Basketball: Marauders land a big and a ballhandler

This has been a pretty good week for McMaster: winning its football opener and adding a pair of major transfers in men's basketball.

No doubt some keen observers took note that 6-foot-9 Scott Brittain, a former Canadian junior national team member who sat out last season at Boston University due to concussion issues, was sitting with the Marauders ballers on Tuesday night at Ron Joyce Stadium, cheering on their football brethren. Lo and behold, it was just announced the Oakville, Ont., native, who started 74 games in three seasons for the Terriers in the mid-major America East conference, is coming to Mac. First-year coach Amos Connolly has also added 6-foot-1 combo guard Kenan Etale, who previously played at Houghton (N.Y.) College.

Brittain, 22, is an all-Canadian candidate if healthy. There's a high-risk, high-reward element due to the concussions, but his body of work at Boston U (he averaged 8.4 points, 5.7 rebounds in three seasons on 47% shooting) suggests it is worth taking a shot. There is also some thought the Marauders' highly touted young big, Taylor Black, should be able to tap into Brittain's experience.

Etale can play each guard spot and is viewed as a very quick defender, who can also get to the rim. Former Marauders standout Martin Ajayi comes to mind as a comparable. Etale led Hamilton's Mère-Teresa to successive OFSAA A titles in the province's small-school division.

Sounds like some good gets for Connolly and Mac.