Former Piper about to set SFU career assist mark

by Andy Prest, North Shore News --  Argyle grad Sean Burke recorded two assists for the Simon Fraser University Clan in a 64-53 win over Waterloo on Friday, placing him in a tie for the team record for career assists with 503.

The record tying helper came on a play where Burke drove the lane and drew defenders to him before kicking out to Kevin Shaw who knocked down a three. The hookup was fitting given that Burke and Shaw are both former Argyle Pipers who joined SFU together five years ago and have been starters for the team since that first season in 2005-06.

Burke guesses that Shaw has been the one player who has converted the most passes of any teammate in helping set the record.

Sean Burke drives for two during a recent preseason game with SFU. The Argyle grad is a smooth scorer but it's his passing that's getting him in the record books.

"He's one of the reasons why I've had so many assists throughout my career," says Burke.

There are many more reasons than that, says SFU head coach Scott Clark.

"First off his personality is that type of person. He wants to lead people and whenever you're in a position of leadership you're always trying to serve people first. He's our point guard but he's a pass-first type of person. That coupled with his physical stature -- he's a six-foot-four or six-foot-five point guard -- he's able to pass over people and make plays that maybe smaller players won't be able to make," says Clark. "We've been around each other a long time and I can trust him with any aspect of the basketball team and feel that it's in good hands. It's sort of a clich? but it's like having another coach out on the basketball floor."

When the Clan open their regular season Saturday at the University of Victoria, Burke will almost certainly collect the one assist needed to break the SFU record set by Novel Thomas.

The record, says Burke, is a testament to the players he has played with.

"I'm pretty happy with a personal level of achievement but the one thing about assists is you don't get the assist if your teammates don't score the basket," he says. "The best thing about an assist is that you make everyone on your team look better. It's not about being the flashy person coming down and making the bucket or making the great play or great pass, it's about day in and day out coming and being solid and just trying to make the people around you better. And ultimately that's going to make your team successful."

Talk like that from Burke is no surprise to coach Clark.

"I think he's the type of guy that always puts people first and the team first and I think he would trade any individual record for team success," he says. "It's been awesome having Sean. He's been a delight to coach and he's a heck of a good basketball player and he's an awesome person. I feel fortunate to have been able to coach a guy like that. . . . I've had him for five years and he's the type of guy I wish I could have him for another five years."

The entire university would likely benefit from Burke sticking around for another five years. He's not only a leader on the court but off the court as well. In his time at SFU he has created a fundraiser called Cards on the Court that has raised $32,000 for athletic scholarships; spearheaded the formation of a student athlete council, acting as its president for the first two years; taken over the operation of SFU's spring youth basketball tournament, growing the field from eight teams to 40; and started a program that matches prospective student athletes to current Clan players for bring a buddy to school day.

Burke pulled all of that off while guiding SFU to improved records in each of his five seasons. That sounds like a lot of work, but Burke says he wouldn't have it any other way. When he got to SFU he didn't see many of these types of programs and he thought they should be there so he did it himself.

"I think there was quite a void at our university in terms of people didn't want to step up and take on the initiative to do these things," he says. "I just like to be able to step outside my comfort zone and take on new challenges, be innovative and creative. . . . I felt as though, just because no one else was doing it, what does that say if I just go along with the regular crowd. It's kind of an opportunity for me to step forward and take on leadership responsibility roles and try to make the athletics department and in particular our basketball program better."

That kind of gumption has already ensured that Burke will have a full-time job waiting for him at PricewaterhouseCoopers after he graduates with a degree in business and accounting in the spring.

But before that happens there's the matter of trying to get to the CIS national championship tournament for the first time in his five years at SFU. If they get there the backcourt tandem of former Pipers Burke and Shaw will have to play a big part. Going through five seasons with Shaw as his wingman has been a great experience, says Burke.

"It's been amazing. Kevin is my best friend and to be able to play with somebody who I respect, understand and have such a great bond with is incredible," he says. "It's something that when I look back on it I'm really fortunate because there have been times when you've been down or you've had a tough practice or classes are quite demanding and you need someone to turn to and he's always been that person who's been there."

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