Time for tipoff
Cape Breton Highlanders host expansion St. John’s Edge to open 2017-18 season
The Cape Breton Highlanders players traded in their high tops for work boots to get ready for the 2017-18 season.
Training camp has involved two-hour, early morning practices as new head coach Rob Spon has put his players through their paces.
“It’s been hectic,” said 6-6 guard/forward Charles Mann, the lone player back from last year’s club. “Waking up early, having two (practices) a day, going hard, it’s two hours early in the morning. But coach knows what he’s doing and we believe in him and he believes in us, and we believe what he brings to the table and what he has us doing would helps us win games.
“We’re tired of playing against each other. We’re ready to play against a different team, play under the lights and with our fans out there supporting us.”
The Highlanders open their sophomore season in the National Basketball League of Canada on Tuesday at Centre 200 when they host the expansion St. John’s Edge. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.
“The excitement is around with the fans, the team, the coach, with the players, with (president and general manager) Tyrone (Levingston),” said Mann, a University of Georgia alumnus from Atlanta, Ga. “We’re really excited to get started. We have goals and we just want to go out there and win as many games as possible and bring a championship to Cape Breton.”
The Highlanders finished with a 15-25 record in their inaugural season, just missing out on the playoffs by one game. But for Spon and his group of players, this year will be a fresh start, with a squad that’s focused on putting defence first.
Joining Mann on the roster are 6-3 guard Luther Head, who played in the NBA for the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat,
Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings. Centre Shamus Ferguson of Toronto, who’s played with Mississauga, Moncton and the Island Storm in Charlottetown, brings some size in the paint at 6-10, while point guard DaQuan Brooks has experience in the league, playing for both Orangeville and Moncton.
“We have guys who have experience, but we have some young guys, too,” said Spon of Hermitage, Pa., who’s coached the past two seasons with the Saint John Riptide. “That’s what makes it fun because they’re hungry. I want hungry guys. I want guys who want to move up, get going and want to win.”
For Spon, the goal for his team is simple: to win a league championship.
“Every start of practice, we huddle up after we do our stretching and before we practice (we say) ‘1-2-3 championship.’ After practice is over, we huddle up, (we say) ‘1-2-3 championship.’ That’s what we’re here for, to win a championship.”