General News

On one of the best high school basketball teams ever to come out of Medicine Hat, he was the magician.

He saw plays develop before anyone else, was like an extra coach on the floor and could dribble his way around a flailing garden hose.

But once the Hat High Mohawks' second try at a provincial title came to an end in 2007, so too did the career of Preston Sloan.

"That's it for me, it's done," he said following the final run of the three-time South Zone 4A champions. "When I come back from my mission I could try and do it again, but I think it's pretty unlikely."

As it turns out, time can play tricks on anyone. Even a magician.

Sloan has signed on to play with the Medicine Hat College Rattlers this fall.

"I had other things on my mind, other things I planned to do so I wasn't really looking at basketball," Sloan said Friday night, prior to the men's basketball team's ID camp starting up at the Snake Pit. "I think over the past three years I have a different perspective.

"I feel like I've gained a lot from being here in the city and the support I've got. I kind of feel like being able to play is an opportunity to give back to the community and try and help the program here."

Sloan remembers the quote he gave in 2007 after the Mohawks went a disappointing 1-2 at provincials in Edmonton. The team lost the provincial final in 2006 with the same core of players and were seeded second in the province. He admits it was a disappointing way to finish.

It was hardly an optimal situation, however. Sloan was hospitalized with the flu just days before provincials and wasn't his usual dazzling self in the final weekend.

Since then, he went on his mission for six months, then worked a few jobs before starting kinesiology courses at the college last year.

The final carrot to lure him to the Rattlers came when Jason McLester
, the former men's coach who now guides the Rattlers women, asked Sloan if he and some other local players could help the ladies team practice against a full court press defence.

"That made me remember how much I loved the game," said Sloan. "I thought there was more things to life than just basketball, but the biggest thing I've realized is the opportunity to be involved gives you the opportunity to have an impact on your community."

That's great news for Tim Martens, who took over the head coaching job at the college three years ago and has been courting the point guard ever since.

"He's a talented kid," said Martens. "I don't care where Preston's from, I'd love for him to play on our team. He's a great student, a great kid, plus his vision and the things he can do, we're very excited about it."

Martens, who was still at Strathcona High in Edmonton when Sloan graduated, admits the culture around the Rattlers men needs to improve. Using terms like "party place" and "seperate camps" to describe recent squads, he sees the mature, disciplined Sloan as a perfect model both on the college team and in the community.

"He's a character guy," said Martens. "He's going to put the time in this summer and get faster, get stronger."

Just as important, however, is Sloan's ability on the court. When asked whether he'll have rust to shake off, the 21-year-old's answer is an emphatic yes, but he's already on a training program to make sure it's not an issue when the college season starts in September. Martens expects him and sophomore Tyler Pierce
to split time at point guard.

If Sloan can capture the sort of magic he had with the Mohawks, the Rattlers figure to be far better than the team that missed the playoffs last year and six out of the past seven campaigns.

Still, he's not putting too much pressure on himself.

"It's hard to know what to expect," he said. "I've never played at this level. All I want to do is do my best, find what my role is and help the team."

 

Editor's note: The original version of this story suggested that no Medicine Hat athlete had played under Tim Martens since he became the Rattlers head coach in 2007. That is incorrect. Kris Henke, who played under Martens in 2007-08, was a McCoy Colts graduate.

 

SEAN ROONEY