It’s that time of year for the annual Blue Raiders Basketball Tournament. 55 years is truly amazing. Last years champions were the hosts St. Michael’s who are coincidentally undefeated in Canada this season entering this weekends action.

Hoops Hype Canada resident high school scouts Ian Douglas and Mark Bairos weigh in with answers to questions we had surrounding this year’s tournament.

Both Douglas and Bairos will be in attendance for Saturday and Sundays action providing hoop fans sideline tweets.

NOTE:  All games will be live streamed HERE

HHC: Looking at Thursdays fixtures what game stands out as the game of the day and why?

Douglas: Bishop Reding vs Pickering. Christian David is coming off a groin injury where he didn’t finish the quarterfinal in last week’s tournament. Depending on the severity of his nagging injury it could leave BR vulnerable. East end basketball significantly Pickering Trojans basketball has declined but they are still a team that can create problems and they might be that to BR.

Bairos: Hamilton Cathedral versus Holy Trinity. Both clubs had poor showings at the Henry Carr Early Bird. Cathedral because of missing talent playing football and Trinity due to youth. I’m curious to see how far both teams have come since then. I’m a huge fan of Holy Trinity’s young duo 2018 6’4″ Ignas Bradzdeikas and 2017 6’3″ Chris Hankins. I see both of them taking their talents to a prominent prep program south of the border maybe even as early as next season. 

HHC: Predictions for Thursday winners?

Douglas: Campion, Bishop Reding, St. Mike’s and Hamilton Cathedral

Bairos: Campion, Bishop Reding, St. Mike’s and Holy Trinity

HHC: Ian you have a quarterfinal bracket with Campion vs Bishop Reding and St. Mike’s vs Hamilton Cathedral. Who do have in the semi finals, finals and why?

Douglas: Campion and St. Mike’s semi final. Campion has had major success in all the major tournaments. Nobody speaks of them but their a team to pay attention to because they can plain and simple beat you! Campion knows how to grind out games. Very experienced in tight situations and BR is not. Great team but young team and not a good record against the stronger GTA teams. 

St. Mike’s is a great balanced squad defensively and on offense. I do not see Campion pulling off a shocker.

HHC: Mark you have a quarterfinal bracket with Campion vs Bishop Reding and St. Mike’s vs Holy Trinity. Who do you have in the semi finals, finals and why?

Bairos: I think Bishop Reding is due for a signature victory against the elite in the GTA. A date with Campion in the quarters might just be that. I haven’t seen BR leave it all on the floor yet this season. I think this young group has enough experience in major tournaments now that it is possible they can eliminate Campion. I think if they give Christian David a steady diet of touches and he just snaps and develops a mean streak their more then capable of making the semis. St. Mike’s over Holy Trinity because of experience and depth. 

St. Mike’s over Bishop Reding in the semi’s but it being alot closer then the their 19 point victory over Reding in early November.

HHC: Looking at Fridays fixtures what game stands out as the game of the day and why?

Douglas: Corpus Christi vs Vaughan. Finalist at last weekends Brock tourney Corpus took a loss and star Simi Shittu did not play due to cramps! Christi and Shittu are looking to surge as one of the elite teams in the GTA and this is the tournament where Shittu wants to make a statement! That being said I love the Vaughan Voyaguers as a team. It’s pretty hard to bet against Coach G but these guys are playing the best team basketball next to St.Mike’s with a really young squad. 2019 6’2″ Andrew Nembhard and 2015 5’9″ Fowzi Mohamoud is a dangerous backcourt that knows how to control tempo and a game which makes them dangerous.

Bairos: Everybody wants to see Nembhard and Shittu for obvious reasons. I think Shittu has what Vaughan lacks and thats size. That one is also a coaching showdown. Coach G and Esteban are two of the best player coaches in Canadian high school hoops. Except my eyes will be glued to Windsor Herman and Father Henry Carr. Carr is gelling together playing small ball and Windsor Herman little do people know held their own versus St. Mike’s in December. Can Hermans trio of 2015 Shawon Anderson, 2017 Sina Gbadebo and 2018 Marcei Caston knock off Henry Carr who is a team with an abundance of big game experience?

HHC: Predictions for Friday winners?

