Eastern Commerce: 13 Scholarships Since 2001

March 23, 2009
DAVID GROSSMAN
SPORTS REPORTER

Eastern Commerce Collegiate has done it again.
For the 13th time since 2001, the mid-town Toronto school has a member of its senior boys' basketball team accepting an NCAA scholarship.
This time, it's 6-foot-5 forward Alwayne Bigby, who just might be the top high school player in the Greater Toronto Area. Bigby, who played on four Toronto District School Board championship teams while at Eastern Commerce, was recently chosen to the Toronto Star's allstar team.
Bigby, 18, pondered a variety of offers before committing to Boston's Northeastern University, the former home of Boston Celtic legend Reggie Lewis and current Dallas Mavericks guard Jose Juan Barea.
Averaging 18 points and 8 rebounds a game this season for the 39-2 Saints, Bigby was referred to by his coach Kevin Jeffers as "a fierce and intense player willing to sacrifice his point numbers for his team."
In addition to his solid year with the Saints, helping them win a provincial Quad-A senior championship two weeks ago in Windsor, Bigby was a member of Canada's Junior National team and in 2004 was chosen MVP at the under-15 National championship.

My old school is getting it done!! Is any other school even close to this number?

Eastern DON"T STOP!!!!

Keep doing what your doing!!!

Everybody else is playing CATCH-UP!

Bigby is a great player. He was the best player at ofsaa IMO

Eastern Commerce is by far the best basketball program in the country. It has proven itself for decades that it can make students out of athletes and vice versa! We can go all they way back to the Mark Henry's of Niagara University to the the most successful player to come out of Toronto in Jamal Magloire. This school prepares these kids for both sides of the whole scholarship meaning. Most of Eastern's kids have stuck it out, to whatever program they have been too and proved themselves on and off the court. From the Colin Charles and Messiah's and Tristan Blackwood too the future kids of today like the Christian Lukusa's, Alex Hill's and Alwayne Bigby's. Congratulations to all the recepients in the past, and I hope that kids of tommorrow can continue the success that this school has shown.

Eastern Commerce has proven itself you are right. But you have some misinformation. Mark Henry did not play at Eastern. Collin Charles did not stick it out at St Johns. Most of Toronto's best talent has gravitated towards Eastern Commerce. There is no denying that. Magloire's teams had a great deal to do with it. Once the talent in south east Toronto wasn't filling Eastern's roster, then it came from Flemingdon or Jane/Finch or Etobicoke. Fluke? Hardly. The same things that are hurting Eastern now is what made them successful in years past. And if you speak to educators in other parts of Toronto South, the academic levels at Eastern have been watered down for years. Give them credit, but realize the field was nowhere close to level. If they are so good at what they do, let' see what their team is like next year, and the year after, and the year after that. Without a busload of transfers, my guess is there are no championships or scholarships on the horizon.

You missed the point Mr. Bean. Give some points to back up your comments. How was it not level? You look at schools like Carr that has two top five junior teams every year how many guys have they produced? Schools like Pickering have done well in the last few years and what is MT stats. I would like to know. How many of the guys from Eastern graduate university? If these guys are successful this is an impressive stat.

I herdz milliken bac in d dayz had at lest 4 go down...dale, cory, shane, n arnel,
i herdz runnmede bac in d dayz had dere share...any other skoolz??

I have removed my post out of respect for the intent of this thread, to celebrate the successes of the Eastern basketball program. I will add my post elsewhere.

Coach Melnik

That's a great list Coach Melnik. I have two others to add. Both are from the 2002-03 AAAA OFSAA Silver powerhouse:

Jermaine Symonds (Class of 2003) was a student-athlete at Casper College (JuCo) in Wyoming, then Colorado State-Pueblo (NCAA D2).
Bode Olagundoye (Class of 2003) played for Brandon University (CIS) after a year at St. Clair College in Windsor.

For those who want to know who the 13 Eastern players are (and their final year with the school), I think this is it:

Ola Matti ('02) - Lamar, then Canisius (both D1)
Jermaine Anderson ('02) - Fordham (D1)
Kingsley Costain ('03) - Pepperdine (D1), then Concordia (NAIA)
Reynold Walters ('04) - Central Michigan (D1)
Tristan Blackwood ('04) - Central Connecticut State (D1)
Vitas Naudziunas ('04) - Lake Superior State, then Urbana (both D2)
Ronnie Williams ('05) - Mercyhurst (D2)
Tyrone Mattison ('05) - Long Island (D1)
Chretien Lukusa ('07) - Binghamton (D1)
Keaton Cole ('08.) - Western Carolina (D1)
Tyler Murray ('08.) - Wagner (D1)
Alex Hill ('08.) - Cornell (D1)
Alwayne Bigby ('09) - Northeastern (D1)

That is a great list!

Thanks for the help Barry. I had to edit my post about 20 times, because I kept remembering people.

You are right there in regards to Mark Henry, my mind was a little tired when I wrote that thread and forgot to change it...no direspect Eastern...Mark went to Runnymede. I meant to say Mr.Rochelin(Charles) who played at UCLA!!! And my point was to show that most of the Eastern kids stuck it out the full four years in the U.S. Which shows that they never gave up on their abilities and responsibilities as student-athletes. I myself was a product of being a scholarship recepient playing in the NCAA and will admit, that I kinda gave up after 2 and 1/2 years. Alot of Canadians have done the same...whether for personal reasons, competition being to hard or just home sick!!! Most of the Eastern kids have stood strong...and I just wanted to recognize that. A student-athlete at those levels is not an easy task. I also want to give Coach Melnik some props and his Father Henry Carr programs have also established themselves over the years. Toronto, on a whole is doing big things by making some of the finest student-athletes in the CIS, NCAA(DIV I&II), NCJAA and the CCAA!!!

I understand where you are coming from. To make it through 4 years of a scholarship is very, very difficult. It requires perserverence, dedication and discipline.

Thank you knowthegame, but I feel bad because I dont want to take any shine from the Eastern program. They should be proud. I have since moved my post.

Agreed, This is there post, and realistically, they are the king's of OFSSAA by now...I think this championship made them pass Runnymede for most Gold Medals for boys Basketball at OFSSAA. Im not 100% sure but will do my research. Eastern will always be a powerhouse and a landmark in regards to Toronto Schools!!!

Modifying my post also because my concern is part of a larger question I have about various options parents have in front of them so I started a different thread. And I also do not want to take anything away from those successful kids who have come out of Eastern Commerce. Obviously something is going right there and they are to be congratulated!

[quote="knowthegame"]I think this championship made them pass Runnymede for most Gold Medals for boys Basketball at OFSSAA. Im not 100% sure but will do my research.[/quote]

----Most AAAA titles----
Eastern (5)
Pickering (2)

-----Most titles at the largest school level-----
(AAAA from 02-09, AAA from 71 to 01, AA from 68-70, A from 49-67)

Eastern Commerce (8)
Niagara Falls Collegiate (6)
Runnymede (6)
Assumption - Windsor (4)
Cathedral (4)

I think these are all the schools with four or more at the largest level. I apologize if I have missed any.

----Most titles at any level-----
Eastern Commerce (8)
John McGregor (6)
Niagara Falls Collegiate (6)
Runnymede (6)
Timmins (5)
Assumption - Windsor (4)
Cathedral (4)
Nicholson (4)
North Middlesex (4)
Rideau District (4)