SYDNEY, N.S. — Paul Watson recalls always having a basketball in his hand growing up.
The Mississauga, Ont., product remembers spending countless hours outside with his friends playing various sports including basketball, soccer and football.
Although he enjoyed the different variety, Watson quickly found his passion for basketball and decided to stick with it with the hopes of having a career in the sport.
“My mother always wanted me to play sports and my father had played basketball, so I guess sports ran in my family,” said Watson. “Out of all the sports, I enjoyed basketball the most, so I knew I wanted to keep playing.”
The 24-year-old began his basketball career in Grade 7 playing for various rep teams in the Toronto area.
In high school, Watson suited up for Loyola Catholic Secondary School in Mississauga, the same school where various professional athletes, including the Sacramento Kings 2014 eighth overall NBA draft pick Nik Stauskas, attended.
Following his time in high school, Watson received a basketball scholarship to attend a prep school in Los Angeles.
He spent three years in the southern California city, before getting a basketball scholarship to the University of the Virgin Islands, after the NCAA ruled him ineligible for Division 1 basketball in the United States due to school credit issues.
“I played for the university my first year, but my second and third years the school was having some scholarship issues and the coaches were changed three different times,” said Watson.
“After not playing for two years after that, I decided to go home because I knew things weren’t working out, so it was deciding what was next for me.”
After considering his future, Watson was introduced to former Cape Breton Capers coach David Petroziello by close friend Osman Omar and was eventually offered a scholarship to play basketball for Cape Breton University.
“I sent David my game tapes and all my stats and my experience and he ended up giving Osman and I a chance,” said Watson. “We took the offer and never looked back and we’re still with the program today.”
During the 2017-18 season, Watson averaged 10.9 points per game. Last year, he dropped to 9.8 points per game.
Despite this being his fourth eligible year in the Atlantic University Sport, it’s only Watson’s third year with the Capers program. However, his experience on the floor is expected to help a somewhat young Cape Breton club.
“Since my first year here, we went from a 2-18 record to last year making it to the AUS semifinal, so I can see this program going in the right direction and the culture every day is great,” said Watson, who’s currently enrolled in the bachelor of arts community studies program at CBU.
“I think this is going to be a good year for us, but we’re going to take it one game at a time — the sky’s the limit for us right now.”
Watson and the Capers opened the 2019-20 AUS regular season last weekend with a win and a loss.
The team was defeated 101-92 in the season opener against the Acadia Axemen last Saturday, before beating the Wolfville-based university team 83-81 in overtime on Sunday.
Cape Breton will host the Memorial Sea-Hawks in the team’s home opener on Saturday at 8 p.m. at Sullivan Field House. The teams will also meet on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the CBU venue.
“I love all the expectations our fans have for us,” said Watson. “This place is like another home to me and we’re going to play hard every night because we know that’s what the community wants.”
Prior to the men’s games, the Capers women’s team will also be in action. Cape Breton will play at 6 p.m. on Saturday and 12 p.m. on Sunday, both days against Memorial.
PAUL WATSON
• Hometown: Mississauga, Ont.
• Age: 24
• Position: Guard/forward
• Height: 6’7”
• University: Cape Breton
• Studies: Bachelor of arts community studies
• Basketball eligible year: Fourth year
CAPERS ROSTER
POSITION ELIGIBLE YEAR HOMETOWN
Osman Omar Guard 3 Mississauga, Ont.
Izaiah Ugualah Guard 3 Vancouver, B.C.
Eugene Kankue Guard 2 Ottawa, Ont.
Jason Callaghan Guard 2 Sydney, N.S.
Noah Dunn Guard 2 Port Hood, N.S.
Teddy Bodock Kobe Guard 1 Paris, France
Cooper Ward Forward 1 Ipswich, Australia
Lenda Diarra Guard/Forward 1 Montreal, Que.
C.J. Bennett Guard 4 Brampton, Ont.
Chris Hankins Guard/Forward 2 Burlington, Ont.
Paul Watson Guard/Forward 4 Mississauga, Ont.
Harry Liu Guard/Forward 2 Burnaby, B.C.
Ibrahim Gosselin-Diawara Guard/Forward 2 Longueuil, Que.
RS – Morgan MacIsaac Forward 1 New Waterford, N.S.
RS – Julius McGee Guard 1 Dartmouth, N.S.
RS – Hendrick Stam Forward 1 Thunder Bay, Ont.
SCHEDULE
2019-20 CAPE BRETON CAPERS
• Nov. 9 – 8 p.m. vs. Memorial
• Nov. 10 – 2 p.m. vs. Memorial
• Nov. 15 – 8 p.m. vs. New Brunswick
• Nov. 16 – 4 p.m. vs. New Brunswick
• Nov. 23 – 8 p.m. @ Prince Edward Island
• Jan. 4 – 8 p.m. vs. Saint Mary’s
• Jan. 11 – 8 p.m. @ New Brunswick
• Jan. 12 – 4 p.m. @ New Brunswick
• Jan. 18 – 8 p.m. vs. Prince Edward Island
• Jan. 25 – 7:30 p.m. @ Memorial
• Jan. 26 – 1:30 p.m. @ Memorial
• Jan. 31 – 8 p.m. vs. Dalhousie
• Feb. 1 – 8 p.m. vs. St. Francis Xavier
• Feb. 8 – 8 p.m. @ Saint Mary’s
• Feb. 9 – 3 p.m. @ Dalhousie
• Feb. 15 – 6 p.m. vs. Acadia
• Feb. 16 – 4 p.m. vs. Acadia
• Feb. 21 – 8 p.m. @ St. Francis Xavier
*All Capers home games will be played at Sullivan Field House
Note: Atlantic University Sport championship will be held Feb. 28 to March 1, 2020, at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax.
Note: U Sports national championship will be held March 6-8 in Ottawa, Ont.
Twitter: @CBPost_Jeremy