Douglas: Pine Ridge, Vaughan, Oakwood, and Windsor Herman

Bairos: Pine Ridge, Corpus Christie, Oakwood, Henry Carr

HHC: Ian you have a bracket with Pine Ridge vs Vaughan and Oakwood vs Windsor Herman in the quarters. Who do have in the semi finals, finals and why?

Douglas: Oakwood vs Vaughan semi finals. Really difficult! Oakwood has championship members still and Vaughan is young but they have played enough games and I feel on a hunch that Vaughan will prevail! I just feel that their brand of basketball will out weigh Oakwood.

HHC: Mark you have a bracket with Pine Ridge vs Corpus Christie and Oakwood vs Carr in the quarters. Who do have in the semi finals, finals and why?

Bairos: Those are coin tosses. As much as I love Simi Shittu I think Pine Ridge has so much veteran talent in their back court so I give Pine Ridge the edge. The Barons have an impressive resume this season especially considering they have lost two starters from their OFSAA champion team last season. It’s a testament to Calvin Epistola and Dwan Williams so Oakwood over Henry Carr. For the finals I got to go with Pine Ridge. Chase Vassell is healthy, also they have Nevell Provo and Jordan Henry at the point. Spencer Thomas and Dash are big game players too. Put me down for Pine Ridge in the championship game. Pine Ridge did beat Oakwood by 20 in Windsor last month.

HHC: Ian you have a St. Mike’s vs Vaughan championship game. Who do you have taking the crown home and why?

Douglas: St. Mike’s took a loss on American soil and I think that will help fuel the team to get back to winning! I feel losses always put teams back in perspective and that loss just makes the Blue Raiders stronger.  Strong enough to win their tournament.

HHC: Mark you have a St. Mike’s vs Pine Ridge Pumas championship game. Who do you have taking the crown home and why?

Bairos: This would be the second time these two teams meet this season if they meet in the finals. 72-49 was the end result in favor of St. Mike’s in the Freeds championship game November 29. The game was alot closer then the result. I just think St. Mike’s is so well rounded. Their big three of Kaputo, Carr and Djuricic are the best trio in Canada next to Thon Maker, Jamal Murray and Jalen Poyser. Huge advantage for St. Mike’s too in my opinion is Paradina and Grant those two flourish in their roles and that starting five is a very tough group to beat especially when the stakes are high. I love Chase Vassell and company but can’t bet against St. Mike’s.

There you have it. Both Douglas and Bairos have a different championship game but the same prediction of who will be crowned champion this Sunday.

Here is a look at the schedule broken down in days for this weekends action. Also don’t forget you can watch all games online right HERE

Thursday January 8th

10am: St. Edmund Campion 81 (Devonte Daniels 22)
Mother Teresa 66 (Jalen King 30)
11:30am: Bishop Reding 70 (Christian David 23)
Pickering 61 (Todd Bryce 23)
1:00pm: St. Michael’s 78 (Danilo Djuricic 13)
Jean Vanier 31 (Kascius Small-Martin 10)
2:30pm: Holy Trinity 56 (Ignas Bradzeikis 17)
Cathedral 51 (Mohammed Gafer 16)
4:00pm: Consolation Quarters Loser GM1 vs Loser GM2
5:30pm: Consolation Quarters Loser GM3 vs Loser GM4

Friday January 9th

10am: Pine Ridge vs. West Humber
11:30am: Corpus Christi vs. Vaughan
1:00pm:  Hamilton Cardinal Newman vs. Oakwood
2:30pm: Windsor Herman vs. Henry Carr
4:00pm: Consolation Quarters Loser GM1 vs Loser GM2
5:30pm: Consolation Quarters Loser GM3 vs Loser GM4

Saturday January 10th

10am: Consolation Semi-final #1
11:30am: Consolation Semi-final #2
1:00pm:  Championship Quarter-final #1 (Thursday winners of first 2 games)
2:30pm: Championship Quarter-final #2 (Thursday winners of second 2 games)
4:00pm: Championship Quarter-final #3 (Friday winners of first 2 games)
5:30pm: Championship Quarter-final #4 (Friday winners of second 2 games)

Sunday January 11th

10am: Championship Semi-final #1 (Winner of Quarter-finals 1 & 2)
11:30am: Championship Semi-final #2 (Winner of Quarter-finals 3 & 4)
1:00pm:  Consolation Final
2:30pm: 3rd Place Game
4:15pm: Championship Final