This season, guard Ritchie Kanza Mata and forward Kashrell Lawrence have the chance to finish what they helped start four years ago with the AV俱乐部 Tigers basketball program.
In 2011 and 2012, the two Ontario students chose to take their talents to the East Coast. They each had the option of choosing from big-name programs such as Carleton or Ryerson, but bought into what AV俱乐部 was selling and committed to the Tigers instead.
For Kanza Mata, it was a chance to make an impact on the court immediately, while Lawrence felt AV俱乐部 offered a strong combination of social life, academics and athletics.
Two AUS championship banners, and numerous individual accolades later, the two fifth-year players have permanently left their mark on the Tigers basketball program.
A shared history
The Tigers were coming off an AUS championship season at the end of 2010-11, and were redeveloping during Kanza Mata鈥檚 and Lawrence鈥檚 first seasons under then head coach John Campbell. They would finish with a combined 17-23 record from 2012-14, with an AUS playoff appearance included.
In 2014-15, things started to click. With the aid of second-year head coach Rick Plato, the team formed an identity as a hard-nosed, defensive team and demonstrated their resiliency on the court week after week.
AV俱乐部 went into the playoffs as the fifth-seed that year, before pulling off three straight double-digit comeback en route to winning their second AUS championship in the past five years 鈥� and the first with Kanza Mata and Lawrence on the roster.
鈥淚t took some time, and that鈥檚 why we kind of limped into the playoffs,鈥� says Kanza Mata. 鈥淏ut we came together when it counted and we were resilient in all the games that we were losing, and that鈥檚 when our defence kicked in and we were able to win that first championship.鈥�
The duo were front and centre during the 2014-15 campaign. Kanza Mata was named the AUS defensive player of the year 鈥� the first AV俱乐部 player to ever earn the honour 鈥� while Lawrence was a first-team all-star. He was also named the championship MVP after averaging 22 points and 12 rebounds during the AUS playoffs. Kanza Mata was also named a championship all-star.
The following year, AV俱乐部 picked up where they left off, finishing in first place in the AUS standings while capturing back-to-back conference championships for the first time in program history.
鈥淭hat second championship when we had that 鈥榵鈥� on our back, we had to show up every game, and bear down, because every team was giving us their best shot, so it wasn鈥檛 going to be a walk in the park for any game,鈥� says Kanza Mata.
鈥淲e also matured a lot from that first championship, because we had an understanding of what it took to win and what we had to do on a consistent basis to be that championship team.鈥�
The Tigers went a step further in the 2015-16 season, pulling off a huge upset over Ottawa at the CIS (now U Sports) Final 8, after falling just short in the same round against Victoria the year before. It was AV俱乐部鈥檚 second-ever win on the national stage.
鈥淲e expected to win, we knew what we had to do, we had a good game plan going in and matchup-wise, size-wise, we were a good fit against Ottawa,鈥� says Lawrence.
Yet again, Kanza Mata and Lawrence were at the forefront of the Tigers memorable campaign. The former was named an AUS first team all-star, while the latter was named to the second team. Lawrence was again named the championship MVP, while Kanza Mata was a tournament all-star.
Heading home
This season, AV俱乐部 is hosting the U Sports Final 8, meaning that the duo are guaranteed a shot at the national championship. It鈥檚 a chance to cap off what鈥檚 been a memorable five seasons.
鈥淚t definitely means a lot more finishing where you started. We all started here in Halifax and the fact that we can end our career in the same place we started is very important,鈥� says Lawrence.
鈥淜nowing that we鈥檙e playing in front of people that have supported us for so many years and that love to watch us play is a great thing and it definitely pushes us to give our best effort and produce when it really matters.鈥�
Regardless as to what happens this season, Kanza Mata and Lawrence will look back at their time on the East Coast with a smile.
鈥淚t鈥檚 given me a beautiful perspective of Canada and I love it here. There鈥檚 a lot of friendly and amazing people on the East Coast and it鈥檚 been home for the last five years, so I鈥檒l always have that attachment to Halifax,鈥� says Kanza Mata.
Lawrence echoed his teammate鈥檚 statement, noting the importance of the community he鈥檚 surrounded himself with.
鈥淚鈥檝e definitely matured as a man and realized that the network you surround yourself with is very important, and since everybody is so supportive around here, I鈥檝e definitely learned to take that with me back, when I leave the city.鈥