Lance Catipon: February's Zueike Male Athlete of the Month
Catipon shakes a defender before dropping a basket in the MCAC Finals
Congratulations to Lance Catipon of Blazers Men's Basketball on being selected the CMU Zueike Male Athlete of the Month for February. The junior forward stepped up big for the Blazers in their final stretch of the season and into playoffs.
Catipon truly came into his own this season under head coach Scott Martin, especially during the second half with the absence of big man Andrew Bruin, the Blazers needed someone to step up and be an inside threat to score, and step up big time did Lance Catipon. Catipon was a double-digits scorer in all but one of the team's six games in the month, including leading the team in points CMU's NIAC semi final win over Manitoba rivals Providence, and then second leading scorer in the NIAC Championship game, ultimately helping the program to its first Northern Intercollegiate Athletics Conference title.
The third year utility man has the ability to work the boards and drive the lanes, but is best known for his mid-range jumper, using it effectively down the stretch of the season to be the dagger in putting games out of reach for the Blazers' opponents. Catipon finished the MCAC season in the top five in points per game, averaging double-digits on the season, and was at the top of the conference in field goal percentage at a dazzling 57% shooting from the field.
What could have been a derailed season following the team's MCAC Championships loss, Catipon was instrumental in picking the team back up and helping the squad run the table in Plymouth, Minnesota the following week to secure the NIAC Championship banner. While Catipon lacks some of the flash and pizzazz of the outside 3-point splashers, or the hard-nose grinding big men on the boards, he has capitalized on the art of the mid-range scorer, with all the tools needed to threaten from any scoring position. Blazers head coach Scott Martin commented on his unsung hero Catipon, noting "Lance is our 'Mid-range Maestro.' He picked up his game with the injury to Andrew Bruin earlier in the year, and his scoring numbers improved alongside his increase in minutes. Lance was an impact player at our NIAC playoff tournament in Minneapolis, and proved pivotal in the program's historic win."
With MCAC and NIAC play now wrapped up, Catipon and his Blazers teammates will take a brief break from the hard court to finish up the acadmeic semester before heading back into offseason training with all eyes set on reclaiming their MCAC title in 2026/27. As the league expands to welcome back Red River College Polytechnic into the fold, the season will look a little more diverse here in Winnipeg and the surrounding area, as the conference looks to the future and building towards acceptance into the CCAA!
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