The five graduating seniors from the Quest men’s and women’s basketball teams have seen a lot in their time wearing the green of the Kermodes.
There’s usually been more downs than ups, but all five leave the program with both basketball teams on the upswing. For the first time ever, the men’s and women’s teams have qualified for the Pacwest playoffs and Brodan Thiel, “Big” Jesse Norris, Soraya Jung, Rachel Poon and Delainee Behrns had a lot to do with it.
The five players were honoured between games on Saturday (Feb. 9) and an emotional Quest athletic director Toran Savjord said the program will miss all five players.
“I’ve spent a lot of time with all five players here,” he said during the ceremony. “Norris has pushed me around a little on the court and Brodie’s probably given me about 1,000 elbows. And these ladies have such a work ethic, we’re really going to miss them. I’m sad that we’re going to lose such an important part of our family.”
Quest University President David Helfand thanked both the players and their families for their commitment to the school and the athletic department.
Women’s head coach Dany Charlery said Jung, Poon and Behrns will be hard to replace. Jung returned to the team this season after taking two seasons off and Charlery said she’s been a big part of his team’s success this season.
“She’s been extremely important for us,” he said. “I can’t say enough about her. I always wanted to get her back on the team, she does everything for us and we’re going to miss her.”
Charlery said Poon is a hard worker who always pushes teammates in practice.
“Defensively she’s great for us and she has such heart and passion,” he said.
He added that Behrns, the team’s point guard, has been a key performer throughout her career at the school and showed it on Saturday, as she scored 18 points in a Quest overtime win over Camosun.
“She sometimes shies away from expressing herself, but I know she has all that talent in her,” he said. “She definitely expressed herself tonight.”
Norris and Thiel were part of a Quest men’s team that won just one game last season, but have been important cogs of a turnaround season that has seen the Kermodes win a team record 10 games.
“Jesse has been huge for us over the years,” said men’s head coach Sean Shook. “And Brodie plays through pain in games and practices everyday for us. He works his butt off in practice and has been a guy that always bangs down low for us.”
The five seniors will make their final run for a Pacwest title when the playoffs start on Feb. 28 at Camosun College in Victoria.
