The Mount Royal University Cougars men's basketball program has taken substantial steps in the past few years. The first eight games of the 2022-23 season are showing that this team is the real deal.
 
Head Coach Marc Dobell and his squad closed out 2022 with a 4-4 record. Their .500 record put them in ninth in Canada West and within striking distance of moving up in the standings. In the first eight games, Dobell's men's team has come out with hard-fought victories against high-profile teams. The Cougars suffered a tough loss against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies in the season opener but bounced back with an imposing 95-75 victory over the Huskies, the reigning national silver medalist. The win showcased two incredible individual performances from Cougars' guards Keivonte Watts and Holt Tomie. The two put up 34 and 33 points, respectively.
 
Holt Tomie has taken a huge step this season and put himself on the national radar as a top player in Canada. The third-year guard out of Bishop O'Byrne High School leads Canada West in points per game with 25.3 and is tenth in rebounds per game with 8.5. Tomie has also taken on a bigger role after the Cougars saw key departures in both the back court and front court. Only six players that were members of the 2021-22 roster remained on the team in 2022-23. Coach Marc Dobell and his staff had their work cut out for them to build a largely new team around Tomie and his five returning teammates.
 
The fresh roster construction started with dazzling rookie guard Keivonte Watts. The first-year hails from Utica, Miss. Watts has brought a high level of speed, skills and compete that the Cougars needed to contend in a tough conference. His team-high 34 per cent three-point shooting rate makes him a threat from deep and has spaced out the floor for his teammates. The one-two-punch of Watts and Tomie in Mount Royal's backcourt has been one of the best in the nation to start the year.
 
MRU filled out their roster for 2022-23 with tough, versatile players. Ijah Nelson has offered a steady all-around game to compliment Watts and Tomie. Emerging post Daniel Mulder has been a force to be reckoned with in the paint with along with rookie big man Daniel Owoeye. Aaron Fernandes, Mawien Mawien, Scott Duncan, Caden Kangas, Hunter Boriskewich, Sam Barnie and others have also played crucial minutes to support their teammates.
 
After a few huge victories including one against Saskatchewan and an outstanding home win versus the nationally ranked UBC Thunderbirds, Mount Royal find themselves right in the thick of things going into the new year. Watts, Tomie and the Cougars possess a huge opportunity to achieve history for the men's basketball program.
 
The chance to keep rolling will start with their southern Alberta rivals, the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns. The Cougars host the Pronghorns at Kenyon Court on Jan. 6, 2023.