The Ontario Colleges Athletic Association will feature six basketball games and one volleyball set as part of a busy local sports week in the Sault. Checking out the local OCAA calendar for this week: WEDNESDAY: Women's basketball, 5 p.m, Alpena at Sault College. An non-conference game featuring the northern Michigan school against the first-year Cougars of Sault College. The Cougars are in the infant stages of building a women's basketball program around some hard-working -- but very inexperienced -- players. Men's basketball, 7 p.m., Alpena at Sault College. The Cougars will be seeking revenge on home court after losing to Alpena at the non-conference Can-Am tournament earlier this month. The Cougars are a collection of outstanding individual talent from throughout the province. Extremely dedicated head coach Thomas Cory is looking to establish team unity and wants all players to know their roles. FRIDAY: Women's basketball, 6 p.m., Niagara at Sault College. The Cougars are a work in progress as conditioning and the fundamentals are being stressed repeatedly during practice. Work ethic, attitude and reliability have resulted in several players elevating their status including local/area products Lee Anne Faganely and Cara Russon (St. Mary's), Jen Cronin and Becky Methot (Central Algoma), Melissa Sawyer (White Pines) and out-of-towner Megan Conway (Kirkland Lake Collegiate.)
Men's basketball, 8 p.m., Niagara at Sault College. The Knights of Niagara provide the opposition to the Cougars, who'll be looking to improve their OCAA record to 2-2. The Cougars have several local players familiar to Sault fans including veterans Robbie Green (Sir James Dunn), Chris Muncaster (Bawating) and Tim Walker (St. Basil) and rookies Ron Kelly (Bawating) and Jeff Rennison (Korah.) Toronto area recruits on the Cougars include rookies Reynord Bobb, Ray Henry and Sean Seivwright. SATURDAY: Women's basketball, noon, Niagara at Algoma University. Algoma head coach Dave Bourgeault constantly harps on the little things that can make the difference in a game as he strives to improve the second-year program. Second-year local talent on the Thunderbirds includes guard Stella Viotto (St. Mary's) and forwards Kristan Chaimbrone (Mount St. Joseph) and Carly Uhlman (St. Basil.)
Men's basketball, 2 p.m., Niagara at Algoma University. The Thunderbirds are still looking for their first win since entering the OCAA last season. Second-year head coach Ray Barsanti has several quality grads from the local high school ranks at his disposal including Adam Hawdon and Greg Sirie (Bawating), Tom Smith (Korah) and Paul Tomchak (White Pines.)
Women's volleyball, 1 p.m., Niagara at Sault College. Head coach Jeremy Murdoch has the Cougar women on course for a playoff spot led by Leamington native Jocelyn Wilkinson and one-time local high school phenoms Candace Kennedy of Bawating, Mount St. Joseph grads Ashley Rathwell and Desiree Simon, as well as Katie Headrick and Kerri Senko, both formerly of White Pines.