The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

IN his final season with the St Francis Xavier X-Men, Azaro Roker had a long-awaited opportunity to return to the court amid the COVID-19 pandemic and bid farewell to the programme’s legendary coach.

Roker finished with 11 points and 15 rebounds to lead the X-Men to a 99-76 win over the Acadia Axemen in the inaugural ‘Coach K Challenge’ exhibition in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada.

The game was meant to honour the X-Men’s legendary head coach Steve Konchalski, who retired after 46 years with the programme. Konchalski retired with 919 wins and coached 1,495 career games with St FX.

The “Coach K Challenge” was the first Atlantic University Sport exhibition game played in the conference in approximately a year.

Roker returned to the X-Men for his final year of eligibility after rising to the status as one of the top players in the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) last season. He earned a series of postseason accolades including a U Sports All-Canadian Second Team selection, an AUS conference tournament All-Star nod and AUS First Team selection. He was one of only three players in the league to average a double double. He led the conference in rebounding at 13.2 per game and was second in scoring at 17.2 points per game. The X-Men were eliminated in the AUS conference title game, one game shy of a national tournament berth.

The 6’7” forward has been a mainstay of the X-Men lineup ever since he matriculated from the Anatol Rodgers High Timberwolves.

In his first season with the X-Men, Roker averaged just 2.2 points and 2.3 rebounds per game in 18 appearances. In year two, he got three starts in 19 appearances and averaged 4.6 and 3.5 rebounds per game. His numbers improved in year three, when he averaged 10 points and was a conference leader with 10 rebounds and two blocked shots per game.

Roker was featured by the X-Men’s athletic programme this offseason which explored his growth with the programme and his relationship with Konchalski.

Konchalski said Roker’s work ethic led to his development as a student athlete and as a person over the last few years. “He is a physical specimen, obviously, but I am more proud of how he has matured as a person. I am so proud of him,” Konchalski said.

The restrictions of the pandemic have seen the cancellation of a season where St FX was set to host the U Sports National Championship.

“It is extremely disappointing,” Roker said. “I think we had the right pieces to the puzzle.”

Roker had the option to return for another season of eligibility but has announced his intention to pursue professional basketball. He plans to graduate in May with his bachelor of arts degree, majoring in development and religious studies.

“It is time to move on – spread my wings and fly,” he said. “It is time for them [the younger players on the roster] to take up the mantle.”

In his final full season, Roker and the X-Men scored the biggest upset in U Sports with a thrilling win over the nationally ranked No. 2 ranked Dalhousie Tigers. The X-Men scored a 78-77 win and Roker finished with another double double - 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Among his many standout performances on the season, Roker was named the “Subway Player of the Game” when he posted career highs of 30 points and 20 rebounds in the X-Men’s 117-116 overtime win over the Cape Breton Capers. Roker shot 11-17 from the field and was a perfect 8-8 from the free-throw line in 41 minutes.