Men’s basketball season review

The Mount Allison men’s basketball team concluded their season on March 4, 2016 with a heartbreaking loss to the Crandall University Chargers. In a hard-fought battle, the Mounties were tantalizingly close to exceeding expectations. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Mounties led by one point due to impeccable play by Alex Chisholm, who exploded to score 37 points in 36 minutes of action. However, there was no storybook tournament run for the Mounties, as they bowed out in the quarterfinals of the ACAA tournament, losing 103-90 to Crandall. After the game, head coach Duane Starratt announced that this after seven seasons with the team, this one would be his last.

It was an inconsistent year for the Mounties, who finished fifth in the ACAA, with a 9-13 record. The season was riddled with great individual performances. However, a six-game losing streak which started off 2016 left them looking for answers. The team will surely miss the presence of two terrific all-around starters in seniors Chisholm and Adam Spurrell, moving forward. Chisholm’s 15.1 points per game was seventh-highest in the league, and he recorded the thirteenth most rebounds. Spurrell’s statistics are not as padded as Chisholm’s, but his tough, enforcing presence was invaluable to the team.

Bradley Fuller was a terrific scorer all season. His ability to get buckets was on full display in the quarterfinal game against Crandall. Fuller dropped 27 points in 28 minutes. In one of the first games of the season he set the tone for the year, scoring 41 points against St. Thomas University. Fuller was the second-highest scorer in the entire ACAA.

With players like Fuller returning, and the search for a new head coach underway, the future is bright for the Mounties. Bradley Sanford, Sam Becker and other players played well this year and will also be returning. Next year they will be called upon to increase their leadership roles and maintain their high quality of play.  This season was a rollercoaster of highs and lows, with five of the Mounties nine wins were by five points or fewer. The ability to close out games and make clutch plays down the stretch was a testament to the teamwork and desire that this team posseses. With much of their roster remaining intact for next year, the Mounties will look for their solid play to translate into an improved record.

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