Whats Up Kelowna

Heat bolster front line with 6’8” recruit          

Men's Basketball

KELOWNA, BC - University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus men’s basketball coach Darren Semeniuk is excited to announce that Julian Asselstine has committed to the Heat for the 2011-12 varsity season. Julian, a 6’8” 195-pound forward/post out of Dr. Charles Best Secondary in Coquitlam, will enter the Engineering program at UBC and will add some valuable height to the Heat men’s basketball team.

After signing two big time guards already, in Bret Macdonald and Yassine Ghomari, head coach Darren Semeniuk is pleased to add a body to matchup with the larger Canada West frontcourts. “A team like the Bears [University of Alberta] has Jordan Baker, a 6’7” point forward and rebounding machine. We were definitely lacking players that could matchup with that calibre of player; with the signing of Julian we have a chance to slow guys like Baker down a bit.”  Coach Semeniuk continues, “Julian is long and athletic, with his size and quickness he will be huge for us on the defensive end.”

“Defense is not the only asset Julian brings to next year’s squad, he can also finish inside and is very adept at running the floor or playing the pick and roll game in the half court,” adds Semeniuk. Julian averaged 20 points per game in his grade 12 year with an average of 12 rebounds per game, playing in the very competitive Fraser Valley North league. Julian played for the Basketball BC U16 team two summers ago, and then this past year played with the Drive Elite U17 basketball team, and currently trains with the Basketball BC Centre for Performance.

“I am planning on taking engineering, which was a big factor in my decision to commit,” cites Asselstine on why he chose UBC’s Okanagan campus. Julian will be in the first class to go through the Applied Science program in the new Engineering Management building slated to open this summer. Another big reason for Julian to attend UBC was the ability to keep playing basketball and at the highest possible level, adding. “I wanted to be able to play high level basketball as well as get a good education. The jump to CIS was also a factor; I am very excited to play in the Canada West.”

Julian has been the captain of his high school basketball team Grades 10 through 12 and is a strong student with high academic goals. “This is exactly the kind of student athlete that we envisioned coming to UBC Okanagan when we joined Canada West,” adds Semeniuk, “A character person with a strong desire to achieve in his chosen academic field. This is the type of student athlete we need to build a quality program.”