By the time Clayton Pottinger was named head coach of the RDC Kings basketball squad this year most everyone had their recruiting done.
“By the time I got the job I had used up all my contacts to recruit for Douglas College (in New Westminster),” explained Pottinger, who replaced Craig Behan as Kings head coach in early May. “So I had to regroup and with the help of Stef (Labreque) and coach Behan I got a couple of contacts.”
Labreque, who handled the Kings last season on an interim basis, was in contact with Pete Cusumano, who coaches in Windsor, Ont, and whose son, Jacob, plays with the Kings as does RJ Wells of Windsor.
“Stef was in contact with him and once coach Cusumano knew I was looking for players he kept an eye open out east,” added Pottinger.
It paid divides.
Cusumano contacted Pottinger about two of his former Central Catholic High School players, Kek Beil and Rob Pierce, who automatically make the Kings that much better.
Beil, a six-foot-five power forward, was originally slated to attend Simon Fraser University and play NCAA Div II.
“Financially it didn’t work out for him, which was good for us,” said Pottinger, who will use Beil at a number of positions.
“We’re getting a good kid with high academic standings,” he said.
The six-foot-four Pierce played at Lambton College in Ontario last season and may be the best athlete on the roster.
“Super athletic,” he said. “We ran the Canada Basketball Fitness program and he blew the test away.”
Pierce was the scoring leader and first-team all-star in the OCAA West.
Pottinger has 16 players on the roster, including seven veterans.
Lloyd Strickland, Pedro Porto Alegre, Cucumano, Tyler Flaherty and Wells are all listed at guard, although Wells can play the wing. Eric Bakker is back up front along with Eddie Sanchez-Caba, who played two years ago, but missed last season.
“RJ is our best player while Eric and Lloyd have played well in camp and shown a lot of leadership,” said Pottinger. “Eddie has also had a great fall.”
Two players — forward Myles Hansen and guard Troy McPherson — are expected to red shirt this season.
The lone local player to make the final roster is Karl Hoehne, a six-foot-five forward out of Lindsay Thurber.
“He’s raw but works super hard,” said Pottinger, who also had six-foot-seven Joe Jennings and guard Taylor Kolonic out of Airdrie, wing Lary McEwen of Leduc and six-foot-four left-hander Braden O’Toole of Canmore.
O’Toole comes in after playing volleyball at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo last season while McEwen was with the Camrose Augustana Vikings last season.
“I coached Lary at Leduc and I like his work ethic,” added Pottinger, who sees Jennings as a project.
“He’s very skilled, but at 180-pounds isn’t physically ready to handle the pounding in the league. But I am excited to be able to work with him.”
Pottinger knows this season will be a test.
“We could use one more forward and another guard,” he said. “But these are the cards we’ve been dealt and I’m happy so far. The best part is we have good kids and solid students. We go into the season with two goals. A: to have them play all season and B: to win a bunch of games.”
The Kings travel to Grant MacEwan this weekend and face McEwan, the U of Alberta and NAIT in practice scrimmages. They see their first real action Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at the Mount Royal tournament and they’ll co-host the Sandman Fall Classic with the Queens Oct. 13-15.
RDC opens their home schedule Oct. 21-22 at home against Briercrest Bible College.
l Ken Smith, formerly of Fort McMurray, Sarain Soonias and Jamie Brown are assistant coaches while Pottinger is looking for one more fulltime assistant.
drode@www.reddeeradvocate.com