March 8, 2006

2005-06 Men's Basketball Major Awards Announced

AUS

Atlantic University Sport is pleased to announce the 2005-06 men's basketball major award winners as selected by the head coaches.

Fifth year forward Jerome Goodman (Baltimore, Maryland) of the Saint Mary's Huskies is the 2005-06 Atlantic University Sport recipient of the Frank Baldwin Memorial trophy as the league's Most Valuable Player. Goodman, a first team all-star each of the past two seasons, led the Huskies in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and blocked shots. Jerome finished fourth in overall conference scoring (17.4 ppg), third in rebounding (8.4 rpg), second in field goal percentage (62.2%) and third in blocked shots (1.40 bpg). He also posted seven double-doubles in 20 regular season games. The last Saint Mary's player to be named league MVP was Gabe Goree in 2002-03 and 2003-04. Jerome will be the conference representative for the Mike Moser Memorial Trophy as the most outstanding player in CIS basketball. The last Atlantic conference player to win the CIS award was William Njoku of Saint Mary's in 1992-93. 

The Rookie of the Year is Mark McLaughlin (Dartmouth, NS) of the Saint Mary's Huskies. McLaughlin had a solid freshman season with the Huskies, appearing in all 20 regular season games, contributing 6.4 points per game. He also led the Huskies in 3-point field goal percentage (38.5%). Current Saint Mary's assistant coach Jonah Taussig is the last Huskies player to be named Rookie of the Year (1996-97) and Dalhousie's Shawn Plancke is the only AUBC player to ever be named CIS Rookie of the Year.

Steve Konchalski of the first place, #5-ranked StFX X-Men has been selected by his peers as the Atlantic conference Coach of the Year for the sixth time in his career. Konchalski, the 2000-01 CIS Coach of the Year, guided the X-Men to a 16-4 conference record record this season, including a 9-1 record at home. This past December, Steve, in his 31st season as head coach, recorded his 1000th career win at the Rod Shoveller Memorial tournament at Dalhousie University in Halifax. Konchalski is the last Atlantic conference coach to win the Stuart W. Aberdeen Trophy as the CIS Coach of the Year.

For the second consecutive season, the Atlantic University Sport Defensive Player of the Year is 6'3" guard Garry Gallimore (Ottawa, ON) of the StFX X-Men. Regarded as one of the most aggressive defenders in the country, Gallimore is regularly required to guard the opposing team's best perimeter players. "Garry is one of the most physically as well as mentally tough defenders I have ever coached," according to StFX head coach Steve Konchalski. Gallimore, the 2003-04 Atlantic conference Rookie of the Year and a three-year veteran of the under-21 National team was the inaugural winner of this award last season both in the Atlantic conference and the CIS.

The 2005-06 Atlantic University Sport Ken Shields Award Nominee is Acadia's Jordan Sheriko of Wolfville, NS. A graduate of Horton High School, Jordan is a Dean's List student who earlier this year represented Acadia as the school nominee for the prestigeous James Bayer Memorial Scholarship Award, recognizing excellence in academics, athletics, leadership and community service. While excelling in basketball as a co-captain and guard for the Axemen, Jordan is also a CIS Academic all-Canadian, topping the Acadia male Academic all-Canadian list with an 88.1% average last year in his Bachelor of Science studies.

In addition to being the model student-athlete at Acadia, Jordan dedicates most of his spare time volunteering in several fundraising efforts for the Canadian Cancer Society. He's been a team leader for the past two years for the CIBC's Run for the Cure. The men’s basketball team, through Jordan’s efforts, raised the most money of any Acadia varsity team the past three years. Jordan also serves as a Big Brother in the local King's County Big Brother and Big Sisters, is the track & field coach at Horton High School and volunteers each week with Acadia's SMILE (Sensory Motor Instructional Learning Experience) program.

His experiences during childhood with his father battling the ravages of cancer, led to his most recent project Camp Triumph. Centered in Cavendish, PE, and brainstormed in-part by Jordan and his mother, the camp offers children who have family members living with cancer and other chronic illnesses a place and the opportunity to enjoy life carefree. This camp is free to those living in PEI and Nova Scotia.

On the court, Jordan also took a leadership role on an Axemen squad with only three returning players this season. Sheriko finished second in team scoring (10.3 ppg) and ranked seventh in conference 3-point field goal percentage. "Jordan is an exceptional young man with outstanding leadership skills who always gives of himself to help others," comments Acadia head coach Les Berry. "He's a mature, responsible individual who exemplifies everything the Ken Shields Award embodies."

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The 2006 Men's Final 6 Basketball Championship is taking place this week at the Halifax Metro Centre. Quarterfinal action begins Thursday with the UNB Varsity Reds facing the Saint Mary's Huskies at 6pm followed by the Memorial Sea-Hawks and UPEI Panthers at 8pm. StFX and Cape Breton await the winners in the semifinals, which take place Friday night at 6pm and 8pm. The championship game is slated for Saturday evening at 7pm, with both the winner and runner-up advancing to the Milk Energy Final 10 CIS Men's Basketball Championship in Halifax, March 16-19.