By Ned Bekavac
Guelph Tribune

It’s post-game handshake time and members of the College Heights Huskies have smiles for miles.

By looking at them, you wouldn’t suspect that they just lost their game by 19 points, nor that they haven’t won all season.

“This is the best part about coaching these guys. They enjoy the process,” says Huskies coach Stuart Hood, after a loss to Erin last week in junior boys District 4 basketball play.

“You coach to get as competitive and as complete as you can. But when you see their faces and the joy they take out of the community and the companionship of the team, that’s what I’m most proud of.”

College Heights hasn’t had a hoops team in a few years. Because a high percentage of students are bussed into the school from the surrounding areas of Guelph, there aren’t necessarily enough students in any given year who can commit to a team.

This year, 12 players are making up a junior boys team for the school.

They don’t have much in the way of experience, but it’s clear they’re loving the experience of competitive ball. Despite Erin winning comfortably (44-25) on this day, each Huskies huddle during the game ends with an enthusiastic in-unison shout by the team.

Then the squad, still sporting old jerseys that have the school’s former sporting moniker, Crusaders, printed across the front, returns to the floor and continues with its brand of non-stop hustle.

“The referees constantly comment on how they don’t quit,” says Hood.

While the coach says the team is strong in the passing and ball-possession department, they are struggling with their shooting.

“We shoot about 10 per cent,” says Hood.
“I have never seen the ball struggle so hard to find the hoop. If that would happen (if the ball would go in more), there are so many games that we were within 10 or 15 (points), our better games, (where) we would be right there.”

Which may be why when the Huskies’ Daniel Nakatsu puts up a three bomb in the game that finds nothing but net, the players on the bench go wild.

“It looked beautiful,” says Hood, of the shot.