Ritzand commits to Tigers for 2026-2027 season!

Dalhousie Tigers men's basketball head coach Rick Plato is pleased to announce the commitment of Grayson Ritzand for the 2026-27 season.

 

A 6'5 small forward from Nanaimo, British Columbia, Ritzand joins the Tigers as one of the top incoming recruits in the country. Known for his scoring ability and relentless effort on the glass, he brings an exciting combination of size, toughness, and offensive versatility to Dalhousie's roster.

 

Ritzand arrives at Dalhousie following an outstanding high school career with Wellington Secondary and Uchenna Academy. During his two seasons at Wellington Secondary, he averaged an impressive 33.2 points, 13.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game while leading the program to North Island and Island Championships in 2025. He later continued his success at Uchenna Academy, where he averaged 26.0 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game against elite competition.

 

His individual accomplishments have been equally impressive. Ritzand was named Wellington Secondary Senior Boys MVP during the 2024-25 season, earned Provincial First Team All-Star honours, and graduated as Wellington's all-time leading scorer. Off the court, he was recognized as Uchenna Academy's Student-Athlete of the Year in 2026, reflecting his commitment to excellence both academically and athletically.

 

Grayson chose Dalhousie because of the university's strong academic opportunities and the culture that Coach Plato has built within the Tigers program. He was drawn to the values of accountability, competitiveness, and player development, believing Dalhousie provides the ideal environment to continue growing as both a student and an athlete while pursuing a future in sports management.

 

Coach Plato is excited to welcome Grayson to the Tigers family.

 

"We are thrilled to welcome Grayson to the Tigers family. Grayson is the only true first-year player joining our roster for the 2026-27 season, and securing a player of his calibre is a major recruiting success for our program. I would like to thank his high school coach, and former Tiger, Brian Lennox, for not only helping develop such an outstanding player, but also for speaking so highly of Dalhousie and the Halifax community.

 

Grayson is a tenacious rebounder and a physical presence around the basket who will immediately add toughness and rebounding strength to our team. Simply put, he can score, he competes with a chip on his shoulder, and he has all the tools to make an immediate impact this season. As he adjusts to the demands of the AUS and becomes familiar with our expectations, I genuinely believe Grayson has the potential to follow in the footsteps of impactful first-year Tigers like Alex Carson and Keevan Veinot. That's high praise, but I have no doubt the AUS will quickly learn who Grayson Ritzand is."