Baskett stepping up for Wanderers

With the HFX Wanderers' offence sputtering recently, young keeper Kieran Baskett has become the Canadian Premier League club's de facto MVP.

But for the rookie from Halifax, he's just doing his job for the hometown team in the thick of a playoff hunt.

“My job is to keep the ball out the net and I try to do my job as best as I can,” said Baskett, who turned 20 on Sept. 27.

“I'd like to see us score more goals but that's not my problem. I'm just happy to do my job and if we're scoring goals or we're not, I'll do my best to keep the ball out of the net.

“The main thing is we're not getting beaten and that's a really good quality to have going into playoffs. I think we're a hard team to beat.”

While the offence has sputtered recently without injured scoring star Joao Morelli and his league-leading 14 goals, the Wanderers (8-7-10) have held onto the fourth and final playoff spot in the CPL table. (They remain one point ahead of York United with three games remaining in the regular season.)

In their past four matches, the Wanderers have been shut out in three of them and in the other — a 1-0 victory over Pacific FC on Oct. 11 — the lone score came on a Pacific own goal.

As a team, the Wanderers have scored a league-low 26 goals. Yet, in the past two months, they are the hottest team in the CPL with only one loss in 14 matches since Aug. 14. Eight of those results, though, were draws.

Baskett has posted three clean sheets in a row, beginning with the Thanksgiving win over Pacific and highlighted by a spectacular save in the final minute of stoppage time Oct. 17 in Calgary. Host Cavalry FC was awarded a penalty kick, but Baskett made an unbelievable stop, diving to his right to deny lethal striker Joe Mason with his fingertips to preserve the 0-0 draw.

Since Sept. 6, Baskett has started in eight of the Wanderers' past nine matches, posting a 4-1-3 mark, and their Canadian Championship quarter-final against CF Montreal on Sept. 22.

What's impressive is that Baskett's debut didn't come until Aug. 17, when he got the start in the Wanderers' Canadian Championship preliminary match against AS Blainville, leading the Wanderers to a 2-1 victory.

“I didn't see it working out like this, but I always thought I'd get my chance,” said the six-foot-three Baskett, who joined fellow Haligonian Christian Oxner to form the Wanderers' goalkeeping tandem for the 2021 season.

“I have definitely been fortunate with how it has gone. I think I'm doing what I can to keep the job. It's been a great season for me. I've learned a lot and I've improved in the last two months, just playing the games. I'm up to speed at this level.”

It has happened at a lightning-quick pace. But if it wasn't for the COVID-19 pandemic, Baskett would likely still be studying and playing NCAA Division 1 soccer at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va.

The former Suburban FC keeper – whose mother, Gillian Hamilton, competed for Canada in the biathlon at the 1994 Winter Olympics – attended boarding school in Maryland and played for Baltimore Celtic Soccer Club while in high school.

His freshman season at William & Mary in 2019, Baskett started all 18 matches and played every minute in goal for the Tribe, leading the Colonial Athletic Association conference in saves (71).

Then the pandemic hit and shuttered the 2020 season. Baskett didn't return to the States, opting to do online learning. It was in January when the Wanderers offered him a contract for the 2021 season with a club option for 2022.

An opportunity to stay home and play pro soccer couldn't be turned down.

“Things happen for a reason,” said Baskett, who's still pursuing his education by taking online classes at Dalhousie. “It was good timing for me, just a blessing. The pandemic brought me back home, but it allowed me to pursue my dream as a professional.

“My parents were a little concerned about me leaving university. But I always wanted to play professional soccer. I never thought it would be in Halifax.

“It's definitely a big step up from university. The ball moves faster at this level and the shots come harder. It took some time to get used to.”

The Wanderers head out on their final road trip of the regular season. They travel to Winnipeg to face Valour FC on Tuesday evening and then to Hamilton to play Forge FC on Saturday. The Wanderers' regular-season finale is Nov. 7 at home against Atletico Ottawa.

“We have to get the results,” Baskett said. “If we can continue what we're doing defensively, I think the goals will come. We're in a pretty good position heading out on the road.”