New names boost Lancer rosters

By Taylor Renkema

Courtesy of the Varsity Voice

New Lancer guard Adeel Sahibzada celebrates with friend and teammate Pat Kalala celebrate after a victory over the Georgian Grizzlies on Jan. 12. Photo by Taylor Renkema.

He’s played basketball for a high school team, two university teams and is now playing on his second college team, but the game Adeel Sahibzada remembers most was at his local community center.

That’s where he met his friend and now teammate Pat Kalala.

“I wasn’t that good back then, and he was just looking at me like ‘what a weird guy, he’s trying to play basketball’.” Sahibzada said.

Lancers guard Kalala encouraged him to join the Loyalist team at the start of the new semester.

Sahibzada made his Loyalist basketball debut Friday, Jan 12, against the Seneca Sting.

The point guard/ shooting guard has played for the University of New Brunswick, Waterloo University and Centennial College in a career laced with injuries.

He’s currently nursing a hairline fracture and torn ligaments in his ankle, an injury worsened after playing against Seneca and Georgian on Jan. 11-12.

Sahibzada said his teammates are aware of his physical restrictions.

“Patrick really gets mad at me on the court because he knows I shouldn’t be playing right now,” he said. “He tells me not to play and when I screw up on the court he tells me I shouldn’t be playing.”

Loyalist men’s interim head coach Ryan Barbeau said the connection between Sahibzada and Kalala is clear.

“You can definitely tell they’ve played together,” Barbeau said. “When you’ve known each other and played together for 10 years, that’s definitely going to do nothing but help the team. “

Sahibzada is not the only roster change for the men’s basketball team in 2013. Calvin Chevannes, a four-year veteran on the team, as well as rookie Zach Marcelline, are both academically ineligible to play.

On the women’s basketball team, Elesia Younie and Janeisha Coore-Edwards joined the Lancers.

Younie said it’s difficult joining a team halfway through the season.

“It’s kind of frustrating, because they’re already up to speed. I’m just trying to get myself into game mode,” she said.

On the volleyball court, women’s left side Meghan Hering and men’s left/right side Jaxon Snache are also academically ineligible. No new players have joined either team.