THUNDER BAY -- Scott Morrison hopes the building blocks are in place to continue Lakehead basketball’s climb to elite status.
But for the next several months he’s turning to the old guard for one last kick at the championship can. The No. 6 Thunderwolves men are about to hit a transition, with the likes of Yoosrie Salhia, Greg Carter, Ben Johnson, Matt Schmidt and Joseph Jones set to draw their university careers to a close after one more OUA season.
Morrison, the veteran coach who has guided the school to three straight national championship appearances, is hoping that’s motivation enough to make it four in a row and possibly bring home a CIS title.
“It’s on their mind all the time. I don’t bring it up too much. I try to avoid that during the season, but I think we can count on them having it in the back of their mind and a little extra motivation each week,” Morrison said.
He’s feeling the pressure too.
While he’s taken the team to the Final 8 three straight years, they’ve lost their opening game each March, halting their championship dreams in their tracks, surrounding the team with doubt about their ability to compete with the nation’s finest.
Morrison, who’s usually cautious with his predictions, especially this early in the year, said there’s but one goal in mind as their 2012-13 season gets set to kick off this weekend against Ryerson and Toronto.
“Yeah, I think we want to win the whole thing. These guys only get one more shot at doing that and it’s something we’ve been talking about for a number of years. I don’t think we’re ready right now, but hopefully we can be ready in March and if we have the right bodies in place we’ll have as good a shot as anybody.”
Last year they were missing star shooter Ryan Thomson – who likely won’t play this weekend – and forward Yoosrie Salhia was at best 40 per cent in their opening round elimination against Fraser Valley, one of three OUA teams to beat the Wolves in this year’s pre-season.
Salhia, their key down low, is as good as he’s been in years, Morrison said.
“We’ve been doing a good job keeping him rested on a regular basis and try to limit his minutes in pre-season. So I think he’s going into conference play as fresh as he has been and I expect him to have a big month,” Morrison said.
“Ryan is a bigger question mark. He hasn’t practiced this week and would probably be doubtful for the first week now. But we’re going to learn more from across the street to the hospital. He can do a number of things, as long as he has half the body to help us.”
The Wolves are also facing the prospect of replacing OUA MVP Venzal Russell, who left the team unexpectedly in the offseason.
Morrison thinks the duo of ex-NCAA player Dwayne Harvey and British import Joe Hart can do the job for a team that finished 20-2 last season.
“It’s going to be kind of committee effort. Joe’s had some good shooting games and done good things for us on the court. Dwayne’s had some good stretches as well. Both guys have been up and down. The biggest part of being new guys to a veteran team is that they’re both among the hardest workers on the roster and I think they’re going to catch up a little better,” Morrison said.
“I think that by the end of the season I think they can give us a lot of what Venzal gave us.
It’s hard to replace an MVP like that. We’re not going to replace him … but we can be just as effective.
