Basketball: The 'T' in TWU might be for 'transfer'; Spartans sign B.C. college MVP

Is eight enough for Trinity Western Spartans coach Scott Allen?

The addition of 6-foot-8 forward Clint Wickham, the B.C. college MVP last season at Langara, gives the Canada West bronze medallist eight players who have come from another post-secondary institution (by cishoops.ca's count). Talk about a plethora of paperwork. That total includes the NCAA D-1 players from B.C. who have come home such as Tyrell Mara, who played in two NCAA Tournaments at Portland State.

It is a unique approach for TWU coach Scott Allen. Many Canada West teams do have a feeder system with the college leagues, especially in Alberta and B.C. It exists to a smaller extent in the OUA (2008 Final 8 MVP Owen White played in the OCAA before going to Brock, and McMaster has had several players who honed their games at Mohawk College).

It is funny, in Seth Davis' book When March Went Mad, there's a reference to Larry Bird's school, Indiana State, being derided as "Transfer U" after that matchless 1978-79 season where the Sycamores reached the NCAA final against Magic Johnson and Michigan State. Indiana State was this little-known school which has only been D-1 for about 10 years, so people were bound to scoff at its success.

Trinity Western should be very strong this season and with Canada West's new cross-over playoff format, they'll have a straighter route to the CIS Final 8 in Ottawa. One wonders how the transfer issue will be handled. No doubt it's a challenge for Allen, having so many players with varying hoops backgrounds.

Related:
BCCAA star joins TWU (Langley Advance, via cishoops.ca)