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New basketball recruit shows promise

August 23, 2011
By Jason Sinukoff

After a disappointing 11-11 season and the loss of star forward Andy Wedemire, the Mustangs men’s basketball team needed to get help fast.

Enter recruit Aaron Shadrach, one part of what is being heralded as one of the best recruitment classes in the country.

Shadrach, a six-foot-two guard from Jarvis Collegiate in Toronto, will don the white and purple this coming season. The guard chose to bring his talents to Western because of the importance it places on both athletics and academics.

“The school itself has a rich athletic and academic history and has been revered as being quite prestigious,” Shadrach said.

“Another thing that drew me in was its location. I liked how it wasn’t too far away from home, yet still distanced enough to offer the feeling of being away,” he continued.

Shadrach’s sentiments are shared by Mustangs head coach Brad Campbell.

“I think we are an attractive choice for recruits because Western is an opportunity to study at a world-class university and play for a basketball program that is nationally competitive with over 100 years of history,” Campbell said.

Shadrach will be counted on by Campbell to aid both a struggling offence and a scoring defense that ranked 14^th and fifth in the Ontario University Athletics last season.

“Aaron is an outstanding athlete who excels in the open court. He has the ability to score off the dribble and attack the rim,” Campbell said. “Aaron is also a tenacious defender that can disrupt opposing team’s offence with his ability to put pressure on the ball.”

Shadrach hopes to accomplish what is expected of him by bringing a versatile game to the Mustangs squad.

“I hope to bring a solid, all-around 2-3 that has the ability to score, play defence, make plays or do whatever is needed on either end of the floor to ensure that the team comes out with a win,” Shadrach explained.

Last season, the Mustangs finished in a four-way tie for sixth place. the new talent that the Mustangs are receiving, Shadrach believes an improvement is on the horizon.

“I expect the team to have the best season it could possibly have – if I didn’t, what kind of athlete would I be? We’ve got a great group of positive guys that are ready to put that work in and have great potential. I think we’ll have a great year and definitely improve from last year’s standings,” he said.

“I love to win, hate to lose, and I mean that in the most positive way. I am extremely competitive and will not stop until I feel that I, myself and the rest of the team has given it their all.”

Shadrach and the Mustangs will kick off their new season on November 11 against the York Lions.

 

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