WolfPack Mens Basketball signs more Vernon Players

There must be something about Vernon that appeals to Basketball coaches at Thompson Rivers University. The WolfPack coaches have gone to the North Okanagan Community to sign their 3 rd and 4 th recruits of the 2008 season. Again it's the Mens team who have locked into Vernon. This time, Nevin Gleddie has tapped the Fulton Maroons.  Signing letters of intent to come to Kamloops and Thompson Rivers are 18 year old Guards Charles Barton and Michael Conlin.  They were unveiled during the final of the Provincial "AA" High School championships Saturday night (Mar 8) at the Tournament Capital Center.  Both were presented with WolfPack uniforms along with Liam Wear of Vernon Secondary--also a guard, who earlier committed to the WolfPack.

"Its great that all three of us can come here" said Conlin, who has known and played with Wear and Barton since they were 5. "The chance for us to be part of a growing program and to do it together was really appealing", added the 6-4 Barton.  "Not many schools would give me the chance to play with these guys for five years."

Wear agreed saying that the closeness off the court should translate into success for future WolfPack ball clubs.
According to Fulton head coach Dale Olson, himself a CIS player at UBC, Conlin is known as  a long defender. "He can get to the basket and is very attractive at both ends of the court. He can also light it up offensively."  Olson describes Barton as a very good athlete who can jump extremely well and was one of the best shooters on a team which was ranked among the leaders in Provincial "AA" ball this season. Olson is confident both can make a very easy transition into CIS play.

 Olson wanted to see both move into a program which will give them an opportunity to grow and have a chance for success. That's music to the ears of WolfPack Bench Boss Gleddie, who has had a rebuilding plan on his hand since making the jump from Canadian College to the CIS three years ago.

  The addition of the three players gives the WolfPack a glut of talented players at the guard position.  Geoff Matthews (1 st year, Kamloops BC) and Drew Bleth (3 rd year, Ridgefield Wash)  played a lot of minutes at that position this season.  "The addition of Charles, Liam and Michael gives us an added dimension." says Gleddie. "We'll need to have some effective scoring from the guard position in order to be successful.  I was thinking of moving Bleth into more of a scoring position next season anyway."

 When asked why he hasn't recruited some big rebounders, Gleddie says most of the taller players have committed to the big three BC schools (UBC, SFU and UVic) and that its difficult to find players who'll battle for rebound. Still, he says he hasn't stopped his recruiting efforts.  The WolfPack finished in the basement of the Canada West Pacific Division this year with 3 wins and 20 defeats.

SIDELINES: Conlin and Barton each had 7 points in the Maroons Bronze medal win at the Provincials. They needed overtime to dispose of Nechako Valley 73-65.  The other Vernon area player to commit to the WolfPack was Vernon's Diane Schuetze. She led the Panthers Girls team to a Bronze medal victory 58-55 over cross town rival Kalamalka. She had 12 points in the victory.