University of Calgary Men’s Basketball Head Coach Dan Vanhooren today announced that he has received commitments from a trio of outstanding players for the upcoming season to join the team this fall. Two of the new additions are graduates from High School programs in the Calgary area and the third is an outstanding transfer from Mount Royal College in Calgary. All three are graduates from either Calgary High Schools or the surrounding area.

Canadian Junior National team member Tyler Fidler has decided to remain in Calgary and attend the University of Calgary. A 6’9”, 215 lbs. guard who can also be used inside, Tyler is regarded as one of the elite graduating High School players in Canada and is a carded development athlete from Sport Canada. He was recruited by multiple post secondary schools, both in Canada and NCAA Division I.

The 18-year-old Fidler is a member of the Western Canada Redmen (28 wins 5 losses overall) basketball team that is currently ranked first in Calgary and will vie for the City Championship this coming week. He was an all-star in the High School Hoops Tournament in Calgary and Harry Ainlay Tri Provincial Tournament in Edmonton as well as Most Valuable Player in the Redmen Invitational Tournament in 2006 and 2007.

Tyler is averaging almost a triple-double in High School competition this season. He is averaging 22.3 points per game, 10.3 rebounds per game, and 9.7 assists per game for the Redmen this year with a three-point shooting percentage of 58.4%. He also averages 1.7 blocks per game.

Tyler is also a member of the Alberta Provincial team and started on the 2005 Alberta Canada Games team as a 16-year old that competed in Regina. Tyler is also a graduate of the Jr. Dinos Basketball program where he played for Dinos Assistant Coach Matt Skinn.

“Having a player of Tyler’s talent on the perimeter combined with his height, is going to create problems for our opponents from a match-up perspective. Combine that with the addition of Henry Bekkering, our team will be able to create mismatches at multiple positions on the floor. Tyler is well-known for his shooting ability but we feel that he passes the ball equally well,” states Vanhooren. Fidler plans to enter the Faculty of Education.

Joining Fidler is point guard 6’, 180lbs. Jeff Price, a two-year starter with the Mount Royal College Cougars of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference. Price was instrumental in leading MRC to their 2nd consecutive ACAC Championship this past weekend. Prior to joining MRC, Price led Lord Beaverbrook to the Calgary City and Provincial 4A Championship in 2005. He was first team ACAC South all-star this past year averaging 18.2 points per game and 5.7 assists per game. He was named Player of the Year in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference this past year. Jeff will compete next week for the Cougars at the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association championship tournament in Truro, Nova Scotia.

“Jeff Price is a winner. He has won a City Championship, Provincial Championship and a pair of ACAC Championships. You cannot teach that. He shoots the ball very well and distributes it equally well. The key is that Jeff knows when to do either,” states Vanhooren. Price plans to take courses in business and economics.

The third recruit is guard Brennan Fule from Strathmore, Alberta, just outside Calgary. A 6’2”, 185 lbs. guard who can either play the point or the off guard position, Fule is extremely competitive. While playing for Strathmore High School, Brennan also plays for the Junior Dinos program under Coach Matt Skinn leading the team to a 57-0 record against Under 17 competition. He was recruited heavily by other schools not only to play basketball but also volleyball.

“Fule is very tough mentally. He is a scorer but because of his mentality he brings a do what it takes attitude that we need,” states Vanhooren.

-Jack Neumann, U of C Sports Information Director