Men’s Basketball Charge into the Season with Forward Additions Tomberli and Bruin
Milan Tomberli (left), and Andrew Bruin (right) are the latest signings for Blazers Men’s Basketball
The CMU Men's Basketball program is very pleased to announce the commitment of forwards Milan Tomberli of Lord Selkirk Regional Comprehensive Secondary and Andrew Bruin of Oak Park for the 2023/24 MCAC and NIAC seasons. Head coach Scott Martin's latest signings will add scoring touch and depth down low with the team looking to break out and capture their first championship title since 2017.
Blazers head coach Scott Martin has been stacking his squad with lengthy guards and athletic forwards this off-season, and both Tomberli and Bruin fit bill completely, and will hopefully round out a squad that nearly captured an MCAC Championship on home court this past February.
A 2023 graduate of Lord Selkirk Regional, Tomberli filled a leadership position on his high school squad, and helped lift his team to several big game wins and tournament titles despite Selkirk's reputation as more of a volleyball than basketball powerhouse. A captain both years during his varsity seasons, the St Andrew native also received MHSAA Graduating All-Star and KPAC All-Star nods this past spring to go along with his team MVP honours. His team captured the KPAC Tier 2 Championship in 2022, and this season the BSSI (Brandon) Tier 2 Championship title, followed with a title win at their home Royals Invitational Tournament. Tomberli is familiar with fellow new recruits Derian Castaneda and Lance Catipon, who he regularly matched up against in KPAC league play during his high school career.
The 6'2" power forward played his club ball in Selkirk, where he was team captain as well, playing alongside many of his high school teammates. His 18U squad placed third at the Manitoba Provincial Championships, and with several tournament appearances south of the border, he is no stranger to the American style of basketball that the Blazers will see throughout the NIAC season.
Tomberli plans to study business at CMU and is excited to see new competition both at practice and in league play that will force him to hold himself to a higher level of play. His high school coach, Dean Goodbrandson, steered Tomberli towards the Blazers, where he knew Scott Martin could help continue his development and fill his potential.
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The Blazers have found another solid big-man in Andrew Bruin, who hopes to be a difference maker for the team this coming season. The 2021 graduate of Oak Park comes to the team with instant chemistry with his former high school and Central Canada Prep teammates George Fedorchuk and Parker Hamlin who joined the team last year. After a year of prep basketball after high school, Bruin chased his basketball dreams to Alberta but came home before the season started, instead opting to take classes at the University of Winnipeg throughout the winter semester where he trained with their USports team, keeping his skills sharp, for the next opportunity.
The man called "Bunny" comes with plenty of high-level experience both from his days at Oak Park, as well as through club programming. He started his club career with Team Flex, then moved to Crossover for two seasons, and finished his youth club eligibility with Triumph before COVID cancelled his final year of play. The 6'3" power forward or post plays a big-man game and is looking forward to having fun playing basketball again this year, and is convinced his experience and knowledge of the game will allow him to be a difference-maker in tight games like the Blazers had during their MCAC playoff run last season.
Blazers head coach Scott Martin weighed in on his final signing of the off-season, stating "Andrew is a physically strong, smart, inside-out type player who is a master of the jump hook. He received quality coaching from John Lundgren at Oak Park, as well as Nick Lother at Central Canada Prep, which has allowed him to mature into a player that would be an asset to any team."
Coming off an MCAC Provincial Championship Finals appearance this past February, the Blazers will soon start gearing up for next season in hopes of capturing the program's first provincial title since 2017. The team plans to begin their exhibition schedule on Thanksgiving weekend when they'll face CCAA competition at Douglas College in New Westminster, BC, part of the greater Vancouver area.
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