CBU Lancers Head To Canada

Although the basketball season is still months away, California Baptist University is getting in on some early action on foreign soil. The recently Lancers headed to Canada for a four-game tour, hoping to break in a new 2015-16 squad before school even starts in September. First on the agenda for the Lancers was Quest University in Squamish, B.C. on Saturday, July 25. Quest, who is coached by the British Columbian U17 national team coach, finished last year with a 14-6 overall record, boasting a 6-3 mark at home. Two days later, CBU took on Douglas College in Westminster, B.C., also tipping off at 6 p.m. The Royals went 11-9 on the year, 6-4 at home, in 2014-15, outscoring their opponents by 120 points on the season. Keeping the ball rolling, the Lancers played Tuesday at Langara College (Vancouver, B.C.) at 6 p.m. before concluding the four-game at Kwantlen Polytechnic in Surrey, B.C., on July 29. The Falcons of Langara provided a tough test for CBU after only surrendering three losses last season with 18 wins to finish second in their PACWEST league and fifth at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association national championship. KPU will look to build on last year's introductory year with a new head coach and get some momentum for the upcoming season. CBU returns a strong core of veterans, including 78-percent of the 2014-15 squad's scorers, with Gelaun Wheelwright — who finished the year averaging 17.6 points per game on a .439 shooting percentage — leading the charge. Two more familiar faces in Michael Smith and Taj Spencer will also look to be difference makers in Canada. Smith, a junior guard from South San Francisco, contributed 11.3 ppg and a second-best 5.6 rebounds per game last year. Spencer, a senior forward from Moreno Valley, also returns for the Lancers after leading the team with 7.2 rebounds per game and was second in scoring with 12.4 ppg.