Spirits high as P.E.I. men's basketball team presses toward Canada Games

Assistant basketball coach Dennis Manning paces back and forth up the court as his players push each other to drive to the net and score.

He studies every step, shot and layup, what went right and what went wrong with every single play; and the players match his intensity, going over every moment as if it's the last time they're going to be on the court.

All that, and we're talking about practice.

We can shock the country if we play good.​​​​​— Will Ren

The team is on the hardwood repeating game-like situations at UPEI , fine tuning for the biggest youth sports tournament in the country next month: the Canada Games.

This is Manning's first time coaching a Canada Games team. Being a former athlete of the Games, he knows the moment is a big one for these young Islanders.

"This could be the biggest show for some of these kids," Manning said.

"This will be not just a sporting event, but a life event for a lot of these guys, so hopefully we make it a positive experience for them."

'I want to take the shot'

Competition will be tough. The coach knows that, and he's pushing the players to show up to each practice better than the last one. Thankfully, he said, the players encourage each other to do that just as much as he does — and chemistry is high.

"It's a good bunch of guys. They know each other from competing against each other. A lot of these guys have known each other since they've been playing mini ball," Manning said.

"They get along well. They're not into trouble. They're a good bunch of guys and they look out for each other."

Theo Plourde has been playing for more than six years. With a few weeks left until the Games kick off in Newfoundland, there's only a one thing on his mind for the tournament ahead: winning.

He's excited most about the drama of the game — the last few moments in a tight matchup.

"I like the adrenaline, especially when it comes down to final shots. I like that feeling," he said with a smile. "Mostly because I want to take the shot."

Fadi Mayaleh picked up the game by shooting hoops in a park years ago. Now, he's preparing for the Canada Games.

Playing against the top talent his age across the nation is what motivates him to play on the big stage in August.

"It's really exciting. Those guys are really good, of course they have a lot of talent. You learn from them, and, I mean, it's the competitive part of it," he said.

"You like to compete, you like to prove that you're better, you just like to play out there."

'We have a good chance'

Will Ren is one of the point guards on the team. He said he's been putting in countless hours of work off the court to get to this point.

"Very excited for this, because it's probably one of the biggest stages I'm going to play on in my career," he said.

Ren knows his team is the underdog. There's a lot to work on after a recent matchup against Team Nova Scotia, he said. These final weeks before the Games are everything, because he wants to make a point to all the other provinces next month.

"People from other provinces don't think that P.E.I. has, like, a very strong team in general. I think we have a good chance if we put in the work," said Ren.

"We can shock the country if we play good."