Toronto – Journey Of An Elite 1

Tristan Martin- Basketball Player to Financial Advisor

December 7, 2020December 9, 2020 Sashana Small 0 Comments Canada Basketball, Churchill SS, Connecticut, Jim Calhoun, Midland CC, NCAA, P.H.A.S.E. 1, Prep School, Toronto

When Tristan was on the floor every time a lane opened up or a ball got lose and he was headed out on a break-a-way, the whole gym was standing ready lose their minds. His teammate on-hand will never forget during an open run in “Jungle” Lawrence Heights Community Center, in front of Jim Calhoun, Head Coach U. Connecticut, Tristan jumped over 6’7″ Jemino Sobers and flushed a dunk with ease. The packed gym went silent with disbelief, then quiet chatter before erupting into a frenzy. Tristan Martin’s legacy would forever be crystallized from that day forward.

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Shamar Coombs – Home Is Where The Basketball Is

May 21, 2020October 26, 2020 Sashana Small 1 Comment Birchmount, Denham Brown, g-league, P.H.A.S.E. 1, Toronto, West Hill CI

Spending months away from home is the sacrifice most professional basketball players have to make to live their dreams. This

Canadian Basketball History Or Nothing My Journey

NCAA Dreams from North of the Border

January 23, 2020March 13, 2020 Wayne Dawkins 0 Comments AIC, Alberta, Basketball, Calgary, Canadian Basketball, Chris Webber, Crisler Arena, Eastern Michigan, EMU, Fab 5, Gary Grant, George Harvey CI, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King, Journey Of An Elite 1, Juwan Howard, NBA, NCAA, Ray Jackson, Rumeal Robinson, St Marys, Sweet 16, Toronto, U. Michigan, York Memorial CI

Things were very different for a young Canadian baller trying to get to the NCAA in the 80’s and early 90’s. This was just before things began to erupt into what we see today. The path to the NCAA dream did not come with the proven roadmap that exists now and hoards of successful basketball peers to guide the way.

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Cordell “Bobby” Llewellyn – Canadian Basketball Gladiator – Part 1

January 13, 2020October 26, 2020 Wayne Dawkins 10 Comments ACC, Atlantic 10, Atlantic Coast Conference, Basketball, Cordell Llewellyn, Eglinton, George Harvey CI, Humber College, Jaelin Llewellyn, Katino Mobley, Malvern, NBA, Oakwood, OFSAA, Princeton, Rhode Island U., Rodney Rogers, Ron Hamilton, Tim Duncan, Toronto, U. Michigan, Wake Forest U., York Memorial CI

Bobby defined our era of basketball. How we were taught to play by our peers, dictated by the tough, no- blood-no-foul style being played in the NBA. It was a time of psychological and physical basketball warfare.

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Mckenzie Sigurdson – Journey to the Air Canada Centre

August 15, 2019March 29, 2020 Wayne Dawkins 0 Comments Air Canada Centre, All Canada Classic, CIS, Eastern Commerce, I Am An Elite 1, Journey Of An Elite 1, OUA, PHASE 1 Basktball, Rumble in the T-Dot, Ryerson University, Toronto, Toronto Raptors, Vaughan Road Academy

As a trainer you know not every child possess the same athletic gifts, some are blessed with quickness, some natural strength and some leaping ability. Mckenzie has many gifts but her great hand eye coordination and a natural feel for the ball in her hand separated her from her peers.

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Women’s Pro Basketball Pioneers… Toronto Lady Elite 1’s

June 7, 2019March 13, 2020 Wayne Dawkins 0 Comments Canadian Basketball, lady elite 1's, phase1athletics, Phoenix, shehoops, Toronto, wnba, womens pro basketbal

I am very proud of the group of talented women out of Toronto Canada, who accepted the challenge of becoming

Canadian Basketball History Or Nothing

Jerome Robinson – A Canadian Basketball Crown Jewel

June 14, 2017March 13, 2020 Wayne Dawkins 1 Comment Basketball Canada, Canadian Basketball, Malton, Missouri Valley Conference, Paul Coffey Park, Toronto, Toronto Raptors

Like so many of the top ballers in Malton at the time, Jerome’s family came from Jane and Finch in hopes of finding a better place to raise their children. That migration brought together an amazing talent pool of young ballers equipped with the hunger of “the hood” and filled with the passion to become great.

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West Hill C.I. – A Decade of Distinguished Gentlemen

January 12, 2017March 13, 2020 Wayne Dawkins 0 Comments Air Canada Centre, Andrew Carpenter, Big East, Canadian Basketball, CIS, Galloway, Graphic Design, Malvern, NCAA, PHASE 1, Raptors, Scarborough, Toronto, Toronto Raptors, UConn Huskies

Thank you to all the teachers and administration at West Hill for the commitment to the success of these student athletes. A culture of excellence is not by accident but by design and together we can be proud of the legacy that was created.

