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Think of it as the principle of equivalent subtraction.

With seven of 10 All-Canadians having moved on to the pro ranks, including brothers Philip and Thomas Scrubb at Carleton and national player of the year Johnny Berhanemeskel at uOttawa, men’s university basketball luminaries are theoretically in a state of upheaval.

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The thing is, though, Ravens swingman Connor Wood and post Jean-Emmanuel Pierre-Charles, along with Gee-Gees slasher Caleb Agada and point guard Mike L’Africain, would likely have been All-Canadians last year if there hadn’t been so many fifth-year seniors tearing up national hardcourts.

Photo by James Park / Ottawa Citizen

The upshot is that, barring injury or unless Pierre-Charles opts to sit out a year, the four are about to have the sort of bust-out seasons that will make them this year’s household names on the national scene. Coupled with the fact that no other teams in the country, other than perhaps Ryerson, have anywhere near the depth and talent of Carleton and uOttawa, it leaves hoops aficionados with little option but to conclude that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Several of the nation’s coaches say privately they expect the Ravens and Gee-Gees will again be 1, 2 or 3 in the rankings.