HAWKS “GIBBY” DESERVES TO BE IN ALL-CANADIAN CONVERSATION
ETOBICOKE, ON: The question arises each and every year, and the voting takes place to answer that query. Who will be the All-Canadians from the OCAA?
From this simple question, comes a number more. Should the starting point guard from the defending CCAA National Champions be considered, even before the season starts? Should this same athlete prove each and every game that he is indeed the best player on one of the best teams in the strong OCAA conference this year? Has this player reinvented himself in the best interest of the team and its needs, and has he taken his game to another level statistically never before seen is his career? Is the All Canadian designate a player capable of coming up big in the biggest games of the year?
If these are some of the questions, then the answer is Gibson Eduful. Anyone who has witnessed his play this year must agree, especially when the defending National Champs were down to a playing roster of seven players. Especially, yet again, when this team knocked off three of the country's best teams in their last four wins. And, when Gibby knocked down 21 points in leading the Hawks to a home win over the previously undefeated and fourth ranked nationally Mohawk Mountaineers, he certainly has etched his name on the ballot sheet.
Gibson Eduful, a native of Toronto, is in the midst of his most productive statistical season of his post-secondary career. After his 21 point outburst on Wednesday night in leading the Hawks to a second half opening win against the Mountaineers, he has improved his scoring average to a team leading 18.5 ppg. This mark has now pushed Gibby into the top ten in league scoring.
To add perspective to his scoring exploits, there are two things to consider. First, in his previous three seasons with Humber he was never asked to be the scorer. He embraced this request, even though he was known as a shooter coming into the Hawks program, he ran the offence and played great defence. This ultimately led the Hawks to the 2015 CCAA national title.
Secondly, his current mark of 18.5 points per game is almost ten points per game better than his best season as a Hawk. He had previously recorded averages of 6.7, 6.9 and 8.8. Once again, this outburst in scoring came by way of a request from the coaching staff, based on a need in the best interest of team success.
"Gibby established himself as one of the premier point guards in the entire nation last season," said Hawks head coach Shawn Collins. "He took his game to another level at the Nationals last year, and for him to find yet another level this year, especially when we were in great need is something special to behold."
The old saying is that "numbers don't lie". In this instance, Edufuls numbers not only rank him on top of almost every statistical category on the Hawks, they put him among the best in the entire OCAA. As mentioned above, he sits comfortably in the top ten of league scoring, and now in the top ten of actual points scored. He is number one in steals and third in assists. And "if numbers don't lie", then this combination of offence (points), steals (defence) and assists (ball distribution) indicates he is one of the most impactful players this league has witnessed this year.
"He dove for a loose ball at a key time in the gold medal game at Nationals, everyone saw it", said Hawks assistant coach James DePoe. "He gave up his body for the team. He is doing the same this year, only it has transcended into offence. He just continues to give the team what it needs to win."
Humber has reeled of seven wins in their last eight games, and now sit eleventh in the CCAA National rankings. With the win over Mohawk and a Sheridan loss earlier this week, it is safe to say that the Hawks will make their way into the top ten this coming week.
The team has strengthened their line-up as the second half begins, and are looking to take off on a good run leading up to the OCAA Championships that will be held at Humber in March.
As questions were the premise of this story, one last question must be asked. With the new faces in the line-up, will Gibby's scoring prowess be scaled down at all, forfeiting some support of post season individual recognition? The answer is simple, Eduful, in the best interest of team success, will adapt his game. If that means less offence, he is prepared to do what it takes to get the team to the podium once again. That, in a nutshell, is the true definition of an All Canadian.
