Neelin’s Rempel joins BU men’s hoops

It turns out Sam Rempel isn’t just a one-and-done when it comes to sports in Brandon.

The Edmonton native, who moved to the Wheat City for his senior year of high school, did enough to catch the attention of Brandon University men’s basketball head coach Gil Cheung.

Now the Neelin Spartans standout is joining the Bobcats for the 2026-27 Canada West season.

“I’ve always wondered what it would be like playing such high-level basketball. I’ve always wanted to do it, but I never really thought it was possible before,” Rempel said.

“I always knew myself that I was good enough to play at a high level … but I’ve never gotten the chance to prove myself. Especially at a small school in Alberta, the schools pick from huge school names, so someone from a small school has almost no chance of making it.

“It’s amazing to come out here and have an actual chance to show what I can do and have people that will recognize me.”

The six-foot-six forward proved the perfect addition for the Spartans’ athletic program last fall, as the volleyball team desperately needed a middle blocker.

He not only helped a lineup loaded with Grade 11s to a AAA provincial title, but he also made the A-AAA all-Manitoba team.

Neelin’s basketball team didn’t have nearly the same firepower, as Rempel was the only true scoring threat or defender who could contain anyone in the paint. But he made the most of the experience.

“I’ve always known myself to be a scorer,” Rempel said. “Having the ability to show off my own talents instead of having to worry about everyone else getting their chance … — I try not to be selfish when I play — but having the ability to be the guy and show how I can score was amazing.”

AAA was the highest level Rempel had played, coming from a single-A school in Edmonton, but that changed in the spring when he joined the Westman Youth Basketball Association 18-and-under team.

He got to play with Westman’s best, including University of Manitoba commit Owen Unrau of Carberry and elite players from Brandon and Souris under BU assistant coach O’Neil Gordon.

Cheung liked what he saw in his athleticism and length.

“You can see on the basketball court, he has some definite athleticism that can translate to this level,” Cheung said.

“Local kid, jumped out of nowhere, I know his Neelin team was young and they were developing all year, but watching him play with WYBA and O’Neil Gordon coaching him, he’s definitely a kid we want to help develop and see if he can potentially be a U Sports kid down the road.”

Rempel joins a rookie class including guards Yussef Jawad and Didou Sowadan, and forwards Orie Zehavi and Roman Jensen.

The rest of them have CEGEP, prep, or semi-professional experience, so Rempel knows he has some work to do to see the floor in a U Sports game.

Most of the players Cheung has recruited locally haven’t cracked the lineup, though former Spartan Max Winters did as a third-year in 2025-26, helping the Bobcats return to the post-season.

Rempel feels WYBA was a big step in the right direction.

“It made me realize a ton of easy, fixable mistakes that made me an overall better player, like spacing and being able to look for an open shot, not just forcing it myself,” Rempel said.

“The offence comes as long as you play great, hard defence. It’s about heart overall, that really came to my mind when I started playing there.”

Rempel capped his high school sports career by showcasing elite speed for anyone, let alone a six-foot-six forward. He anchored the Spartans’ 4×100-metre relay team to a berth in the provincial final and a sixth-place finish as they ran the final in 45.84 seconds.

That speed can certainly help a Bobcat team that wants to play fast for 40 minutes, but Cheung said it’ll be up to Rempel to put in the work over the next few years to earn minutes.

“I really see him being a strong defender that can switch a few positions and help us out on the glass as well,” Cheung said.

“But he’s so young. He’s a first-year kid coming from a AAA program. It will take lots of time, but we have everything in front of him to make him a strong basketball player.”

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com