GUELPH, ON - It was in the late 1980s when the W.F. Mitchell Centre became a destination point. The home of the University of Guelph's varsity gym had a very telling nickname then -- the House of Slam. Tim Mau was one the most decorated players from those Gryphon basketball teams. Mau, now an Associate Professor in Political Science at the University, doesn't recall any precise moment when the men's hoops program took a huge step forward but he does remember the distinctive vibe at their home court.   "It was an electric atmosphere," said Dr. Mau. "Like most sports, people like a winning product. In the 1988/89 season, we won a lot of games. We had Eric Hammond, who could jump out of the gym and was getting three or four dunks a game. It was largely Eric's dynamism that led to the moniker."   Mau and Hammond were perennial All-Stars and focal points of that era, one that produced the school's only OUAA championship (and a CIAU silver medal) in 1990. Mau remembers how his fellow Gryphon Hall of Fame teammate would not just block opponents' shots but literally grab the basketball out of the air at its apex, producing incorrect goaltending calls by officials who had never seen such athleticism. There was a palpable buzz around those high-flying Gryphon teams. They were on-campus celebrities. Coach Tim Darling and a player would do a weekly local television show produced by Maclean Hunter, which was must-see TV for students around town before they ventured out for the night.    And the W.F. Mitchell Centre was their home. The gym didn't have the bleachers that exist today at the far end of the court but there were sections of seats on the upper levels. It was a tough ticket to get.   "They were jammed in like sardines every night," Mau said of the wild Guelph crowds. "They were turning away people at the doors. They would all be in Gryphon colours and I vividly remember games when every fan in the place would have a newspaper that they would hold in front of their face when they wanted to show displeasure with what the other team was doing.   "It was all part and parcel of this atmosphere that was generated around that particular sport and the product we were putting on the court night in and night out."   Stephanie Yallin remembers the first time she walked into the W.F. Mitchell Centre as a high school recruit. The Port Colborne native understood it wasn't the newest or biggest gym in the OUA. But it had character and Yallin, the first of five sisters to play their basketball for the University of Guelph, quickly felt comfortable on her new home court.   The W.F. Mitchell Centre wasn't just where she played the game she loved -- it was where she began to grow as an athlete and an individual.   "I feel like so many life lessons were learned in that gym," said Yallin, a four-time OUA All-Star who now spends most of her time working as a speech pathologist rather than perfecting her jump shot. "How to work within a team, work towards a common goal, push yourself and your teammates to be better. There were so many up and downs, so much work that went into setting goals and trying to accomplish them and it all happened in that gym. And now an entirely new generation of student-athletes will get to experience these same things in the new Athletics Centre."   Athletes are used to closing chapters in their lives. They have to be ready to move on to what's next. And the same applies to everyone who has spent time in the W.F. Mitchell Centre over the past six decades, as the final varsity games in the facility's storied history approach. The building opened back in 1957, replacing the old Gymnasium and pool facility between Johnston Hall and the Bull Ring. It became a hub of activity and to this day, there is a continuous stream of students, faculty and staff in and out of the building, there to work, play, exercise or just be a fan.   The W.F. Mitchell Centre will be renovated but the varsity teams will have another home, the New Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre, set to open its doors in September 2016. It will mark a new beginning for many U of G athletes. And signify an end for others who have experienced the joy and pain that comes with competition.   "I have so many good memories playing at the W.F. Mitchell Centre," said Yallin. "Everything from practices, to big wins and even some hard losses, there were a lot of hours spent in that gym. One of my best memories has to be winning the OUA championship in 2005. It was such an accomplishment for our team and it meant even more that we could do it at home. We played against Ottawa and I remember the gym was packed.   "To win that game, to know we were going to get a chance to go to Nationals, and to do it at home in front of all the people that supported us along the way – you couldn't have asked for anything more."   Daniel Dooley has logged a lot of hours in the gym himself. The third-year guard from Burlington, ON, like many of his teammates, stays in Guelph throughout the summer. That means a lot of early mornings at the W.F. Mitchell Centre, working out and shooting the basketball.    "That's something I'll definitely miss," he said of his home court.   Dooley has seen a transformation in terms of atmosphere the last couple years. The Gryphon Crazies have added energy to the W.F. Mitchell Centre and it's noticeable for the current crop of players. So Dooley and his fellow Gryphons are embracing these final days in the building, while producing a little magic along the way. This 2015/16 OUA season got off to a shaky start but since January, the Guelph men seem intent on closing their gym in style. There was a comfortable win over rival Western and then on January 15, a famous "W" when Taylor Boers nailed a dramatic buzzer-beater to beat Windsor 81-80.    And just last week, the Gryphons pulled off one of the biggest wins in the program's recent history when they shocked the Ryerson Rams, ranked No. 1 in the nation, with an impressive 96-92 victory. Dooley said that there's a comfort level in the home gym and it's contributed to this year-end battle for an OUA playoff spot. The last regular season games ever in the W.F. Mitchell Centre are scheduled for Friday versus McMaster (Senior Night) and then the finale against Brock on Saturday night.   "We just want to leave the Mitchell Centre with a couple of wins," said Dooley. "This weekend is huge for us in terms of our playoff push so we want to go out with a couple of big wins and bring that momentum into the playoffs. And keep it when we go into the new building next year."   Saturday will be an emotional night on the University of Guelph campus. It marks the end of an era. Gryphon athletes will have fond memories of their time in the W.F. Mitchell Centre but so will the people close to them and the residents of this city. Mau remembers the backing of the student body but also how important the Guelph community was in shaping the environment.    "There was great community support," he said. "We had kids flocking to our changeroom after games to get autographs. It was a special time."   The Yallins have had an experience like no other Gryphon family. Stephanie came first, followed by Kris, Alex, Andrea and finally, current senior Kate.    "For our family specifically, there were a lot of hours spent in that gym," Yallin said. "For my sisters, but also for my parents (Carrie and Mark), who spent more time in that gym than any of us. I started playing in 2003 and I am pretty sure they have not missed a home game in all the years that one of us has played.    "So it's kind of neat that Kate's last game as a Gryphon will also be the last game played at the W.F. Mitchell Centre. I love the fact that my sisters and I all got to experience our basketball careers there. To be able to reminisce about that and share in those memories down the line will be cool."

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