A three-time City All-Star, two-time AA Zone Most Valuable Player and two-time BC Provincial All-Star.
Those are some of the accolades Cam Sale is bringing to the UNBC Timberwolves for the 2020-21 basketball season after officially committing to his local university today (July 20).
The Prince George product left behind an illustrious high-school basketball career with D.P. Todd Secondary, which included a North Central Zone AA title in his senior year, and is anticipating tougher methods in making the jump to Canada West play.
“Obviously, guys are way bigger, faster, and stronger than the high school level,” said Sale in a team release.
“Practices are going to be a lot harder. That next man up mentality. I have always loved basketball, since I was two or three years old. I just love playing with my friends. It makes me happy, honestly.”
Congrats to the @dptstrojans Sr Boys basketball team on qualifying for the @BC2ABoysBBall Provincials. Good luck Trojans!#northcentralzone #bcprovincials #roadtoLEC @bcboysbball @BCHoopScoop #bcboysbasketball pic.twitter.com/VPRCd1Z5TX
— Coach Aaron (@AaronBro23) February 22, 2020
The six-foot-tall ‘combo-guard’ compiled a game-high 22 points and four three-pointers in the 2020 Prince George City Championship, to which the Trojans fell 66-43 to Duchess Park.
However, Sale also managed to sink 10 buckets from around the arc in D.P. Todd’s only win at this year’s provincial championships in Langley, a 89-69 victory over J.L. Crowe (Trail) and ultimately landing in 12th place.
“I think I am a really good slasher, and that is my game. But I can also shoot,” said the 17-year-old, who is also the reigning North Central Zone AA defensive MVP.
“I can be streaky, and if it’s not falling, I try to get to the rim. Defensively, I have really improved the last three or four years. I wasn’t a very good defender before, but now I like that challenge of guarding the best player of the other team. My mentality, if there is an intense game, I will always try my hardest and I will get on the floor if there is a loose ball.”
Sale is also no stranger to the T-Wolves having been coached by Todd Jordan in the Junior program for many years.
Jordan believes his new recruits skills can be shaped this up-and-coming (shortened) season by veteran players Tyrell Laing, Vova Pluzhnikov, Chris Ross and Payton Tirrell.
“He is a true competitor on the court, and a really good shooter who has proven to be a reliable scorer at the high school level. We are always extremely excited when we can bring local players into our program who we feel will be able to contribute.”
Sale is a veteran himself of Prince George’s Northern Bounce Program.
He says he’s looking forward to applying all of his training and skill development onto UNBC’s green-and-gold court at Canada’s highest-level of university basketball, and doing so before several familiar faces.
“I think it’s going to be awesome. I am really excited for this opportunity, and I am proud to wear the UNBC uniform. To get the opportunity to under Todd and the great coaching staff, I am glad to stay at home as well, and play with good teammates. I have seen how fun it is to play here in front of my hometown. In front of friends and family.”
Off the court, Sale is set to study for a Bachelor of Arts degree with hopes of becoming a physical education teacher.
On June 7, Canada West cancelled first-term play for basketball as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic with the decision to play games as early as Jan. 1, 2021.
A final decision is expected to be made on Oct. 8.
