It’s been a banner year for Humber’s Jalen Menzies, both literally and figuratively.
The fourth-year point guard, who joined Humber via transfer from Holland College in Charlottetown this past summer, was a force all season in guiding the Hawks to their 16th provincial title.
Along the way, he set the single-season record for steals and finished with the fourth-most single-season points in team history.
His performance earned him the honour of being one of the Humber Male Athletes of the Year.
“I know there are hundreds of great athletes at this school, and they all put in work to be the best possible, so it was an honour and a privilege,” Menzies said.
Head coach Omar Miles, who witnessed how Menzies carried himself on and off the court, said none of this success came as a surprise.
Before the year, Miles said he outlined everything Menzies needed to do to become an All-Canadian.
He said it was a tall order, but if anyone was going to follow through on it, it was Menzies, who is the team’s 15th member of the 300-point club.
“I told him, ‘You need to do all the right things. You need to defend and you need to be efficient in your scoring,’ and he did both,” Miles said.
He said Menzies took to this advice right away, displaying a strong work ethic and leadership skills that put him in a great position to succeed.
Jalen Menzies pictured with Head Coach Omar Miles holding the men's basketball MVP award. Photo credit: Kyle Gilmor / Humber Hawks
It was something that Miles had rarely seen in a player in his time coaching, he said.
“I never had to worry about him bringing the energy to practice. Whether that meant showing up on time or making sure he held his teammates accountable for working hard,” Miles said.
Kameron David, a teammate and lifelong friend of Menzies, said this approach rubbed off on the team in a very positive manner.
He said it gave everyone else on the team the opportunity to showcase their leadership traits, whether through constructive verbal criticism or leading by example.
“Everybody had a voice and was comfortable by the end of the season to say their piece, and everybody knew it wasn’t personal,” he said.
The consistent drive to be better has been something that’s been inside him since a young age, David said.
He said he’s had a front-row seat in watching his development and watching him morph into the confident player he is today.
A big part of that confidence comes as a result of having played at Holland College for two years, Menzies said.
It was there that he learned to manage the stressful situations that come in a game while playing at the national level, he said.
Menzies averaged 17.4 points per game, 3.1 rebounds per game and 2.6 assists per game at Holland College. Before playing in Prince Edward Island, he played two seasons with Central Arizona of the National Junior College Athletic Association.
He said he wanted to achieve certain goals that necessitated his transfer to Humber.
The day before school started, he said he set three personal and team goals to keep himself motivated as the year went on.
Jalen Menzies received the men's basketball MVP award from head coach Omar Miles. Photo credit: Diego Guillen/ Humber Hawks
“I accomplished some of the goals I’ve set this year. But there are still some that need to be checked off. So they’ll be back on the list next year,” Menzies said.
He said a couple of these include shooting the ball better, particularly from three-point range, and getting his teammates involved at a higher rate.
This will be a focal point of his offseason training as he tirelessly works to improve his game, he said.
While this work ethic is the biggest hallmark of his game, Menzies said he gives a lot of credit to his teammates and the coaching staff for his success.
“I wouldn’t have been able to win Athlete of the Year if not for them. They all welcomed me with open arms and allowed me to play the style of play that I’m accustomed to,” he said.
Menzies will serve as an integral part of the program moving forward and someone that many young players can use as a role model, Miles said.
“You want high-character guys leading your program, and that’s what he is,” he said.