It's the beginning of a new chapter for the MacEwan Griffins men's basketball team.
Can a new head coach help the struggling Griffins become competitive in 2025-26?
Here's everything you need to know about the MacEwan men's basketball team ahead of the new season.
Coaching Staff
Mike Connolly is out as head coach after six years at the helm, and in comes David Kapinga. Connolly went 4-92 during his time with the school and did not make the playoffs. Kapinga is a former University of Calgary graduate who won three conference championships with the Dinos during his four years in U SPORTS.
Roster Breakdown
1st Years: 5
2nd Years: 3
3rd Years: 6
4th Years: 1
5th Years: 5
Guards: 8
Forwards: 12
Strengths & Weaknesses of 2024-25
Scoring: The Griffins' record may not have reflected how effective this offence was last season. MacEwan ranked 33rd in the country with 72.8 points scored per game. While it was far from great, those numbers should have yielded better than a 2-18 record. Three Griffins recorded 200-plus point seasons and showed glimpses of being a team that could compete offensively in Canada West.
Shooting: The same trend carried over to the team's shooting percentages. MacEwan shot 40.9 per cent from the field and was closer to the middle of the pack, landing as the 30th-ranked team in U SPORTS in the category.
Defence: The problem that held the Griffins back was their defence. They allowed the third-most points per game last year, with an average of 86.5. It was far from what was needed to compete in a conference like Canada West, and it's an area the team needs to improve on this season.
New Additions
1st Year, Forward, Quinn Boyington: The 6'9" forward from Edmonton is tied for the tallest of all recruits. Boyington graduated from Jasper Place, where he was named MVP of his team in 2024-25.
1st Year, Guard, Cynan Compo: The 6'1" guard from Prince George, B.C., graduated from St. Francis Xavier, where he led them to a 2024 metro city championship. Compo also played for CTA West in Calgary before joining MacEwan.
2nd Year, Forward, Peter-Aluk Deng: The 6'4" guard from Edmonton transfers in after playing for the NAIT Ooks in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) last season. He was named ACAC Rookie of the Year, a first-team all-star, and Team MVP in 2024-25 while leading NAIT in scoring.
3rd Year, Guard, Marcus "ISO" Moore: The 6'3" guard from Scarborough, Ont., transferred in after playing at Nipissing University last season, where he was named men's basketball rookie of the year and was named an Academic All-Canadian.
1st Year, Forward, Ben Pearson: The 6'9" forward from Port Moody, B.C., graduated from Heritage Woods Secondary, where he was a top 10 recruit for centers in Canada.
1st Year, Guard, Sam Richardson: The 6'2" guard from Brownfield, Alta., graduated from St. Francis Xavier, where he, alongside Compo, helped lead the school to a championship.
1st Year, Guard, Khushal Shukla: The 6'3" guard from Calgary graduated from Sir Winston Churchill High School, where he was named MVP of his team. Shukla was an honour roll student throughout his time in high school.
Roster Analysis
Having five fifth-year players and almost the entire rest of the team being first or second-year players creates an interesting mix of veterans and young talent. All five of the team's top scorers are returning, and they are also adding seven promising new players. That should give them the leadership they need to compete night in and night out while also giving younger players a chance to grow into their roles.
That does create some optimism around a team that only won two games last year. How will the new roster hold up in terms of improving the defence? That is something to be answered in the regular season, but for now, the team has the pieces to compete for a playoff spot.
Position Battles
With a new coach, there is an argument to be made that every spot is up for grabs. And while that might be true, based on who performed well last year and who has been getting reps in the preseason, it appears the starting five could roll out like this on opening night.
Diego Presingular and Elisha Ampofo should start in the backcourt based on their starts in the final two preseason games and their performance last year. Ampofo also played for the Saskatchewan Rattlers in the CEBL this summer, which could give him an excellent opportunity to bring leadership to the lineup.
Job Janda and Joel Seke are two of the team's top scorers from last year who are returning. They should get the nod to start again this season.
At the center spot, there are a few players who could fit in. Pearson, the new recruit, could make the case for adding some size and scoring, but Favour Igbinyemi has seen some playing time and brings the height required for a better defensive game plan. However, it is truly a toss-up that could go either way.
My Projected Starting Lineup
G - Diego Presingular
G - Elisha Ampofo
F - Job Janda
F - Joel Seke
F - Favour Igbinyemi
Schedule Overview
October: 1 Home Games (HG), 2 Away Games (AG)
November: 3 HG, 4 AG
January: 2 HG, 6 AG
February: 2 HG, 0 AG
Oct. 24 - @ Saskatchewan
Oct. 25 - @ Saskatchewan
Oct. 31 - vs. Winnipeg
Nov. 1 - vs. Winnipeg
Nov. 7 - vs. Thompson Rivers
Nov. 8 - vs. Thompson Rivers
Nov. 14 - @ Mount Royal
Nov. 15 - @ Mount Royal
Nov. 21 - @ Alberta
Nov. 22 - @ Alberta
Jan. 9 - @ Lethbridge
Jan. 10 - @ Lethbridge
Jan. 16 - vs. Calgary
Jan. 17 - vs. Calgary
Jan. 23 - @ Manitoba
Jan. 24 - @ Manitoba
Jan. 29 - @ Brandon
Jan. 31 - @ Brandon
Feb. 6 - vs. Regina
Feb. 7 - vs. Regina
Closing Thoughts
One thing is clear for MacEwan this season: It's a new era.
How that era will begin is anyone's guess. The team was held back by poor defence last season and, on paper, could have been better than what their 2-18 record showed. Could this team make the playoffs? Yes, but they need a lot to go their way.
A new coach and adding veterans are a good start. However, how all the new pieces will gel together is a complete wildcard. They have the potential to contend for a spot in the postseason, but it's also not something you should count on, considering how much they need to overcome.
This team should focus on improving from its 2-18 record and winning five-plus games, which would be the first time the program has done so since 2017-18.