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50 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday May 11, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Blakelock's Plante selected to compete with hoops elite By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR Josh Plante didn't know much about the USA Junior Nationals basketball program. In fact, he still doesn't. But the 16-year-old T.A. Blakelock student is certainly happy the program knows about him. Plante received a letter from USA Junior Nationals officials earlier this year, inviting him to one of the program's all-state competitions in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Plante attended the event and impressed scouts enough to earn an invite to the USA Junior Nationals International Sports Festival in Columbus, scheduled for July 23-29. "I was wondering who saw me or how I got scouted. I didn't think anyone would be at our high school games in Oakville, really," said Plante, who initially thought the letter was a scholarship offer from an American school. "I still have no clue (how they heard of me)." Plante, a 6-foot-1 guard, said the allstate competition was simply a series of games with other top high school players from southern Ontario and Michigan. The Columbus competition will be different as players will receive instruction from NCAA coaches and vie for an International Sports Festival championship. Hoping to land a basketball scholarship in the future, Plante is cognizant of the opportunity he has to make an impression with college scouts in Columbus. He ordinarily plays rugby in the spring for Blakelock but is opting this year to compete in track and field instead, hoping to work on his stamina, and is practicing basketball in his spare time. "I don't think I will be as nervous (at the international competition) because I've seen how some players played," he said. "(At the all-state meet) I didn't know if I would be the best or worst there, but I was just as good as the other people." Plante first began playing basketball at Falgarwood Public School and said former coach Jason Rodney was influential in developing his basketball skills. Plante played rep with the Oakville Vytis during the 2005-06 season and was on Blakelock's senior team this past year. HE'S GOT GAME: Sixteen-year-old Josh Plante, a student at T.A. Blakelock High School, was recently selected to participate in the USA Junior Nationals basketball program. Plante was impressive enough at an all-state competition in Michigan to earn an invitation to the USA Junior Nationals International Sports Festival, to be held July 23-29 in Columbus. BARRIE ERSKINE / OAKVILLE BEAVER New strategy pays off for van Koeverden MAY 19th1 Powercartth & 20 2 Green Fees, $ 100.00 Offer valid after 11 AM + tax I Not valid with any other promotions TORONTO STAR "Bogey Man" I 2005 Most Scenic Golf Course I 2005 Most Improved Golf Course I ONTARIO GOLF MAGAZINE Hidden Gem Award 2002 TWILIGHT SPECIAL $ 99 39.cart after 4:30 Per person including PM Offer expires May 29/07 I Must present this ad with purchase Not valid with any other promotions Despite being in the midst of an impressive World Cup run, Adam van Koeverden is still finding new ways to win. Van Koeverden opened the World Cup canoe and kayak season by winning the gold medal in both the K-1 500 and 1000-metre events in Zagreb, Croatia on the weekend. It was the third straight World Cup event in which he has swept both events. The last time van Koeverden lost a World Cup race was last May, 905 335 6181 Tee times available seven days in advance LOWVILLE GOLF CLUB 2662 Britannia Road at Guelph Line 1 800 688 2931 www.lowvillegolf.com when he beat the world record in the 1000m only to be edged by less than a tenth of a second by New Zealand's Ben Fouhy. After winning the 500m gold in one minute, 39.121 seconds on Saturday, van Koeverden employed a new strategy in Sunday's 1000m race. Traditionally, he roars out of the gate and dares others to catch him. "I've really been trying to focus on not going out as hard," van Koeverden said from Croatia Tuesday afternoon. "The first 500 I usually get open water and then they reel me in and the last 250 I spin my wheels a bit. If I do get beat, it's always that I get caught in the last 250 so I've been making sure to use my sprinting ability rather than wasting it." The strategy paid off as van Koeverden posted a time of 3:34.581 seconds to beat Norway's Eirik Veraas Larsen, who finished second in 3:36.221. While the reigning Olympic champion said he's been using the World Cups to learn more about his competitors, his competitors may now have to study him a bit closer. "It adds another dimension to what he can do and makes the others think a little more," said his coach Scott Oldershaw. Fellow Burloak Canoe Club member Mark Oldershaw earned his first World Cup victory in Croatia, winning the C-1 1000m in 4:05.648. He also won a bronze in the 500m event. While the rest of the Canadian team returned home following the race in Croatia, van Koeverden and Oldershaw stayed in Europe to compete in the next World Cup event in Szeged, Hungary May 18-20. "We train so much and international races are so few and far between," van Koeverden said. 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