The RDP Queens Basketball team. (Supplied)

By RDP Athletics

SEASON KICKOFF OCT. 25 AT 6 P.M.

Young RDP Queens Basketball team shows remarkable growth in the early stages

Oct 22, 2024 | 8:00 AM

The Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) Queens Basketball team signed eight new student-athletes to the program this season, including six recruits and two transfers.

Brandi Thibeaux, one of the transferring student-athletes, previously played for Avery Harrison, Queens Basketball Head Coach, at Olds College.

“Brandi is just a class act,” says Harrison. “She does so much with the ball—controls the tempo, distributes well and is a true leader. You can see it in her confidence on the court. When Thibeaux has the ball, the whole team feels confident too.”

Joining Thibeaux (Bachelor of Business Administration), a third-year guard from Lake Villa, Illinois, is fifth-year transfer Rachel Harvey (Open Studies). Harvey was an Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) First-Team All-Star last season with the Concordia University Thunder. She ranked fifth in points per game (16.9), fourth in rebounds per game (9.2) and fifth in field goal percentage (51.9). Both of these athletes will be integral to the Queens’ leadership group, thanks to their experience and veteran presence.

Alongside these two transfers are six first-year student-athletes, Millie Cracknell (Ballarat, Australia), Tyla Hammermaster-Phillips (Bachelor of Biological Sciences), Avery Stypula (Spruce Grove), Kasha Caibaiosai (Open Studies), Grace Watson (Bachelor of Education) and Jorgia Hicks (Red Deer).

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“Millie Cracknell dealt with some jet lag in the early part of the preseason but she’s finally starting to make progress and click on the court,” explains Harrison. “Jorgia Hicks is playing really well too. I can see her being a solid contributor for the next three to four years. The rest of the rookies’ development is on track and they’re showing great potential to make an impact as the year progresses.”

Harrison returned four of his players from last year’s team: fifth-year Jayden Demchuk (Practical Nurse Diploma) and second-year athletes Zoey Longman (Legal Assistant), Mia Cunningham (Bachelor of Business Administration) and Salomie Nuako (Open Studies).

The five-time ACAC Coach of the Year also retained Sandra Garcia-Bernal, last season’s ACAC South Player of the Year and Lauren France as assistant coaches for the upcoming season. They will be joined by Nadine Cunningham, a Queens Basketball alum, who returns to the bench as an assistant coach.

“I think it’s great—she brings a strong presence to the team,” says Harrison about adding Garcia-Bernal as an assistant coach. “Sandra is emotional and fired up, while Lauren is more analytical, studying the game in depth. Together, they complement each other well and have been a fantastic addition. They do a lot of important work with the players at the end of the bench during games and it’s been really nice having them on board.”

The Red Deer Polytechnic Queens will hit the road to kick off the 2024/2025 season, facing the Ambrose University Lions on Friday, October 25 at 6 p.m. The Queens will play their home opener on October 26.

For more information about Queens Basketball, please visit: rdpolytechathletics.ca.