SPORTS

Back in the saddle again Basketball Panthers all set for ’94

BY SCOTT MACDONALD

“WHE TWO-YEAR ABSENCE OF THE UPEI basketball Panthers from the AUAA playoffs appears to be over as the first half of the season proved to be kind to the team.

At the break the team stood at 3-1, good for one of top records and an eighth place ranking in the country.

The most notable addition to this year’s edition of the P’s is a familiar face to most fans; 6°3 forward Dennis “Airwolf” Smith, who returned last winter to resume his education and playing career after a stint at the University of Manitoba.

The starting lineup is very experienced, with All-League shooting guard Raham Dixon, avery dangerous scoring threat, and Darrell Glenn, one of the premier playmakers in the AUAA controlling the backcourt. Upfront 6’6 former conference rookie of the year and team leader Curtis Robinson is joined by two new full-time starters; Brian McLennon and Peter Lawlor. Lawlor, a Charlottetown Rural graduate, is an outstanding perimeter threat (as his 22 point first half against McGill would testify) who can stretch opposing defences. McLennon displays a vastly improved game

Sports return to UPEI

Basketball, volleyball and hockey teams gear up for new semester

BY TODD PETRIE HUE TO THE RECENT HOLIDAY season, sporting activity has been virtually non-existent here at UPEI for the last few weeks. Until last week, no U.P.E.I. team had seen action since the Lady Panthers

basketball team played in Fredericton in early December.

Last week the women’s basketball played very well in a tournament at St. Mary's University in Halifax. They will return to regular season action on Saturday, January

this year, impressing many fans with his strong rebounding, aggressive defence, and good low-post offence.

When head coach George Morrison wants to rest his starters he looks to his bench where he has very capable replacements at every position, able to provide quality minutes. Smith and Jason Kielley are versatile enough to fill in at any of the frontcourt positions, contributing points and a workman-like effort on the glass. At guard Craig Walker has been playing some of his best games in a Panther uniform this year as he fills the role of an

15,at Memorial University in Newfoundland.

The nationally ranked men’s team, with their 3-| regular season record, travelled during the holidays to play in a tournament hosted by the Western Ontario Mustangs. Other teams included the Waterloo Warriors and the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks. Like the Lady Panthers, the men’s squad will continue their regular season on Newfoundland against the Memorial Seahawks.

The Panther’s volleyball team, inactive since a tournament in Moncton in late November played this past weekend at the UPEI Sports Centre.

offensive spark off the bench, and is another of the team’s top three-point snipers. Jason MacDonald is the perfect backup point guardas he can control the offensive flow of the game as well as displaying exceptional passing skills and an in-your-face, aggressive defensive game.

The remainder of the team are first year players who are relagated to sitting and learning while they undergo the transition from being big stars in high school to the task of being role players at this higher level of competition. But there is potential for the future here, especially in the forms of 6'7 Three Oaks product fan favorite Greg Lucas, and Toronto guard 5’8 Kevin Mitchell, who is an explosive leaper.

The Panthers see action again this weekendas they travel to Newfoundland to play two games against Memorial University.

The men's hockey team also returned to action last Wednesday in Alberton which featured a game against Panther players from the past. The old Panthers beat today’s team by an | I-9 score, with the proceeds from the contest benefitting the Alberton community rink. The Panthers resumed their regular season this past weekend in Nova Scotia with games against St.Mary's and Acadia. As of last Friday, the team had a 2-9-2 record, good for fifth place in the MacAdam division.

NOTICES

Debating Society News

Well, another semester has come and gone...how time flies when you are frantically doing assignments! The debating society is getting started for another semester, but we thought we'd fill you in on what's been going on.

We had a membership drive in early September, and at the same time we recruited a new faculty advisor, Dr. Sean Hennessey of the School of Business. In October we had a Saturday afternoon training session for our new members, to give them some extra debating time, and to give them a chance to get some hints on their style and delivery. Usually the new members can get this experience at the annual Dalhousie novice tournament, but due to busy schedules, that wasn’t possible this year.

The main event of the semester for the society was the Atlantic Invitational Debating Tournament, hosted by U.P.E.I. the weekend of October 30 to November |.

Approximately 45 debaters from seven Atlantic universities arrived at the Barn on Friday night for registration and refreshment. Debating ran all day Saturday and continued on Sunday morning. The finals for public speaking were held on Saturday night, with Kelly Lamrock of St. Thomas finishing first overall. The final round of debating was held on Saturday afternoon, with the Dalhousie team of Sudanna MacDonald and Jennifer Harnum winning the tournament. The tournament was a great success, and everyone really enjoyed themselves.

Ten of our members attended a mini tournament at Mount Allison on November 20. This tournament was meant to give members from both societies a chance to do some debating without the pressure of a real tournament. We had a really great time (even if the judging was biased against us!). Two of our members made it to the public speaking finals - Edward Lank and Patricia Embleton. The team of Edward Lank and Yvonne MacKean debated against a Dalhousie team in the final round, but due to that judging | mentioned earlier, the tournament was won by Mount Allison; however, we're all good sports, and the tournament was a good experience for

everyone.

This semester we are planning to attend the North American Invitationals, held this year at Dalhousie on Feb. 4-6. We are also looking forward to the annual Holland College debate on Wednesday, January |9 at 4 PM in Kelley 237. Keep watching for more information on that. | hope we can hold onto the trophy for a third year.

Our meetings are Tuesday at 7:00 PM in Alumni Gym 01 and Friday at 1:30 PM somewhere on the second floor of Kelley. Drop in any time.

Reading to

understand science

The Learning Assistance Centre has set up a program which will teach students how to use the new skills acquired in scientific reading. It will help students find principal ideas, understand details, understand experiments, understand principals and graphic arts in relation with physical and social sciences. Running from January || to February 15, the course costs only $35.00, including materials. For additional information, please contact the Learning

Assistance Centre located in the Robertson Library at the Student Services department. The phone number is 566-0425, and the centre’s hours are:

Mondays and Fridays 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Tuesdays thru Thursdays 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Local writer to read

JJ. Steinfeld, novelist, short story writer, and playwright, will read from his work on Tuesday, January 18, at the PEI Council of the Arts, 94 Great George Street, Charlottetown. Steinfeld has won numerous awards for his work, including first prize in Theatre Prince Edward Island's Playwriting Competition (5 times), and the Okanagan Short Fiction Award from Canadian Author and Bookman. He is the author of The Miraculous Hand and Other Stories, Unmapped Dreams, Our Heroin the Cradle of Confederation, and other titles. Admission is free and everyone is welcome. This reading is presented by the Department of English and the PEI Writers’ Guild and is sponsored by the Canada Council. Please join us!

[ x.press january eleventh 1994 page 18 |