Bandits target versatility in selecting locals Paige, Audu at U Sports Draft
June 1 might mark the beginning of Adam Paige's pro basketball career, and the end of his U Sports one.
Paige, who was one of three selections made by the Fraser Valley Bandits in the U Sports Draft, could find himself on the roster when the Bandits take on the Edmonton Stingers in the regular-season opener at the Abbotsford Centre.
On the opposing side of the 2020 Canadian Elite Basketball League championship rematch: his assistant coach at the University of Alberta, Jordan Baker. When jokingly asked if he was worried about his U Sports playing time getting cut to zero if the Bandits should win, the Surrey native laughed.
“No, no, no. Not at all,” said the six-foot-eight forward, who could also see action against Brodie Clark, his former teammate on the Golden Bears who has played for the Stingers the past two years.
“I've been playing against Brodie and Jordan in practice for two years straight, so now being at the next level and playing against them is going to be pretty cool. I'm excited for that.
“(Baker) is a dog. He's a grinder and just … he's crazy,” he said of Baker, who was the league's top Canadian and finished second to Stingers teammate Xavier Moon in the MVP race.
Paige was the Bandits' second pick in the draft, going ninth overall. Fraser Valley took Brandon University forward Anthony Tsegakele at No. 6 in the first round, and University of B.C. guard Grant Audu in the third, at 20th overall.
Tsegakele was a force for the Bobcats last season, averaging 17.4 points and 11.9 rebounds a game while shooting 50.6 and 43.5 per cent from field-goal and threepoint range. The Gatineau, Que., native was named the Canada West rookie of the year and made the conference all-star team.
Paige, who led Semiahmoo to the 2018 B.C. boys' title game, averaged nearly 13 points and five rebounds for the Golden Bears in his second season in Alberta. He was the 2019 Canada West Rookie of the Year and part of the U Sports national all-rookie team, as well as a member of Canada's under-19 team in the FIBA World Cup in France.
“I was definitely very happy and grateful that (Fraser Valley) picked me up,” Paige said from Edmonton on Tuesday. “Looking at kind of the U Sports players the past two years, and kind of sizing myself up to them, I thought that I was as good as them and could compete at the same level, at least my skill-set wise.
“And then I was just fortunate. Fraser Valley was my first choice and to be able to go home and play, and fortunately enough, they wanted me, so it's kind of a perfect fit.”
Paige's points-per-game average jumped 25 per cent in his second season, as he worked hard on his shooting stroke and saw it jump from 26.8 to 41.1 per cent.
The six-foot-four Audu had a similar renaissance with the Thunderbirds, becoming more than just
a slasher and tenacious on-ball defender by improving his shooting from beyond the arc. He's hoping the summer with Fraser Valley will help round out his game to make him a better pro prospect.
“I feel like I just have to work on consistency in terms of shooting at all levels, from three, mid-range, hitting tough shots … I would say overall just consistently,” he said. “I want to make sure that I'm a killer every single time I go onto the
court, making sure there's no fluctuating. You'll know what you're going to get from G.A. every night.”
Like Audu, Paige is working toward a pro career.
“Playing at the next level is one of my goals after university. I'm not looking too far ahead, but being able to play pro while at university, this opportunity isn't available to anyone really other than U Sports players.”