By: Kajan Thiruthanikasalam & Teru Ikeda
On Saturday June 22, the Athletic and Wellness Centre (AWC) at Progress Campus welcomed seven new recruits into the Lady Colts basketball team. Excitement was in the air as family and friends of the athletes packed the gymnasium.
Overall, a total 11 recruits were introduced as members of the Colts over the offseason. Clearly, Justin Bobb, Colts Head Coach and his coaching staff were serious about a team turn-around for the upcoming season.
"It's a testament to my coaching staff, to their dedication to the work that they put in, to be going out and recruiting top talent, to be landing recruits that other schools in this province and out of this province are actively pursuing," said Coach Bobb.
The Lady Colts' coaching staff recruited based on culture and character. Here is a look at all seven recruits and notable quotes from them as they were introduced on Saturday morning.
Keyanna Ashauntee Hyatt
Position: Guard/Forward
Age: 17 years old
High School: Central Peel Secondary School (Brampton)
Previous clubs: Brampton Breakdown, Canada Elite, Silver Knights, North Stars, Bayan Lakan
Program: Child and Youth Care
Strengths: 3-point shooting, free throws, lefty stroke, driving to the basket, defense
Areas of improvement: right-hand, ball handling
The youngest member on the Lady Colts roster is Keyanna Hyatt. She is still recovering from a lower body injury in her last high school semi-final game on November 22nd, 2018.
Hyatt will have to wait longer than her teammates to get on the floor, but having followed the Lady Colts over the years, she is excited to be on the hardwood soon.
"When I came to (the Colts' home) opener this year, I saw the energy on the court -- all the alumni that visited, everybody cheering for them. The energy -- I just loved it -- the energy was amazing and I really want that because not a lot of schools have that same vibe," said Hyatt.
She believes that her will to win can change the culture of the Lady Colts' basketball team. She is so passionate and determined to win, she admits crying when her team loses.
Speaking on behalf of all the recruits, she said assertively, "we want to win. We have that motivation. "
Katryze Magdaong
Position: combo guard
Age: 17 years old
High School: St. Brother Andre Catholic HS (Markham)
Previous clubs: Triple Threat, SBA, Canada Elite, Become One
Program: Nursing
Strengths: shooting
Areas of improvement: mid-range shooting and attacking the basket
Long before Katryze Magadong decided to put on a Colts jersey, she grew up as a Colts fan, cheering her team from the stands. She recalls the collegial atmosphere of game days and the half-time shows.
"I grew up here, I used to come here as a kid, I used to train here with some of the old coaches," said Magdaong. "I always wanted to play basketball with a college team and I thought it was a perfect fit for me and my program."
Magadong will live out her dream and continue her family's basketball legacy at Centennial. She was inspired by her cousin and former Colts basketball player, Cedric Pelayo, who now plays professionally in the Philippines.
She is excited to carve out her own path and is already building a bond with this year's recruiting class.
Jaylah Jaiden Joseph
Position: Guard/Forward
Age: 19 years old
High School: St. Francis Xavier Secondary School (Mississauga)
Club team: Bayan Lakan
Program: Broadcasting - Radio, Television, Film and Digital Media
Strengths: shooting, getting to the rim
Areas of improvement: explosiveness, too critical of herself
The Joseph name is hard to live up to in GTA basketball circles.
Lady Colt star recruit Jaylah Joseph is the cousin of NBA point guard Cory Joseph. Her uncle, DJ Joseph, was the former head coach of the men's basketball team. But she wants her game to speak for itself.
"I'm good because of me, not because of my last name," said Jaylah. "So it kind of gives me a little more push to prove it on the court like... 'This is Jaylah. This is what she do.'"
She solicited offers from other colleges, but after attending Centennial's first recruitment session and workout, she fell in love with the community vibe here.
"The first time I stepped in here, I instantly felt at home. And that's the biggest thing for me," said Joseph.
Centennial offered what she was looking for academically and athletically.
She aspires to become a film director. "The program touched all aspects of what I wanted to do as a film director, which is being able to write cinematography and sound," she said.
Joseph suffered a severe lower body injury two years ago and Centennial also provided the best facilities and services for her. "My body's so important and I like to take care of it," she said. "I'm not trying to have no more injuries, I'm trying to win championships."
Jaylah is coming here with the expectation to win three championships.
Sophia Margarita Errazo
Position: shooting guard
Age: 18 years old
High School: St. Martin Secondary School (Mississauga)
Club: Jayhawks, Bayan Lakan
Program: Occupational Therapy Assistant and Physiotherapy Assistant
Strengths: shooting
Areas of improvement: attacking the rim, defense
Sophia Errazo is another Lady Colt recruit who will add shooting to the existing roster.
She is aware of the team's struggles last season and believes that change needs to start at the defensive end.
"It seems like a cool vibe here and I can't wait to start the season," said Errazo as she feels emboldened by the presence of 10 other recruits. She expects her team to make the OCAA playoffs this year and emphasizes, "If we want to become a better team, it's got to start from defense."
