Pookie Saunders had an outstanding rookie season as a CIS athlete. It’s not easy to make the jump from the high school ranks to university basketball, but Saunders not only did it, but excelled in the competitive Canada West conference.
“He had one of the best first-years in the conference I think. He played big minutes and was a valuable part of our team,” says Bobcats coach Gil Cheung. “For the last 8 to 10 games he was probably our most consistent player. He made a huge jump in the second semester and we are looking forward to four more great years with him.”
Saunders’ workload increased as the season wore on, playing 293 out of 320 minutes in the final eight games of the season. In doing so, Saunders ranked among conference rookie leaders in scoring, assists, 3-point field goal percentage and steals.