Canadian Basketball History Or Nothing P.H.A.S.E. 1 Alumni

Chris Kraus – 1st Men’s Canadian NCAA Basketball Head Coach

September 5, 2016March 13, 2020 Wayne Dawkins 0 Comments All Canada Classic, Basketball Canada, Brandon University, Canadian Basketball, Denham Brown, George Kraus, Grassroots Canada, History Or Nothing, Jay Triano, Jerry Hemmings, Journey Of An Elite 1, Keith Vassell, Markham District High School, Mary Kraus, NCAA, NE-10, Rumble in the T-Dot, Sheffield Sharks, Steve Nash, Stonehill College, Tammy Sutton-Brown, Toronto, Toronto Ball Hawks, Wayne Dawkins

Chris could have easily become complacent in his early journey to becoming the 1st Canadian head coach of a men’s NCAA team.

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Denham Brown – Pioneer at a Price, Part 1

May 27, 2016October 26, 2020 Wayne Dawkins 6 Comments 111 pts, Adidas Canada, Bathurst Heights H.S., Big East, Grassroots Canada, Jane and Finch, Jim Calhoun, Nike Canada, PHASE 1 Basketball, Rick Majerus, Storrs CT, Toronto, U. Utah, UConn Huskies, West Hill CI

A year later after seeing Denham’s picture in the newspaper as a Toronto Star All-Star, wearing the Kobe’s and being guarded by Toronto Raptors Tracy McGrady, Nike Canada unloaded enough product on us to clothe a small community, not to mention the exclusive Air Jordan’s that used to mysteriously appear in my garage for him.

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Mark Stoddart – Graphic Artist Legend

April 30, 2016March 13, 2020 Wayne Dawkins 3 Comments All Canada Classic, Basketball Canada, Denham Brown, Graphic Arts, Graphic Design, History Or Nothing, JDP, Jevohn Shepherd, Mark Stoddart, MDP, Nike Canada, PHASE 1, PHASE 1 Basketball, Rumble in the T-Dot, SBA, Scarborough Blues, Stephany Skrba, Toronto, Tracy McGrady

From an early age he understood that people easily identified with popular logos and symbols used as trademarks. Whether it is an association like the NBA (who’s logo is the silhouette of Basketball Hall of Famer Jerry West), or a company like Nike, people identify with a brand on their chest. That symbol essentially becomes a representation of their persona. To him, that was a powerful idea.

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Alice Davis “The Mad Stepper”

April 13, 2016March 13, 2020 Wayne Dawkins 0 Comments Air Canada Centre, Alice Davis, All Canada Classic, Basketball Canada, Grassroots Canada, History Or Nothing, PHASE 1 Basketball, PHASE 1 Step Team, Rumble in the T-Dot, Toronto, West Hill CI

It’s that camaraderie that allowed Alice and the rest of the team to spearhead the fundraising initiative to pay for the backboard shattered by Tristan Martin in the 2003 All Canada Classic – Dunk Contest at the Centennial College, Scarborough ON.

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Who’s In Your Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame

April 1, 2016March 13, 2020 Wayne Dawkins 0 Comments Basketball Canada, Canadian Basketball, Cleveland Clunis, David Jospeh, Donavan Dill, George Krause, History Or Nothing, Lou Sialtsis, Mike Katz, PHASE 1 Basketball, Ron Burrows, Toronto

As leader of my organization my responsibility is to the history of our thousands of alumni. I do hope many of P.H.A.S.E. 1’s alumni will be included in Basketball Canada’s one day however until then, these stories about our Elite 1’s will hold their place in history.

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Dane Smith Mr.”We The North”

March 23, 2016October 26, 2020 Wayne Dawkins 0 Comments dane smith, London Lightning, PHASE 1 Basketball, Raptors, Toronto, U. Tennessee, We The North

Though Smith says he was naturally talented at both sports, he remembers watching the older kids on the basketball courts around his neighborhood for months. But he built up the courage and was able to join into the games and eventually hold is own.

Canadian Basketball History Or Nothing

History Is Your Journey

March 16, 2016March 20, 2020 Wayne Dawkins 0 Comments Basketball Canada, Canada Elite, Canadian Basketball, CIA Bounce, Cory Joseph, David Joseph, Defoe Joseph, Grassroots Canada, History Or Nothing, Jr Patrick, Kern Carter, Kevin Massiah, Mike George, Northern Kings, PHASE 1 Basketball, Rans Brempong, Raptors, Ryerson Rams, Shane James, Toronto, Video Massiah

It would do no good to sit around and join in with those complaining about not being recognized or relevant anymore. Those looking at Canada Basketball’s hall of fame and keep getting upset because individuals or organization from their community are not being recognized. Or listen to the media try and convince the world the explosion of Canadian basketball started with the Toronto Raptors and Vince Carter.