Iayanna Nyah Lai-Smith
Position: Small Forward/Power Forward (Age: 18)
High School: Pope John Paul Catholic School
Rep Team: Canada Elite
Hometown: Scarborough, ON
Program: Fitness and Health Promotion (Progress)
Strengths: baseline jumper, top of the key off pick and pop, catch and shoot, low post scoring
Areas of improvement: pre-game nerves, energy level
For Lai-Smith, college was not her first option. But Colts assistant coach Lawrence Manalo wanted the combo forward at Centennial since Grade 9. Once she took an in-depth look at the college on and off the court, the decision became a lot easier.
"I really like the gym here; the facilities were awesome," Lai-Smith said. "I'm literally down the street and (so) it kind of worked out."
There was also one other factor that played into Lai-Smith's decision as well.
"The other people that were on this team, honestly," Lai-Smith said, grinning.
Lai-Smith realized how the atmosphere was at Centennial when watching her god brother Kevon Mascoe play for the George Brown Huskies during the 2017 OCAA Championships. She also likes the good vibes from her teammates and the coaching staff, thus far.
Although there will be 11 new faces on the team next year and chemistry will be the major area of focus heading into the season, Lai-Smith says that is nothing new when you join a new team.
"I feel like if you're joining any team, it's a trial and error. As long as we have a positive attitude every single time we come to practice and game and we all get along well, the transition won't be that hard," Lai-Smith said. "Most of us know each other and have played (with) or against each other on the court."
With her ability to play both forward spots as well as play on the block and stretch the floor out from the baseline and the top of the key, Lai-Smith's offensive game will be something to look out for.
Aliyah Glaze
Position: Point Guard/Shooting Guard (Age: 18)
Hometown: Niagara Falls, ON
High School: St. Michael's Catholic High School
Rep Team: Niagara Selects
Program: Human Resources
Strengths: Shooting, Defense, Speed
Weaknesses: Ball handling, in-between game, and paint scoring
After taking a year off from playing basketball after high school, Glaze, a combo guard, looks to make an immediate impact as a Lady Colt.
"I wanted to get better on my basketball skills as well and I love playing the sport," Glaze said.
So why come to Centennial to play ball when she lives in Niagara Falls?
"I used to live in Toronto; it was like coming back to my hometown," Glaze said of her decision to come to Centennial. " (Plus) I wanted to have a change and meet new people."
After taking a year off after high school, Glaze admits that she was rusty and needed to get back to the routine of working out but says that she didn't look at the game any differently. However, she was still around the game of basketball, watching from the sidelines.
The combo guard says that her scoring at the rim as well as in the midrange will be crucial to taking her game to another level, as well as tightening up her ball handling.
However, Glaze's outside shooting as well as her tenacity on defense and her speed will be much-needed to this Colts team, who suddenly have more two-way options now.
Beyonce Hosang
Position: Small Forward/Power Forward (Age: 18)
Hometown: Brampton, ON
High School: St. Edmund Campion Catholic Secondary School
Rep Team: Brampton Breakdown
Program: Pre-Health Sciences
Strengths: Strong at driving (tight handle), mid range shooting, relentless defense
Weaknesses: Quiet on the floor, gets in her own head, takes trash talk personal
Hosang feels like coming to Centennial has been a long time coming, especially considering what has happened last year.
"This is my second post-secondary school. Centennial was my first option when it was my recruiting year," Hosang said. "I guess I was interested but not as much because I was supposed to go to UTM. But I ended up going to UTSC instead of UTM."
Originally, she committed to play for the women's basketball program at the University of Toronto (Mississauga) campus. But because her courses were at the Scarborough campus, Hosang was unable to play that season.
"I went back to play OBA. Centennial approached me again and I considered it," Hosang said about the process. "I came for a training and I felt the positive vibes when I came in."
When the combo forward spoke to Bobb, she knew what her decision was going to be.
"I need somewhere that's going to help me go pro and a team that I'm going to feel at home with, more so a family than anything," Hosang said. "I just felt that when I came here. When he told me, 'It starts with you,' I just knew that it was a challenge I wanted to take on."
Whoever is reading might have noticed by now but her name is Beyonce. So… how did that come about?
"My dad looked at me and said, 'Beyonce,' and my mom was like, 'Okay, cool.' So they went and bought all of her concerts on CD," Hosang reminisced. "As a baby, I grew up watching the playback over and over. I grew up loving her, on a big old TV and watching it (repeatedly)."
She was in awe of the crowd that formed in during their workout later on that afternoon and the energy that was brought from everyone.
"Everyone was cheering, whether it was people that used to play, the coaching staff, or anybody that goes to Centennial," Hosang said. "It was good energy."
Her ability to play both forward positions as well as play relentless defense and get to the rim will be things to watch as Beyonce steps onto the floor in style next season!
Welcome ladies!