. Early in the year Bonsu has impressed with a strong performance through the Huskie preseason, setting him up for an exciting Canada West regular season.
Meanwhile,
Griffin Sharkey brings stability to the Dogs' group of guards with good shooting and strong floor spacing, something the Huskies have been in need of. In his final year in green & white, the agriculture and bioresource major also adds great leadership to the locker room, providing some calmness to a young group of student-athletes.Â
At forward Saskatchewan returns a pair of standout big men which include the reigning Canada West Rookie of the Year in
Easton Thimm (Saskatoon, SK). A 6-foot-9 business student, Thimm was sensational in his freshman campaign, finishing third in conference in field goal percentage (54.5%), and sixth in rebounds (169) with 68 coming off the offensive glass (6th in U SPORTS). Coming off an offseason in which he put a lot of work into his game, Thimm will undoubtedly continue to be a constant double-double threat for the Huskies. As the likely candidate to draw the most attention, Thimm's presence on the court should also open other scoring opportunities, generating additional success on offence.Â
Alongside Thimm will be veteran fifth-year
Ryker Wuttke (Mukilteo, Washington). The 7-foot forward provides a much-needed defensive presence with stellar rim protection and great communication in his own end. The most impressive part of his game however might be his rebounding ability. Wuttke brought down 76 rebounds in 18 games for the Dogs while denying opponent scoring chances for a team-high 15 blocks on the year. A great leader that the team looks to, Ryker's benefit to the team comes both on and off the court.Â
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Following the Huskies season-opener this weekend in Calgary, the Dogs will return to the Physical Activity Complex next weekend (Nov. 8 & 9) for their 2024-25 home debut.Â
Get your tickets to the Huskies' season-opener, and every home game this season, atÂ
HuskieTickets.com. Season tickets are also available to make sure you don't miss a second of the action.Â
For those unable to attend the season-opener in Calgary, make sure you tune in toÂ
CanadaWest.tv.
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