A bonus episode today as we work on a different style of episode coming up. The GOAT debate, chips, favourite players - Mitch puts Corbs on the spot as we wait for a guest that never arrives. We will be back to regular programming next week. Happy Friday everyone!

Episode 70 with another legend: New York native and CAN-AM legend Mickey Fox joins A Hoops Journey to reflect on a storied career. The former St. Mary's Husky has quite the hoops journey from the Boroughs of New York, to the Maritimes and leaving his mark on Canadian Basketball. We chat with him about his upbringing, the jump from the US to Canada, twice getting drafted to the NBA, colouring skills and the legacy that the Maritimes has on Canada Basketball. This is a hilarious conversation with one of Canada's GOATS!

Sounds: Storyblocks

Produced by: Corbin Castres

We have former Olds College Bronco, UBC T-Bird and current Iranian National Team player and professional in Europe: Phil Jalalpoor. Born and raised in Germany, Phil has quite the hoops journey spanning multiple continents and experiences. He sits down with us for Episode 69 (nice) to discuss this expansive journey. From JUCO to USport to guarding Damian Lillard and Kevin Durant in the Olympics, this is an incredible story of a gritty individual with a not-so-typical pathway. A great episode for all hoopers, but especially to young aspiring hoopers, this is an episode you don't want to miss!

We have long-time BC Basketball and Maple Ridge Ramblers Head Coach Ken Dockendorf joining us for Episode 68 of A Hoops Journey. With over 50 years of coaching, he sits down with us to chat all things about his life - his upbringing, how he got his start into coaching, his transition over to Maple Ridge and building the Maple Ridge Ramblers program in the 80s and 90s. Beach Boys, buzzer beaters, long-twos - we got it all here for you today in this special episode with one of the OGs of BC Basketball!

We have a great guest for Episode 67 - Olga Hrycak. A pioneer for female coaches throughout her career, Hrycak made North American basketball history in 2003 when she was hired as the inaugural bench boss of the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) Citadins, becoming the first woman to coach a men’s team at the university level in Canada or the United States. Olga is the former Dawson College Blues Men's Head Coach, where she made Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) history, with nine championships in 15 years.  She was also named Quebec college Coach of the Year six times and CCAA Coach of the Year twice. A Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee, she sits down with us to talk to us about her early days, Jack Donahue, and her incredible journey through a male-dominated sport. Do NOT skip this episode on this Canadian coaching legend!

For Episode 66, we have another Vancouver big man: former Vancouver College Irish and Santa Clara Bronco Marc Trasolini joins the show! Marc is currently playing pro in Japan, the same league as previous guests Robert Sacre and Scott Morrison (Argyle). Marc chats about his athletic upbringing, VC vs STM, the recruiting process and choosing Santa Clara, the transition to playing basketball professionally in Italy and France, and so much more! A Paul George what-if, Kawhi, Tupac and Biggie and a great quote - all of these will be touched on this fantastic episode!

Episode 65 of A Hoops Journey features two-time CCAA All-Canadian and Basketball BC most Outstanding College Player of the Year, Jacob Thom. A member of the Kitkatla band and raised in Prince Rupert, he sits down with us to chat about his experience growing up in Prince Rupert, the level of basketball in northern BC and how he worked his way to VIU (then Malaspina College) to have a decorated PACWEST career. We chat about Mel Bishop, being an Indigenous basketball player, the All-Native Tournament, and a frank conversation about the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada, and the recent revelations of the horrid Residential School system. A unique story with tons of takeaways, Episode 65 is a treat!

We have a special guest with us today - former Olympian and Heritage Park great Teresa Gabriele (Kleindienst) joins us for Episode 64 of A Hoops Journey. An SFU Hall of Fame inductee, she was a two-time CIS All-Canadian, NAIA All-American and NAIA 1st-Team All-Star and Tournament MVP, she was a member of the Canadian National team from 1998 to 2012 and had a short stint as a pro overseas. She sits down with us to outline her career starting at Heritage Park, her relationships with Allison and Mike McNeill, choosing SFU over American schools, her Olympic experiences and much, much more! Another legend of the Canadian Women's Team, her story is a great one and a must listen!

Current Varsity Letters founder and writer Howard Tsumura joins us for Episode 63 to outline a storied career. Howard is a former writer for The Province, beat writer for the late Vancouver Grizzlies, and a multi-sport writer for all of BC High School Sports, and frequent play-by-play broadcaster for high school and university sports. he talks about how he got into the journalism industry, dealing with adversity at a young age, how he found his voice in his writing, his foray into the NBA, the magic of high school sports and kids' stories, and so much more. One of THE best to ever do it in our province - this is a great episode for all!

After a brief break, we are back to share more incredible hoops stories with you! Episode 62 features another Salmon Arm great, former UBC T-Bird, National Team player and professional in Casey Archibald. One of the best players in UBC history as a two-time first-team ALL-Canadian, five-time all-star and five-time Canada West All-Star, he sits down with us to recap a storied career. Humble beginnings starting in East Van, to Salmon Arm, to West Vancouver and to Austria/Germany, he shares some stories along the way, how he got to be one of the best players from British Columbia and so much more!