The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

TREVONE Grant made his official debut with the Acadia Axemen basketball in the programme’s inaugural preseason tournament.

Grant averaged 12.7 points, two steals and two assists per game over the course of the Axemen’s “Stu Aberdeen Challenge” which concluded yesterday in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.

In the tournament opener, Grant scored 16 in the Axemen’s 92-90 loss to the Ft FX X-Men.

Acadia trailed by 16 with just over seven minutes left to play in the fourth, but rallied back to tie the game at 90 with just seconds remaining.

Acadia would eventually score the game-winning basket on Kevin Bercy’s last second layup.

Acadia led 20-14 at the end of the first, and Grant’s free throws at the end of the first half gave his team a 37-36 lead.

St FX took control when they won the third, 30-19.

In game two, the Axemen were overpowered 112-62 by the defending CIS Champion Carleton Ravens.

 Grant finished with 12 points and two steals.

 In game three, Acadia struggled from the field and lost 84-76 to the Laval Rouge et Or.

Grant was named one of the “Subway Players of the Game” and finished with 10 points, three steals and four assists.

The Axemen ended the third quarter with a narrow 55-54 lead, but were unable to hold on to the lead down the stretch.

Third year head coach Kevin Duffie, who said he is excited about the upcoming season, feels the team has all the necessary ingredients to be successful, leads the Axemen.

Duffie considers Grant one of the new additions to the Axemen roster that will have an immediate impact.

“He’s a veteran guy that’s going to come in and play some major minutes for us,” he said, “He will produce at both ends of the floor. He’s a really good player.”

At the time of his signing, Duffie foreshadowed what Grant brings to the programme.

“We are excited about the addition of Trevone to our roster. We believe he will impact our team immediately and has the physicality to defend guards in our league and he has the offensive skill set to add a scoring punch to our group,” he said. “He is a quality individual that will bring experience and leadership to our locker room.”

In June, Grant announced he would transfer to the Acadia following his impressive run with the Holland College Hurricanes.

Alongside fellow Bahamian Roosevelt Whylly, he led the Hurricanes to a regular season record of 20-1 and the programme’s fourth straight Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association championship.

A former CR Walker Knight, Grant played two seasons with the Hurricanes on Prince Edward Island, culminating in an integral role in the programme’s back-to-back ACAA championships.

This past season, the Hurricanes finished third at the 2016 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association National Tournament where he was named a second team tournament All-Star.

His lengthy résumé at Holland includes being named the 2015-16 ACAA men’s basketball player of the year and first team All-Canadian in the CCAA. At the Hurricane’s Athletic Awards Banquet, he was also named the 2015-16 Holland College Male Athlete of the Year.

The Axemen finished the regular season with a 12-8 record and were eliminated in the AUS tournament semi-final.

 “My focus is to win right now and I felt like Acadia was the best fit because they have an established team,” Grant said. “My hope is to add to what they already have on the roster and compete to win an AUS championship.” 

Grant is expected to pursue a degree in business administration.