BURLINGTON, Ont. – Men's basketball conference awards were announced on Thursday afternoon and two Marauders received recognition.

McMaster Head Coach, Patrick Tatham was named the Champion of EDI Award Winner while Mike Demagus was honoured as a Third Team All-Star.
 
Patrick Tatham – OUA Champion of EDI
 
Patrick Tatham is the 2024 recipient of the OUA's Men's Basketball Champion of EDI Award.
 
Taking over the bench boss duties for the Marauders men's basketball team in 2017, he was the first individual at McMaster to raise awareness about Black History Month (BHM) in the department and was integral in planning McMaster's first Black History Month basketball game in 2018.
 
This year, the annual BHM games featured special edition Black History Month jerseys, designed by the Black Student-Athlete Council. The funds raised from auctioning the BHM jerseys will be donated to the Prodigal Sonz program by Liberty for Youth in Hamilton, a cause close to Patrick's heart.
 
Tatham's coaching philosophy reflects that of his own values and commitment. He places great emphasis on providing athletic and educational opportunities to young, racialized student-athletes and, because of that, does much of his recruiting from inner cities in both Ontario and across the country.
 
Coach Tatham takes great pride in sharing his strategies and values with other coaches and serves as an important role model and mentor to those who work with him. He is committed to developing racialized coaches and frequently provides opportunities for them to acquire skills and knowledge through internship opportunities.
 
Outside of the gym, Tatham's impact is felt across campus as he has served as a facilitator and leader in the Empowered Program hosted by the Black Student Success Centre at McMaster University. In the community, Coach Tatham currently mentors and coaches STAC Basketball and Liberty for Youth.
 

Mike Demagus – OUA Third Team All-Star
Sociology
Scarborough, Ont.
 
A senior guard from Scarborough, Ont., Mike Demagus had a strong season for the Marauders, leading the team with 19.1 points per game, ranking him 6^th across the conference. Averaging 42.5% from the field and 29% from 3-point range, the senior guard recorded 420 points for the Marauders this season.
 
The sociology student averages 31.4 minutes per game, 5.8 rebounds per game and recorded 17 blocks, 27 steals and 48 assists.

Demagus had a season high 33 points York on January 20^th where he shot 70.6% from the field while and was perfect from the free throw line. He scored in double digits in all but three games this season.
 
For the latest news and updates on the McMaster Marauders, follow @mcmastersports on social media or visit www.marauders.ca.