New kid in town
Island Storm signs Canadian guard for upcoming NBL season
The Island Storm signed Canadian guard Kemy Osse on Wednesday for the upcoming National Basketball League of Canada season.
Osse, a six-foot-one Montreal native, was a standout at the 2009 Canada Games in Summerside for Team Quebec and followed that performance with a successful run at Archibald Carroll High School in Washington, D.C.
After graduating, Osse proceeded to have a four-year career in the NCAA’s Sun Belt Conference with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
First-year Storm coach Tim Kendrick is expecting big things from his newest rookie.
“He’s got a hard working attitude and great ball-handling ability,” said Kendrick. “I really like him. He’s a strong, physical guard and he sees the game well. He’s got a high basketball I.Q.”
Osse has already shown great resiliency and perseverance in his young career. He fractured his patella in 2014, near the end of his sophomore season at Little Rock. After redshirting the 2014-15 season for rehab, he played all 67 games over the next two years, starting 48 of them.
“I broke my knee and tore my patella tendon in the same knee. The doctors said I might never play again, but in my mind I said there’s no way my career is going to end this way. I missed a full season, but I took my rehab very seriously, maybe even too seriously.”
The research Osse did on the Storm organization is what attracted him to come to the Island over other offers.
“It just felt right to sign here. I really love the fan support for the team. It’s exciting to see the fans get so excited and get behind the team so much,” he said. “I was also excited when I heard Coach Kendrick was here.
“I actually played against him during the Canada Games, so he’s seen what I can do. I can’t wait to start the season.”