Ryerson Rams cap long journey to top
Men’s basketball program achieves CIS No. 1 ranking for first time in its history
The Ryerson men’s basketball team spent all of last season third in the Canadian university rankings, looking up at the Carleton Ravens and the University of Ottawa GeeGees as the two teams from the nation’s capital oscillated between No. 1 and No. 2.
So it was fitting that the Rams’ sweep of the Ottawa-based squads in last weekend’s doubleheader — a feat accomplished just twice by any team since 2002 — finally propelled the team into that long-coveted No. 1 spot, a first for any sports team in Ryerson’s history.
“It all sort of fell into place for us,” interim head coach Patrick Tatham said Wednesday, a day after the weekly Canadian Interuniversity Sports rankings were announced.
The Rams jumped from fifth to first, helped by No. 3 Brock and No. 4 McGill posting three losses.
Friday’s victory over Carleton was 16 years to the day the Rams last beat the Ravens. And Saturday’s victory against the Gee-Gees was the first time the two teams met since Ottawa knocked Ryerson out of last year’s CIS championship in the semi-finals.
“Definitely Ottawa was our kryptonite last year, to say the least,” Tatham said. “We couldn’t not take care of business this time.”
Ryerson’s 2014-15 season was its best to date, culminating in a bronze medal. Some were concerned they would struggle to replicate that success this season without the likes of graduated players Jahmal Jones, Jordan Gauthier and Bjorn Michaelsen. But the Rams are 8-1 atop the Ontario University Athletics East Division, and guard Ammanuel Diressa, who scored 50 points over the weekend, was named the CIS male athlete of the week.
With the No.1 ranking comes recognition for not only the school’s improved basketball program but its athletics as a whole.
Ryerson committed to elevating the quality and profile of its university sports program some years ago, said Michel Bélanger, communications and media relations manager for CIS. That goal was assisted by the opening of the Mattamy Athletic Centre at Maple Leaf Gardens in 2012, where Ryerson hosted the CIS basketball championships last year.
Bélanger expects the school’s success in a high profile sport like basketball will trickle down to other teams, similar to what happened after the University of British Columbia won the last Vanier Cup.
“It’s different now — every night we’re getting every team’s best effort.” RAMS’ AARON BEST ON RYERSON’S SUCCESS
“For all the success that UBC has had over the years — UBC, across the board, is probably our most successful program across CIS— when they won football in November for the first time in two decades, that was a big deal and people took notice.”
Fifth-year guard Aaron Best feels the team found its identity in the six years since head coach Roy Rana, on sabbatical this year, was hired.
“When I started, teams knew we were going to play hard, but they didn’t really think they were going to lose when they played us. It’s different now — every night we’re getting every team’s best effort.”
Associate director of athletics Stephanie White says the school has been a top program for years now.
“This is really just finally the team getting its moment in the sun.”
She hopes to see Ryerson in the same position come season’s end.
As they work to get there, the team has plenty of support. Nearly everyone at the athletic centre’s café on Wednesday knew of its recent success. And last Friday’s game versus Carleton was so packed many spectators — including White — had to stand. Best said some of his professors have come to games this season, a first for him.
Graeme Conley, a third-year Ryerson student, says there’s definitely a buzz around men’s basketball on campus. “Now that there’s something to talk about, people are definitely on board.”