Corey Delong has been playing Basketball since he was in fourth grade, and now himself and the St. Thomas University men’s basketball team are starring another ACAA championship straight in the face.
“I feel like we are the team to beat, although I know it won’t be given to us, it’s a matter of going out on the court and working hard, doing the little things, and doing what we’ve been doing a little bit better each time.”
Delong and the men’s team are determined to win another ACAA championship, as long as they keep themselves level headed.
“My expectations are to win the ACAA again. I’ve never entered any game expecting to lose although I do recognize a tall task when I see one.”
After a slow start to Delong’s season, where he suffered a minor injury, him and the team went on to win 10 consecutive games and worked their way back to the top.
“We’ve beaten every team in our league at least once and are more than capable of winning playoffs.”
Delong is from Glassville, New Brunswick and has been playing since elementary school. He says he wasn’t exactly championship material.
“I barely made the team. I scored one point all season but I really enjoyed it and stuck with it and made a lot of progress.”
The Florenceville Mini Falcons helped Delong win his first championship, going on to play for the Varsity CNHS stars from Grade 10 to 12.
“I played with them from Grade 4 to 6. In Grade 6 we won my first and only provincial championship as sad as that is.”
Delong is in his fourth year playing on the team at STU and has a major in English with minors in history, psychology and economics.
“My plan is to take Education after my undergrad, hopefully at STU. I’d like to coach wherever I teach once my basketball career is over.”
Delong realizes what it takes for himself and the team to be the best, and hopes that his past experiences will be a gentle reminder of what it means to be successful this year.
“Being the best team and playing like the best team are two different things: fortunately we’ve tasted defeat a few times already this season and my hopes are those losses will be our reminder of where we don’t want to be.”
