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A conversation with a Ram: Jordon Gauthier

Jordon Gauthier played an instrumental part to the men’s basketball team’s march to the national championships in Halifax; however he was forced to sit out all three of the games at nationals due to a season ending injury he sustained in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) semi-final matchup against Lakehead. The OUA second team-all star spoke to Sports Editor Gabriel Lee about the disappointing end to the season.

Eyeopener: Why’d you decide to come to Ryerson for basketball?

Jordon Gauthier:  I had a bunch of other options, but none of them felt right. When I heard about the recruiting class that was coming in, I heard about all the things that the campus was trying to do. Ryerson has recently put a lot of care and trust into their athletics. And of course coach Roy Rana being here, it was a unique opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.

Eyeopener: Which aspects of your game has Coach Rana helped you with the most in the past two years?

Jordon: In high school, I was a pure scorer. Since I came here my game became more well-rounded. I’m trying to be better defensively, I’m trying to be better in other aspects of the game. Coming here, one of the biggest gains was learning how to lead and when to lead.

Eyeopener: Throughout the season, some games your shot was really accurate, but during others you struggled with it, how were you able to maintain a positive mindset from game to game?

Jordon: As a shooter, I have a short-term memory. If you let your last shot mess up your next shot, then it messes up the team. If you have an open look, it comes to a point where you don’t even think about it and let muscle memory just take over. Kobe Bryant said it best when he said if I miss my first shot it just means I’m making my second.

Eyeopener: Talk a bit about what being an OUA second team all-star means to you?

Jordon: It’s been amazing but I’m more satisfied with what my team has accomplished. Jahmal (Jones) does a great job of finding me and allowing me to play my game. Before the season, I don’t think anybody expected us to go nationals, I don’t think anybody expected us to beat Ottawa, nobody expected us to beat Lakehead. I sure don’t think anybody expected us to win a game at nationals, everybody thought it was a fluke we were there.

Eyeopener: You didn’t play at nationals, why was that?

Jordon: I had a partial tear in my quad that I injured during the Lakehead game so I didn’t get to play at nationals this year but just being there at nationals and supporting my teammates was an amazing experience.

Eyeopener: Did you ever think to yourself if you were able to play the result of the opening round matchup against Alberta would’ve been different?

Jordon: I don’t think I would’ve kept them in it but I just wish I was out there contributing in anyway I could. More than anything in all three games, I wish I was out there in all three games to fight with my teammates after battling with them all season. Through the countless, practices games, I just wished I could’ve been out there with them in the last three wars of the season.

1 Comment

  1. g gauthier

    good job jordon

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