Neil MacDonald: The X-Factor

In the competitive world of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) basketball, individual sacrifices are a necessity if one intends to earn a roster spot for one of Canada’s most prestigious programs. For Neil MacDonald of the Saint Francis Xavier X-Men, it meant hours of highway miles searching for more meaningful competition and a chance to play beyond high school.Growing up in the small community of Sydney Mines, population of 6,982 afforded Neil all the imaginable benefits. However, defenders capable of presenting a challenge for the 6-10 center were in short supply. “During high school, I traveled to Halifax pretty much every weekend in the summer so I could play with better competition. Coach K (St. F.X. coach, Steve Konchalski) was at the helm of the Canada […]