There was no Grade 12 season to try and match impressive numbers she put up in her junior season of high-school basketball.
However, Taylor Blais is a name Prince George basketball fans may want to familiarize themselves with in the future as she’s officially committed to suiting up for the UNBC Timberwolves in 2021-22, should COVID-19 allow a season.
As a 16-year-old, she averaged 23.5 points a game with Hunting Hills High School, which included a 40 per cent completion rate from the three-point line.
“I have spent countless hours in the gym perfecting my shot,” the now 17-year-old explained in a UNBC team release this morning (Feb. 1).
“Fans can expect me to be putting up some threes. Also, I am a very competitive person, so my drive and level of compete really shows on the court. [...] The biggest adjustment from high school to U SPORTS is probably going to be the speed of the game, along with the level of talent. Everyone is an incredible player in this league, and I know I will need to take my game to the next level in order to run with these amazing athletes. In my first year, I really want to grow as a player, get stronger, and really push myself to be the best version of myself in each and every practice. I think this will help with my growth and my years to come.”
That kind of sharp eye and dedication from Blais is expected to benefit the lady T-Wolves, who have noticeably improved from the field-goal and three-point ranges in recent years.
In fact, from the 2019-20 season, Maria Mongomo and Madison Landry were first and third respectively in Canada West for overall scoring, netting 20.1 and 19.1 points-per-game averages.
Three UNBC athletes were also in the conference’s top 25 for free-throw percentages last year:
- Madison Landry = .815
- Maria Mongomo = .759
- Emma vanBruinessen = .653
With Mongomo’s graduation and Landry’s plans potentially altered by the pandemic, though athletes are receiving an eligibility break for 2021-22 should they wish to play, Blais could be one of a few players to fill a much-needed void.
“I am incredibly excited to welcome Taylor to our program,” said UNBC women’s basketball head coach Sergey Shchepotkin, who notes Blais’ contributions on the court are two-fold.
“Firstly, her ability to shoot the ball and create off the dribble, both of which she does at an elite level. Secondly, the work ethic and leadership she shows on and off the court. I look forward to watching her grow her game and become an impact player at the Canada West level.”
Blais also earned two MVP honours with her team at Hunting Hills, where she’ll graduate in June with plans to pursue a degree in Civil Engineering at UNBC.
The five-foot-eight Red Deer native spent time with the Calgary Basketball Academy, with whom she developed her game even further in breaking down off defenses.
Blais admits it’s been an ordeal searching for a program, but believes UNBC and the Prince George community is where she’ll thrive as the Timberwolves look to reach a fifth consecutive playoff appearance in five full seasons.
“After some back-and-forth emails and calls with Coach Sergey and Coach (Mark) Johnson, I was left with a really good feeling about the Timberwolves. What stood out the most for me about UNBC was, first off, how amazing the facilities were for both athletics and academics. I did a couple virtual tours and I was amazed by everything I saw. After all that, I knew UNBC was for me.”
Other sharp-shooters Blais could potentially share the floor with are Alina Shakirova, who was the only other T-Wolf to post a double-digit point-per-game average in 2019-20 with 14.1, rookie Sarah Kuklisin and sophomore Rebecca Landry, who touted a team-high 46.5 field-goal percentage in her first year.
Blais is also the first official 2021-22 commited player for the UNBC women's basketball squad.
