SEASON PREVIEW: Men’s Basketball Panthers look for championship breakthrough in 2023-24

By Thomas Becker

The season is shaping up to be an exciting one, and if the UPEI Men's Basketball Panthers intend to bring a banner home, they must first overcome the challenge of filling the void left by the departure of star point guard Elijah Miller.

The reigning Atlantic University Sport (AUS) MVP and two-time all-Canadian guided the Panthers to back-to-back finals appearances, where they ultimately fell short. While the former face of the program has moved on, the goal still remains the same, and there's more than enough talent on the roster to break the finals jinx and usher in a new era of success.

The reins have now been passed down to fourth-year guard Kamari Scott, who's been with the team the longest and is prepared to lead them forward. 

"I've always seen myself as a leader, and I'll continue to be that this season," Scott said.  "Coming into this season, I know my work over the summer will show. I don't feel any more pressure than before, as I know what I'm capable of. My role now is to keep being great and lead by example."

Scott, a dynamic guard with the ability to get to the rim at will with his strength and explosiveness, has the makeup of an all-star and will push for his first selection in 2023-24. Scott is coming off a season in which he averaged 14.7 points per game on an efficient 45.6 per cent shooting with 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists. He has also shown the ability to take over games when needed and has the potential to be one of the league's top scorers. 

For the first time in three seasons, the point guard position is a work in progress. Without Miller orchestrating the offence, the Panthers are exploring several options to get the ball to the right people at the right time. Scott will certainly be asked to set up the offence at times, while Sam Chisholm, Daren Clarke, and newcomers Kyree Thompson and Owen Smith will also get a chance to handle the ball. 

Panthers head coach Darrell Glenn understands the transition won't be easy but is confident the group he has can run his up-tempo offence.

"I'm not sure you ever replace a player of Elijah's magnitude," Glenn explained. "As a program, we have to continue to grow and other players have to step up and take on new roles, but that's the challenge of every good program."

While the backcourt took a bit of a hit this offseason, the frontcourt looks better than ever. Transfer student Jace Colley was the biggest addition this offseason and will form an exciting one-two punch with Scott. 

The versatile forward comes to UPEI with championship pedigree, having won back-to-back Atlantic College Athletic Association (ACAA) titles with the Holland College Hurricanes in 2018 and 2019. The following year he transferred to Chicago State University, where he played NCAA Division I basketball. In 2021-22, he made his way to the AUS where he was an all-star for the Saint Mary's Huskies, averaging 16.9 points per game on 49.2 per cent shooting with 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. 

The Panthers also added six-foot-seven Spaniard Daniel Gonzalez Longarela, who spent the past two seasons with the Bishop's Gaiters. The physical centre gives UPEI an interior defender who can bang bodies with the best of them.

The size doesn't end there for the Panthers either. Six-foot-seven forward Abilash Surendran returns for his third year and gives the team a unique skillset for his size, as he can shoot the three-pointer and may be the team's best passer right now. So fans can expect the offence to run through him at times. 

The biggest X-factor this season is Cameron Brown. The electric sophomore wowed fans with his thunderous dunks and absurd blocks and is expected to make another leap forward following an impressive rookie campaign. Brown's contribution on both ends of the floor and his ability to energize the team, are expected to play a pivotal role in the Panthers' success. 

"I like our overall size and I think it will be a big advantage for us," Glenn said. "It's early, but I think we can become as good a defensive team because of it."

With the new season fast approaching, the Panthers are fully aware of the challenges and expectations before them. With a mix of seasoned veterans and promising young talent led by Scott and Colley, the Panthers are determined to finally break the AUS finals curse and bring glory to their program.

"We know what it takes to win a title," Scott said. "I've been telling the guys that this year is personal. We want to make it back to the big stage and finish the job."

*The UPEI Men's Basketball Panthers will face off against the St. FX X-Men at their home opener on Friday, November 3 at 8 p.m. Buy your UPEI Basketball Season Pass or single game tickets at panthertickets.ca.