Scott Clark, entering his sixth season as the Thompson Rivers WolfPack men’s basketball head coach will open his season on the road against the University of Prince George in CIS basketball competition this coming weekend.
Coach Clark is happy about his team, saying “we have a good week of preparation for our opener against Prince George”.
Two athletes, Perry Terrell and Kyler Eckess, home-grown in Prince Rupert, are looking to put their mark on the team.
Both athletes were walk-ons, which means they applied to school on their own. They were not offered a scholarship, but made the team based on their merit, hard-work, skill, and potential. Terrell and Eckess had a strong showing at try-outs, have shown excellent dedication to their school work, and the work-load from school and the juggling act created from the demand of playing on a varsity team can be tough to manage the two have learned, especially in the first year.
Coach Clark elaborated on why he kept the two athletes from Prince Rupert.
“The reason we kept them was [because] they have some ability, and they’re good teammates. They show up to practice, work hard, understand their position on the team and the roster, and are supportive of their teammates. It’s what you would want from kids that walk on and try-out. Their work ethic is great and [they] love the game of basketball,” Clark said.
Playing time in a freshman’s first year is, to say the least, sparse, so Terrell and Eckess’ games probably happen on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Those are the days when TRU practices hard. “They have seen some action and hopefully will continue to see some action and develop,” Clark added.
The coaching in high-school sets these athletes up for success, and when asked about the coaching in Prince Rupert, Clark had nothing but praise for it. The coach speaks highly of Charles Hays (CHSS) senior boys’ basketball coach, Mel Bishop.
“Bishop has been there (in the Prince Rupert community) forever and is a friend,” said Clark.
“He has played at a high level and has coached at Charles Hays for countless years. He really understands the game of basketball, is a really good teacher, is demanding and has produced a number of good players over the years from the small community of Prince Rupert,” the coach said.
Terrell and Eckess hope that their success continues on the momentum built by Bishop and the solid basketball program at CHSS.