SARNIA – Bolstered the front court with a big-time addition from Waterdown.
Center Darius Schmidt has officially committed to Head Coach James Grant and the Lambton Men’s Basketball Program for the 2024-25 season, and beyond.
Schmidt is the fifth player to commit to Coach Grant and his coaching staff. Schmidt joins Loghan LeBlanc (New Waterford, N.S.), Owen Newell (Brussels, Ont.), Cory King (Toronto, Ont.), and Jaxson Halward (Woodstock, Ont.) in the 2024 recruiting class for the Men’s Basketball Program.
“Darius is a great signing for our program,” said Coach Grant. “He is a tremendous athlete who we expect to help us on both ends of the court during his time at Lambton College.”
“We have put an emphasis on getting bigger and more athletic moving ahead, and Darius checks both of those boxes for us.”
Schmidt, a six-foot-eight center from Waterdown, comes to Lambton College from Waterdown District High School where he played for the Warriors. Outside of high school, Schmidt plays his club basketball with the Burlington Force.
The addition of Schmidt to the program marks the second player from Waterdown for the Lions. Guard Brodie Mougenot, who graduated from the program at the end of the 2023-24 season, hails from Waterdown. Mougenot also played a role in connecting Coach Grant to Schmidt on the recruiting trail.
As his basketball career progressed, Schmidt wasn’t sure if playing post-secondary basketball was a realistic option for him. After attending the Men’s Basketball Winter Showcase over the Christmas Break back in December, it became clear that Schmidt had what it took to play at the collegiate level.
“I’m just excited to be able to play at the next level coming this Fall and the opportunities that they have for me at Lambton College,” said Schmidt. “I’m looking forward to the better competition at the post-secondary level as I’m always looking for a challenge on the court.”
“As I was playing in high school, I wasn’t sure if playing at the next level was an option. But, Coach Grant and Lambton College have given me that opportunity to continue playing basketball in college.”
Academically, Schmidt will be enrolled in the Pre-Service Firefighter Education & Training Program at Lambton College.
The Lions are coming off a 2023-24 season that saw the group finish 9-9 during the regular season, good for seventh in the always-competitive OCAA West Division. They were unable to replicate their post-season magic from the 2022-23 season, one in which they finished seventh in the regular season but made a run to the OCAA Final Four. This year, the Lions dropped their OCAA Crossover Game on the road at George Brown, bringing a premature end to their season.
Now, Coach Grant and his staff have turned their focus to building the roster for the 2024-25 season, and the addition of Schmidt checks multiple boxes as they prepare for the future.
Schmidt is eager to get going on the court, and he can’t wait to show Lambton fans what he can do on both ends of the floor when he puts on the Lambton uniform for the first time come September.
“Hopefully fans see a lot of rebounds from me,” said Schmidt with a smile. “I also like to get out and run in transition, as I like to play a fast-paced game.”
“I’m just really looking forward to this opportunity and I can’t wait.”
Welcome to The Den, Darius!
For more information, or for any media inquiries within Lambton College Athletics, please contact:
Tyler Bennett
Lambton College Sports Information & Marketing Coordinator
tyler.bennett@lambtoncollege.ca