by HooptownGTA Tue Dec 01, 2009 10:28 am
Here's a Tournament Preview that can be found on the Cathedral site:
http://sites.google.com/site/cathedralgaels/home/mark-walton-invitational-2009
Cathedral
The Cathedral Gaels are proud to be the host school to the 1st Annual Mark Walton Invitational Tournament. The team will be led by returning starter Jamar Coke, a natural born scorer, and team leader Norman Darrell. The Gaels lost in the Hamilton Catholic City Championship last year at St. Thomas More, and first year Head Coach Brian Daly has high hopes, inheriting a junior team that won the Catholic City Championship last season. In early season action, the Gaels defeated Father Goetz and Westmount in the Pinky Lewis, before being eliminated by traditional powerhouse Eastern Commerce in the quarter finals. The opening round match-up with Martingrove looks like a tough one for the Gaels, who hope capitalize on the home court and crowd advantage.
Loyola (Oakville)
The Loyola Hawks come into the Mark Walton Invitational riding the high of their tournament victory in the 24 team Pinky Lewis Invitational, where they defeated Eastern Commerce in the final. Rohan Boney won the MVP and Adam Presutti was named an all-star. Head Coach Gary Laurin has a strong, experienced, three-point shooting team that was talented enough to win the Halton Championship last year. The team also features star point guard Mike L’Africain. This team has been ranked as high as #5 provincially, in recent, unofficial polls.
St. Thomas More
The St. Thomas More Knights will be hoping to continue to build on last year’s season, one that finished with a resounding win over arch-rival Cathedral in the Catholic league final. The team will be looking to replace several starters from that squad, but with returnees Jermaine Barr and Zack Angelini to go along with other returning players and a strong junior program, the Knights will be a difficult team to beat in this year’s Mark Walton Invitational. Coach Stefano Giovannangeli will lead his Knights into battle in a tough first round matchup, where the Knights will hope to grasp the title of “Best Team in GHAC”.
Father Henry Carr
The #1 seeded FHC Crusaders are a powerhouse who are virtually universally ranked #1 in Ontario in early season polls. Coach Paul Melnik has built this program from the ground up, and is now poised to make a run his first AAAA OFSAA Gold Medal. The team comes off an impressive championship run in its own preseason tournament, the 2009 Adidas Early Bird Classic, where they defeated Pickering by 9 in the Final. Tournament MVP Raheem Isaac will lead this deep, athletic and aggressive group into battle. Supported by tournament all-stars Aaron Emmanuel and Jahmal Grennan, the Crusaders look to continue to prove that they are Ontario’s best team.
Mother Teresa
Coach Richard Gallacher led his team to the AAAA OFSAA Silver Medal last year. This year’s version of the Titans has undergone a lot of change, but at Scarborough’s Mother Teresa, the talent pool is deep. The 2009 Titans seem to be more of a “team” with three different players leading the team in scoring in their 4th place performance at the Adidas Early Bird Classic. Look for the Titans to be athletic, aggressive and powerful -- hallmarks of the Mother Teresa program. The #2 seeded team in the tournament will be looking to erase that early season set back and prove that they are among the provinces elite. They are ranked as high as #3 in Ontario, currently.
Korah Collegiate
Korah Collegiate is the host school of the Guy Vetrie Invitational tournament. The team hails from Ste. St. Marie, and Head Coach Jeff Giovanatti was happy to accept the invitation to the 1st Annual Mark Walton Invitational. Korah Collegiate is no stranger to this level of competition, having faced many of these teams over the years in the Guy Vetrie, hosted in February. The team will be looking to gain experience from the top competition and they have been thrown into the fire, facing Ontario #1 Father Henry Carr in the opening round.
Bishop Walsh
Coach Jeff Rhodes will be making the 8 hour drive from Cumberland, Maryland with his Bishop Walsh Spartans. This school is the host school of the Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament (ACIT), the best post season Catholic tournament on the East Coast of the United States. Mark Walton, for whom this tournament is named, was the first coach to bring a Canadian team to the ACIT, and Cathedral has enjoyed Bishop Walsh’s hospitality many times over the last 25 years. The Gaels are pleased to have the opportunity to return the favour, showing the Spartans hospitality “Canadian Style”. The Bishop Walsh players will be staying with the Cathedral players’ families, building friendships. Coach Rhodes has been building a strong program, and will hope to make the long trek worthwhile by upsetting tournament #2 Mother Teresa in the tournament’s first game at 12 PM in the Gael Dome.
Martingrove
Martingrove returns all starters from an outstanding team in 2009. Many pundits had Martingrove ranked as high as #3 in Ontario in the preseason. This talented team will be hoping to bounce back from a disappointing debut in the Adidas Early Bird Classic, where they were missing starter Justin Bakuteka. Superstar 6'3 guard Matthew Wright will lead the Martingrove Bears into the tournament, and the team will be focussed on re-establishing themselves as a threat to win it all at AAAA OFSAA in March, 2010.