Caledon Basketball Academy: Who’s Coming and Going

By Robert Belardi 

It's been quite the interesting year for the Caledon Basketball Academy. Heck, it's almost as if the word interesting follows any kind of sports team these days. 

For the club this offseason, the Academy has seen two of its players commit to universities in Canada on scholarships. We already saw Caledon's very own Izabella Zingaro play in the women's NCAA March Madness with the Iowa State Cyclones. That's a testament to how good the program is and how it sets up its players. 

So, without further ado, let's meet two of your graduates from the academy this year and see where they are heading off to! 

Abby Bodden 

Age: 17

Birthday: May 14 2003

Favourite Basketball Team: Seattle Storm 

Favourite Player: Arike Ogunbowale 

Height: 5'9

Position: Shooting Guard

Like most kids, Abby Bodden began to love basketball due to her parents. A local park in her home province of British Columbia is where she began playing the sport at the age of seven. She eventually pursued an organized recreational league in Grade Six while attending Homma Elementary School. 

Beginning her young basketball career as a guard, Bodden has played the position ever since. With noticeable talent all the way into high school, the University of Windsor had their eyes on Bodden since Grade 11 at McMath Secondary School. It was also during this time Bodden and her mother made a tough decision.  

“My whole family lives in Vancouver. My mother and I drove to Ontario from BC and lived in a rental house in Caledon. I was nervous moving to Ontario because I'd never gone to a new school or played on a different team. My teammates and coaches were very welcoming and the nerves went away quickly after I arrived,” Bodden said. 

Attending the academy meant that Bodden would be attending Humberview Secondary School for her final year. She would be going to school with her teammates and her mother became friends with the other parents on the team. It was her desire to come to the Caledon Basketball Academy because the club competes in the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association (OSBA).

She came into Ontario showcasing her three-point shooting prowess. She continued to make the case for herself as to why she's a top-notch guard.

In October of last year, Bodden committed to the University of Windsor. 

This upcoming year, Bodden will be heading to Windsor to study Criminology and, for fun, she might be bringing something along with her. 

“I love sneakers! I have a lot of different sneakers and I love learning about the history about them! My favourite sneakers are Jordan 1s!”

Oluwatito “Tito” Akinnusi 

From: Kleinburg, ON 

Height: 5'10 

Position: Guard

Age: 17

Birthday: August 28, 2003

Favourite basketball team: Toronto Raptors

Favourite player: Arike Ogunbowale

Oluwatito “Tito” Akinnusi was a late bloomer in the game of basketball. 

“I started playing basketball at age 12 when my family moved to Vaughan from Brampton in 2014. I tried out for the grades 4-6 girls' basketball team at the Pierre Berton Public School and made the team even though it was my first tryout and I had never played competitive basketball before then,” Akinnusi said. 

She was the best player. She thrived in the program and was scouted to join the Vaughan Panthers by the late Lionel Howell.

Akinnusi took her basketball talents to Vaughan Secondary School where she played on the high school team part of YRAA (York Region Athletic Association) and the prep team involved in the OSBA. 

Midway through, she switched schools to Royal Crown Academic School in Scarborough and near the tail end she transferred one final time to Humberview Secondary School, joining the Caledon Basketball Academy in the process. 

“The best part of my game is my versatility. I can play and guard any position. I am very comfortable with bringing up the basketball as the guard, playing both the high and low post and also being a spot up shooter.”

Last year, the University of Saskatchewan began scouting Akinnusi and ultimately, she committed to join the Huskies back in November. 

“I am looking forward to playing for Coach Lisa Thomaidis as she is the head coach of the Canadian women's national basketball team and she has won two USPORTS National championships with the team.” 

Akinnusi will arrive with four championships, five tournament championships and five finalist medals over the course of her career. She will be looking forward to majoring in Psychology.

Akinnusi loves to travel to new places and loves to play Mario games as her hobbies. 

With the academy's graduates preparing for basketball life elsewhere, head coach Gord Everett would like to thank the club's sponsors for all of their efforts. 

“Caledon Basketball Academy is grateful to T.Litzen/NIKE TEAM, Bolton Physiotherapy Clinic, Rel-EASE Therapy Clinic, Humberview Secondary School, the Peel District School Board, Scott Skimming of 310 Running and Scott Goodfellow for their continued support and sponsorship of the program,” Everett said. 

The program will be looking to Bolton natives Maya Chocano and Kate White, Brampton's Samantha Zoffranieri and Newmarket's Brittyn Graves to lead the club into next year.  

Stay tuned for next week's profile headlining the newcomers to the program for this upcoming season.