The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

COUSINS Van Hutchinson Jr and Trevon Grant, following in the footsteps of their fathers in playing collegiate basketball overseas, have made the adjustment to Canada where they are holding court at their respective college and university.

Hutchinson Jr, the son of Van Hutchinson Sr, who played for St Gregory’s Junior College in Oklahoma, is one of three players wearing a Niagara College uniform.

The six-foot, four-inch guard is playing alongside 6-5 forward Jordan Wilson and 6-7 forward Kevin Cooper for the Knights.

Grant, the son of Trevor Grant, who played for Florida Memorial College in Miami, Florida, is the lone ranger in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, where he is a 6-2 guard for the Acadia University Axemen.

The two family members are home for the Christmas holiday and have indicated how excited they are about returning to school to pick up where they left off.

“It’s been a great year so far athletically and academically,” said 22-year-old Hutchinson Jr. “We made a good run for the first half of the season. We had a good run in our conference. We lost our first game, but we won seven straight and now we’re getting ready to play our next game on January 7. Everything has been going great so far.”

In their seven games, Hutchinson is averaging 13.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game and said he has adjusted quite well to playing in the colder environment in Canada. 

“Everything has been easy because I have some other Bahamians there and we have been there for each other when we needed them,” he said. “So it wasn’t hard at all getting adjusted to playing there. All three of us have been doing great. We’re looking at making a huge impact when we go back in January. We have a very good chance of making it to the national tournament this year.”

In case you’re wondering, Wilson is averaging 6.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, while Cooper, who played in six games, is pegged at 2.5 points and 2.2 rebounds per game.

For Hutchinson, the biggest adjustment he’s had to cope with is playing the more physical regimen in the league in Canada.

“When I came in, they wanted me to pick up from Mariko Lundy, who previously played with the team,” Hutchinson Jr said. “I think I did a great job taking over from him. I believed brought a little more to the table as play maker and that showed in our record because they told us that we haven’t had this kind of start in a long time.”

As they head towards the nationals, Hutchinson Jr said he’s hoping that Niagara College will get to clash with the Holland College Hurricanes, featuring Bahamians Roosevelt ‘Chicken’ Whylly and Able Joseph.

“Everybody is talking about the Bahamians and there’s also Jacob Jackson, so we’re really doing our thing in Canada,” said Hutchinson Jr, now in his second year.

“So we are all looking forward to seeing if we can all come out of our conference and make it to the nationals. We have seen that there are a lot more opportunities for us over there rather than focusing on the United States.”

Whatever happens for Niagara College, Hutchinson said he may consider moving to university next year where he can get the chance to try his hand at playing football as well as compete in track and field. But for now, he said the focus is on getting the Knights to shine as national champions.

Grant, on the other hand, is coming off a groin injury that has only allowed him to play in three games so far for the Axemen, averaging 3.5 points and 3.3 rebounds. He will return to Canada on Tuesday to prepare for the Axemen’s participation in the Shoveller Memorial Basketball Tournament that starts on Thursday.

“Our season has been going great, but during our first season, I got hurt in my groin and I’m just recovering from that,” said Grant, whose Axemen are sitting in third place in their conference with a 4-3 record. “I think we have a great group of guys, so once I get back healthy and ready to play, we should be pretty good.”

If it pans out the way he anticipates, Grant doesn’t see why they should not go all the way to the tournament championship and even win it all.

“Unlike the United States where there is a lot more competition because a lot of the guys are going straight to the NBA, in Canada we have some good talent and a lot of competition,” Grant said. “I know in the US, you can only play one year and you go right into the NBA.

“The good thing in Canada is that you have the option of playing for five years and then you’re done. So anytime you think you’re ready, you can leave and play pro. But at least they give you five years of eligibility in school, which allows you time to develop your skills before you move on.”

And even though he has his sights set on a pro career some day, Grant said if it doesn’t work out, he intends to complete his education and get his degree in business marketing so that he can eventually return home and start his own business in the field of fashion.

Despite the fact that he had to endure a knee injury a few years ago, Grant said his game is improving each year and he’s eager to get back to school so that he can make a contribution towards their run at the national tournament in Canada at the end of the regular season in March.

“We have all of the pieces that we need to win,” Grant said. “Our starting five is good and I know that I can come off the bench and help out as well. That is what they are looking for me to do when we get back next year.”

Grant said although there are no other Bahamians playing in their conference, he’s excited about the amount of Bahamians that are currently playing in Canada.

“This is a better chance for players like us, who the coaches in the United States have not given us a chance to play for them, to go to Canada and perform,” Grant said. “The competition over there is extremely good, so it’s a plus too. So I would encourage more Bahamians to go for it. 

“It’s not a bad choice. You get to see just about the same level of competition as the United States. It’s a little more laid back than in the United States. It reminds me a lot about the Bahamas. It’s not a bad choice to go to school. You can pace yourself in terms of how you want to go to school and work, if you want to do so at the same time. There’s a lot of great opportunities to do some things in Canada.” 

While Grant is the only Bahamian playing basketball for the Axemen, there are three Bahamians on their football team. They are offensive linemen Shelton and Lawrence Williams and defensive back Arrien McDonald. They started the regular season in September with a victory and went on a seven-game losing streak before they snapped it out to close out the season on a high note in October.

Even though their paths won’t cross because of the divisions they compete in, both Hutchinson Jr and Grant are hoping to surpass the accomplishments of their fathers in the United States as they make their impact in Canada. Of course, they have even bigger shoes to fill in that of their deceased grandfather, the legendary national Hall of Famer Tom ‘the Bird’ Grant, who excelled in so many sports, both locally and internationally.