Nuxalk junior one of Canada's best

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One of Canada's best-kept basketball secrets is Gary Edgar, a member of the Nuxalk First Nation who plays for Malaspina University-College. He's in his junior, or d, year at the Nanaimo college.

"He's one of the best, if not the best, point guards playing college basketball in the country," said no less an authority than Jay Triano. The long-time Canadian national basketball team captain is currently the director of community relations for the National Basketball Association's Vancouver Grizzlies, as well as the color commentator for their radio broadcasts.

"Gary's a little on the small side (5'11, 170 lbs.), but he's an excellent offensive player," Triano said. "He's very quick and has great ball-handling skills. He's got an infectious kind of energy and brings a lot to whatever team he play on."

Mark Simpson, coach of the Malaspina Mariners, is no less effusive about the third-year physical education student.

"He's got a great court sense, is a team leader and is definitely the most skilled player on the team," he said. "He could easily play university-level basketball."

The 22-year old (he'll be 23 in May) also has a bit of hardware to back up the praise. He won the premier's athletic award in basketball for his play in the 1993-94 season and was part of the Mariners' national championship team that season.

"That championship was probably my biggest highlight," Edgar said. "A couple of guys flunked out, so we had to play with eight guys. We got in on a wild card and turned in a solid win."

The fact that he is also the only Aboriginal member of the team is something Edgar uses as a well of strength.

"Not many Natives even get this far," said the point guard. "It's a big accomplishment and just helps to prove that we have the skills and talent to get ahead."

In what might seem like an odd move, he took last season off from college and went back to his Bella Coola, B.C., home.

"I just needed a bit of a break and went to work for the year," he explained. "But one thing I really wanted to do was play in the B.C. all-Native tournament." The tourney is the biggest intermediate (22 years and under) tournament that coastal B.C has to offer, with 52 teams in competition for the title. It would also have conflicted with his schedule at Malaspina.

"I'd played in a few all-Natives as a junior, but this was the first time I was there as a college-player." There was no story-book return for Edgar, though. Bella Coola lost in the championship final.

The mariners finished 1995-96 in a three-way first-place tie, with a record 14 wins and 4 losses, but Edgar would be the first to admit that his return to Malaspina has hardly been the one he would have liked.

"Honestly, I haven't played all that great," he said. "The year off kinda killed me. It's been a tough season for me. But the team's played well and I'm finally starting to get my game back now."

It came back at the right time, too. As Malaspina went on to win the provincial tittle, Edgar was named as a first-team all-star. He also scored 25 points in the championship game against Langara College.

The trip to Montreal for the national championships told a slightly different story. The Mariners finished fourth, losing to Calgary's Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Trojans by two points in the semi-final. Edgar was named a first-team all-star.