Basketball: Former D-1 player Mara joins Trinity Western

Guard Tyrell Mara is going to attempt to play in the Final 8 the season after playing in the NCAA tournament.

Mara, a 6-foot-5 guard, has transferred from the Portland State Vikings to Trinity Western, where he'll work with his former high school coach, Scott Allen. He averaged 16.5 minutes, scoring 3.7 points with 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists for Portland State, which was a tournament team each of the past two seasons. Mara will have two years of eligibility, since he lost all but three games of 2006-07 to a knee injury and received a medical redshirt.

The Spartans, who came within one game of a Final 8 trip last season, also have another talented transfer who's a big guard, 6-foot-5 Calvin Westbrook. The one-time Canadian junior national team member sat out last season after transferring from NCAA Division II Cal State Stanislaus, where he averaged 9.1 points in 2007-08.

Howard Tsumura notes that with Jacob Doerksen coming back, Mara and Westbrook should "form the nucleus of what is likely the most talented team in Spartans' history."

For anyone wondering, Canada West is bringing in a cross-over playoff format next season with the two-division format. The first-place team in the West will play the fourth-place team in the East and vice-versa, with both finalists going to the Final 8 in Ottawa. It means TWU's route to nationals wouldn't have go to through UBC.

Related:
Mara's journey brings him back to B.C. and a spot in Spartans' star-studded lineup (Howard Tsumura, Little Man on Campus)
Next PostNewer Post Previous PostOlder Post Home

0 comments:

Post a Comment