Elliot Rowe is a go.
Rowe, an 18-year-old point guard from Victoria, has committed to the UNBC Northern Timberwolves men's basketball team for the 2012-13 season. On the club, he'll join older brother Francis, who will be in his fifth and final year of playing eligibility.
The five-foot-nine Rowe was in Prince George in March for an identification camp. During those scrimmages, he showed UNBC head coach Todd Jordan he has the qualities to eventually be a solid player at the Canada West level.
"He does a lot of the things that his brother does," Jordan said. "He makes big shots at big times and he's a decent defender for a high school kid. He's got a nice mid-range, pull-up jump shot. He's a talented guy and I think he'll be able to help us."
Rowe is about to graduate from Mount Douglas secondary school. With the Mount Douglas Rams basketball team, he was a Victoria city all-star and was described by the Victoria News as "possibly the premier guard on the Island." At the triple-A provincial championship tournament, Rowe averaged 18.4 points and five assists per game. In five outings, he hit a dozen three-pointers.
If Rowe even comes close to matching the contributions big bro has made to the UNBC program, he'll become a favourite among Timberwolves supporters. During his UNBC career, Francis has been a deadly-accurate outside shooter and an overall leader because of his poise, work ethic and intelligence. When the T-wolves finished fourth at the 2009 Canadian Colleges Athletic Association nationals, he was handed the tournament's Fair Play Award. At the 2010 nationals, Francis was picked as a second-team all-star. And this past season was his best yet. At the conclusion of the regular schedule, he was named a second-team all-star in the B.C. Colleges Athletic Association. Then, at the BCCAA provincials, won by the Timberwolves, he was the MVP.
With Francis's pedigree, it's no wonder Jordan is thrilled to land another Rowe for UNBC basketball.
"It's a great family and he's a high-character guy who's going to work hard for us," Jordan said. "And as far as being a good guy in the dressing room, he's definitely going to be great for that."
-- PETERS, Citizen staff
