TORONTO - The fifth annual All-Star Charity Shootout (ASCS) will feature 20 of the best basketball players across Canada. Whether they play at the college or university level or have taken their skills to the professional leagues of Europe, they will all come together to showcase their talent in the name of charity.
This year’s featured players:
Matthew Thornhill – McGill University – CIS
He may have played his entire 2009-2010 basketball season with a broken nose but it didn’t stop Matthew Thornhill from having an outstanding year on the court. The 6’4” guard from Île-Bizard, Quebec was named a member of the All-Canadian Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) team and most outstanding player of the year in the Quebec University Basketball League (QUBL) as a senior studying Management (Finance) at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec.
As a member of the Redmen, the 23-year-old led the QUBL in scoring, averaging more than 18 points per game and finished in the top ten in the conference in three-point shooting (second); free-throw percentage (third); minutes played (third); defensive rebounds (sixth); and field-goal shooting (ninth). He also finished 12th in steals and rebounding and also received All-Conference Team honours.
Jared Mintz – Lafayette College – NCAA
A 6’8” forward ready to enter his senior year at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, Jared Mintz recently capped off a tremendously successful junior season in 2009-2010. The 22-year-old Biology major from Toronto, Ontario was named a member of the first-team All Patriot League team last year, averaging more than 14 points, five rebounds and two assists per game, while leading the Lafayette Leopards of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to a 19-13 overall record and a berth in the Patriot League championship final.
A fierce presence in the paint, Mintz has steadily worked his way to a starting role with the Leopards, playing 23 games as a freshman and 28 games as a sophomore with 13 starts in 2008-2009, posting five career double-doubles along the way. Before joining Lafayette in 2007, Mintz was a four-time MVP at the Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto and led his high school team of Vaughn Academy to a 42-9 record. He also represented Canada at the Pan-Am Maccabi Games in Chile in 2003 and the World Maccabi Games held in Israel in 2005.
Coaches:
Team War Child Canada – Bob Bain
Bob Bain is widely recognized as a coaching legend in men’s university basketball, having recently retired this past February after 37 years at the helm of the York men’s team. A two-time CIS coach of the year and six-time OUA coach of the year, Bain coached his final game for the Yeomen on February 20.
Where success is concerned, the numbers don’t lie for Bain. During his illustrious tenure, Bain led his teams to 11 OUA East Division championships, six OUA titles and two bronze medals in eight CIS championship tournament appearances. In those 37 years with Bain leading the way, the men’s basketball squad qualified for the playoffs 33 times.
Team Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons Foundation – Mike Katz
In 2004, Mike Katz, already one of the most renowned men’s basketball coaches in Canadian college history, made the jump to university basketball in 2004 and thus began another successful chapter in is coaching career.
Before joining the University of Toronto Varsity Blues, Katz spent 19 seasons as head coach of the men’s basketball team at Humber College, leading the Hawks to seven provincial championships and five national titles. In addition to being a four-time OCAA and three-time CIS coach of the year, Katz is also the assistant coach of the Canadian national basketball team and took part in the 2000 Olympic Games and world basketball championships in 1993 and 2002.
2010 All-Star Charity Shootout Roster (teams to be determined)
Name School/team Highlights
Alex Johnson
California State University,
Bakersfield Injured
in 2010; led team in
(NCAA)
steals, assists and three point shooting in 2009
Tristan
Blackwood Eiffel
Towers Den Bosch
(professional) Averaged
more than 10 points
per game in 38 games
David Tyndale
York University (CIS)
CIS All-Rookie team and
and second team league
all-star
Isaac Kwan
University of Windsor
(CIS)
First team league all-star
Tut Ruach
York University (CIS)
CIS Rookie of the Year and
three-time league all-star
Nick Magalas
University of Toronto (CIS)
First team league all-star
Clinton Springer
Brock University
(CIS)
First team league all-star and
CIS Rookie of the Year
Andre Wilkins
Cornell University
(NCAA)
Played 17 games in 2009-2010
Antwi Athuene
Viva Amida
(professional) Newcomer
of the Year in 2005
Jamie Searle
Lakehead University
(CIS)
First team league all-star
Matthew
Thornhill McGill
University
(CIS) All-Canadian
and league MVP
Paul
Campbell
University of Hawaii
(NCAA)
Led team in blocked shots
Dejan Kravic
York University (CIS)
League all-rookie team
Mitch Leger
Queen’s University (CIS)
Led country in rebounds
Jared Mintz
Lafayette College
(NCAA)
First team All Patriot League
Greg Surmaz AZS Koszalin (professional) All-Canadian in 2008-2009
Boris Bakovic Ryerson University (CIS) Second in country in scoring
Eric Smith Durham College (CCAA) First team league all-star
Tristan Martin Premier Basketball League (professional) Averaged 18.9 points per game
Jovain Wilson
Fleming College (CCAA)
All-Canadian and OCAA player
of the year
Don’t miss out on your chance to see these players go head-to-head, all for a good cause. Tickets are now on sale for just $25 for adults, $20 for students (with valid identification); $10 for children aged seven to 15; and children under seven are free! Buy your ticket before June 25 for a chance to win a $500 Visa gift card.
Not only will you be part of a fun and exciting basketball experience, you’ll be celebrating five years of raising funds to provide better lives for youth in the community, the country and around the world. This year, the ASCS is proud to support War Child Canada and the Michael “Pinball” Clemons Foundation.
This year’s event will be bigger and better than ever, with a free barbecue, live entertainment and celebrity appearances following the game. So what are you waiting for? Get your ticket from Fitzallen Sutton (416.875.7385); Alyson Rowe (416.971.7474); or click here today!