General News

When head coach Tim Martens rounds out the roster of his Medicine Hat College Rattlers men's basketball team this season, he hopes to have filled up on character.

 

The bench boss wrapped his annual identification camp Sunday morning at the Snake Pit. About 35 to 40 players attended the camp along with veteran players who are expected to return next season.

 

Martens is hoping to added two to three players from the camp to his squad, and he believes the newcomers would be a boost in the character department.

 

"Our biggest focus for this year is we have to find guys, who want to go to school and play basketball," said Martens, whose club missed the post-season with a 3-17 record. "This past year, I felt like we had our troubles, but our troubles were all off the court.

 

"I think we are moving in the right direction. I even thought this last year, even though we had a worse record (compared to the 2008-09 playoff year), we had more talent on our team. We just had team problems, and everything was about character.

 

"Guys are learning that kids with character will go further. That is what we need."

 

As for the players that were at camp, Martens liked the effort he saw. Some of the locals at the camp included Grade 12 Crescent Heights High School Vikings standouts Tim McKinnon and Derek Leentvaar, who helped their squad win the provincial 3A title in March.

 

Also at the camp were Medicine Hat High School Mohawks forwards Marcus Mortlock and Ashley Grisonich, who still have to complete their senior years in high school.

 

For any locals that might commit to the Rattlers or anyone coming right out of high school, Martens said they will need time to develop physically. Clubs like Mount Royal University will have fourth or fifth year players, who are well-built men, while players coming out of Grade 12 are still built like boys in comparison.

 

"Basketball in general, it is getting harder and harder to play in college right out of high school," said Martens, who has coached the Rattlers for three full seasons. "A lot of these kids need just a little bit more time to get stronger and just that little bit more experience.

 

"They are great kids, and they are the kind of kids that we like. They just need some time."

 

Despite those challenges, some of the players at the camp are still investigating their post-secondary options. McKinnon, who is a 6-foot-6 guard, has talked to six Canadian university programs out East, as well as other programs in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference, which the Rattlers play out of.

 

McKinnon said he wants to take business next year, and he is looking for a program that best fits his educational needs. Medicine Hat College does have classes that transfer into his field of study at the university level, which makes playing for the Rattlers an option.

 

"I know the college has transfer programs too, and a four year (school) would be nice too," said McKinnon. "Either would be nice. Playing ball is good wherever it is."

 

Even if he doesn't play for the Rattlers, McKinnon said attending the program's identification camp was a good experience. He enjoyed playing against potential recruits from Calgary and Saskatchewan, and the Rattlers returning veterans.

 

"It is good to play with guys, who have been through it for a few years," said McKinnon. "Some of these guys are on like their last year of college.

 

"It is good to see how they have progressed like how good they actually are at the next level."

 

New recruit a tall one

 

Martens got good news this week when Winnipeg standout David Kohler
committed to the Rattlers. The 6-foot-9 post is still growing according to his mom, who came with him to the college a couple weeks ago. Kohler's Oak Park Raiders got to their provincial semifinals this year.

 

DARREN STEINKE