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MHSAA Basketball Star Decides on Where to Play next September

March 17, 2017 by  
Filed under Provincial and Territorial News

Oak Park star decides home is where his hoop dreams are

Oak Park hoops star Wyatt Tait has spent most of Grade 12 pondering his future.

After months agonizing about where to go to school and play basketball next fall, the six-foot-six forward has made his choice and now he’ll be able to concentrate on finishing his high school career with a flourish.

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS</p><p>Oak Park Raiders player Wyatt Tait (left) and Taylor Kleysen of the Vincent Massey Trojans are both playing in the AAAA provincial high school basketball championships this weekend. </p>
WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Oak Park Raiders player Wyatt Tait (left) and Taylor Kleysen of the Vincent Massey Trojans are both playing in the AAAA provincial high school basketball championships this weekend.

“Next year I’ll play at the U of M,” Tait said Tuesday at a press conference to introduce the final four teams at this week’s provincial AAAA high school basketball championships. “It was a pretty tough choice. But quite a few factors went into it. I know the coach really well, Kirby Schepp, and it’s a great program and being close to family and all that (helped).”

Tait, widely regarded as the top graduating player in the province, had narrowed his choice to three U Sports schools: Manitoba, the University of Ottawa and St. Francis Xavier in Antigonish, N.S.

“A weight has kind of lifted off my shoulders,” said Tait, adding he has enjoyed the support of his teammates with his decision-making. “They’ve been pretty good about it. They understand the process.”

Oak Park coach Jon Lundgren said Tait has been an exemplary leader. Tait was a member of Oak Park’s provincial champions in Grade 10 and helped his team reach last year’s final four before being eliminated.

“He’s always been the most competitive guy on the court,” said Lundgren. “He always works really hard so when you put it together with his athleticism and natural talent, every year he’s gotten better.”

Which again brings Tait and his teammates to this year’s final four.

“We’ve got a great group of guys,” said Tait. “All senior starting five. Really experienced and we’ve been playing together for a long time. We’ll get our shots. We know how to play together, play hard. We should be all right.”

Lundgren said his squad should take no comfort in being the tournament favourite.

“I think the rankings are a kind of irrelevant at this point, right,” said Lundgren. “Whether you’re one, two, three or four, you’ve obviously been a good team to get to this point. So if you’re playing in one game, I don’t think it gives you any extra. I don’t think you need any more motivation.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14

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