Metro Vancouver…..The KPU Eagles men’s basketball team are a third of the way through the 2014/15 PACWEST regular season with a record of 1-6, which sits them in 7th place the league going into the holiday break.
The Eagles have seen a number of changes to the program over the past year, which continues to grow and develop under the leadership of first-year head coach Vladimir Nikić. Led by four returning student-athletes, KPU has worked hard with eight new first-year Eagles to find their momentum. Fifth-year point guard James Bradshaw, Delta, BC has been a strong leader for the young team and first-year power forward Nick Smith, Surrey, BC continues to model the way in character, performance, and work ethic for the Eagles.
First-year KPU guard Brenden Bailey, Coquitlam, BC leads the PACWEST in scoring with 148 points in seven games to average 21.14 points per game. First-year power forward Matt (Madison) Cooley, Delta, BC is second in the PACWEST with 51 rebounds in seven games to average 7.29 rebounds per game.
“I think we are one of the most dangerous teams in PACWEST because I think people don’t understand how good we are,” Coach Nikić commented, “With a little more mental toughness and a little more experience, we will be right in there.”
KPU Eagles Brenden Bailey drives to the net against the Capilano University Blues
The Eagles will spend the next seven regular season games, which is the entire month of January, at home in the Eagles Nest. The first game back from holiday break will be on Friday, January 9th when the CBC Bearcats come to town for a 6:00pm tip off with the women, and 8:00pm tip off with the men.
A notable night will include the Eagles women’s basketball second annual Breast Cancer Awareness fundraiser with Silent Auction on January 30th. Bids will be accepted starting at 5:30pm, just a half hour before the women’s game tips-off. The Eagles will also be selling pink t-shirts as part of the fundraiser with proceeds going to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (BC & Yukon Chapter). Keep your eyes on the Eagles website for more theme-nights and days for Eagles basketball, www.kpu.ca/eagles.
For more information on the Department of Athletics & Recreation, please contact Junelle Mah, sports information and marketing, at 604-786-0804 or at junelle.mah@kpu.ca.
The KPU Eagles Department of Athletics & Recreation enters its 14th season of interuniversity competition. The Eagles are members of the PACWEST conference and play in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with 100 student-athletes participating on eight varsity teams in men’s and women’s basketball, soccer, badminton and golf. KPU athletics plays its home games at the Eagles’ Nest (Surrey Campus), Northview Golf & Country Club, Newton Athletic Park, all located in Surrey, BC and the Ace Badminton Centre in Richmond, BC. The Eagles are active in the conference with staff members on various advisory committees and competing to host both provincial and national championships. The student-athletes are mainly from the lower mainland but KPU’s rosters have included student-athletes from North America, South America, Asia and Europe.