It’s an announcement that is going to help the Nipissing Lakers men’s basketball team in more ways than one.
The team has added to their roster both on and off the court, signing two players and bringing in an experienced assistant coach to help head coach Chris Cheng guide the second-year program.
The Lakers have signed 6-foot-5 Brampton, ON native Addy Ogunye, who is transferring from Lakehead University and will sit out this year, but should make his debut in 2016-17.
Ogunye will be joining the BPHE program when school kicks off in about a month.
Kalil Langston is the other student-athlete that will join the program. The 6-foot-7 forward, also from Brampton makes his way to Nipissing after time spent at Metro Preparatory School in Toronto and last year at Indiana Elite Academy.
He will be studying mathematics in the concurrent education program at Nipissing.
And last, but not least, the Lakers have brought in Peter Sambu, a veteran basketball coach who will provide a tonne of experience to the Lakers.
Cheng said adding all three of these quality people are going to continue moving the program in the right direction.
"I am excited to get our second season started. Over the last five months, we dedicated each day to grow the program and ourselves on and off the floor. We have been hard at work ensuring we are taking the right steps forward with our culture and our on and off the court development. We definitely learned a lot from our inaugural year,” Cheng explained.
“Over the course of the past few months, I evaluated the program and I identified two needs I feel we need moving forward. One; adding experience to my staff and two; target student-athletes that fit how we want to play and the character traits that complement our program. I am proud to say that I have done just that."
Sambu will take the lead with the program defensive system and assist Coach Cheng with the day-to-day operations, player development, community connection, fundraising, scouting and recruiting.
“Coach Sambu brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the program and my staff. He has had success at every level and is well respected in the basketball community. His past teams were known for their toughness, especially with their high pressure team defense which he will bring to the program,” Cheng said.
“He is a relentless worker and recruiter. He will bring energy and enthusiasm to the program."
Cheng said the two student-athletes they have added are the type of players and people the program is looking for and both should fit in nicely.
"Addy has been on our radar since he was in high school. He brings height, length, athleticism and skill with our perimeter play. He also has the capability to defend multiple positions,” Cheng said.
“We are very excited that he chose Nipissing University and our program to continue his education and basketball career."
Langston is the other addition and Cheng said he was able to get a good read on him during the summer at a tournament.
"I was very lucky to have seen Kalil in the early summer months at a tournament and I really liked what I saw in his game and potential. Kalil brings height, length, athleticism and post skills to our forward position,” Cheng said.
“Kalil has a very bright future as a Nipissing Laker. I am happy he has committed to our University."
Both Ogunye and Langston are from Brampton, joining Marcus Lewis and Marcos Clennon who are also from the suburb of Toronto.
Both players are thrilled to join the Lakers.
“I am really excited. I’m anxious despite red-shirting this year. I can’t wait to get started with the team,” Ogunye said.
“I feel I bring athleticism and can bring a leadership role on the team. I’m hoping to improve every day, bring new assets to the team. I think I’ll help with rebounding and defending.”
Langston echoed those comments.
“I’m super excited to work under Coach Cheng. I have heard a lot of great things about him and his program and I’m excited to join. Coach Cheng was very professional and he was the best of all the coaches I spoke too, so it made me feel wanted,” Langston said.
“I consider myself a strong rebounder, I will bring enthusiasm, positivity to the team room and the team can bring a lot to me as well. I can learn a lot from the group of guys they have here.”
Cheng will receive a boost to his bench with Sambu, who is looking forward to the next chapter of his career.
He said this is a great opportunity to be part of a young program and he’ll be able to help shape it, along with Coach Cheng.
“I’m very honoured and excited to join the Lakers. Coach Cheng is one of the great young coaches in our country and he and his staff are an up and coming group. It’s a great honour. It’s great working with him and the program,” Sambu said.
Sambu feels his strengths as a coach are his experience and the knowledge he’s gained, and he’s looking to pass that on to the Lakers.
“I have head coaching experience, asst. coaching experience which will be a big help. My years of basketball at pro level and college level will be a benefit both myself and the program, I feel,” he said, adding his role will be whatever Coach Cheng needs.
“From the first visit in June, we talked about expectations and how I fit in. He made it clear what he would like for my role. I am going to follow coach’s lead.”
All three new additions want nothing but to win as members of the Lakers.
“I want to be part of the movement of the program, since it’s new, I am glad to be part of the inaugural group of guys. Last year was their inaugural year, but it’s mostly the same group which is big,” Ogunye said.
“I want to see where we can go and make each year better and give Nipissing a name in basketball,” Langston added.
The Lakers are currently preparing for their second season in the OUA/CIS.
