Hawks down Trojans in semi-final OT thriller

Match 8: Humber Hawks 81, SAIT Trojans 79 (OT)

The last game of the day featured the host Humber Hawks and SAIT Trojans. The Hawks came out on top advancing to play in the CCAA National Championship Game on homecourt.

It was a back-and-forth opening half in front of a raucous North Campus crowd. Both teams matched the intensity on the defensive end in the first half, forcing each other into tough looks all half. DeQuon Cascart helped spark his side, picking up two charge calls late in the half and capping it off by converting a layup on the break giving Humber a three-point lead at the break.

After falling behind in the third Humber came out strong to open the fourth, quickly tying things up. Humber led by just one point with less than 24 seconds to play and the ball to inbound, the Trojans forced the turnover and converted the and-one play to take a two-point lead. With one final look Kevin Otoo answered for Humber making the last basket to send the game into overtime.

The Hawks struck first in the overtime, with Dwayne Lambert-Cadore knocking down a three to give his team the lead. With the game tied late in the overtime period, DeQuon Cascart drilled a jumped to give Humber a two-point lead with under 24 seconds to go. Frank Mitchell blocked SAITs’ first three-point attempt, now with just 2.2 left to go. The Trojans next attempt came up short at Humber came out on top in an instant classic.

Player of the game for the Hawks was Kevin Otoo with 26 points and 10 rebounds, while the honours went to Marcus Masters for SAIT, with 26 points and 5 rebounds.

Player of the Game: Kevin Otoo, Humber and Marcus Masters, SAIT.

Match 7: St. Clair Saints 109, VIU Mariners 90

The first semifinal of the day saw the St. Clair Saints capture the win against the VIU Mariners, advancing to the CCAA National Championship Game.

Both squads came out firing, the score going back and forth ending the quarter in a 25-25 draw. St. Clair dominating the glass with 11 of those points coming off second-chance baskets. VIU’s 55% field goal percentage keeping them in the competition.

The second quarter maintained the high energy in the tightly contested match hitting halftime with a 48-46 score for the OCAA’s silver medalists St. Clair Saints, with VIU’s Cameron Gay keeping his team in striking distance leading his team in scoring with 14 at half while shooting 4-for-4 from distance.

The scrappy Saints came out of the break ready for action, led by their All-Canadian David Gomez Jr. by way of his 20 points through the first three quarters extending St. Clair’s lead to 11.

The fourth quarter would see that lead extended into the twenties and maintained as such with the assistance of 25 points off turnovers and 50% from the field.

The player of the game from VIU, Richard Henderson finished with a big double-double with 21 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. Similarly recognized from St. Clair, Jalen Harmon went on to also finish north of 10 in points and rebounds with 24 and 13 respectively.

Player of the Game: Jalen Harmon, St.Clair and Richard Henderson, VIU.

Match 6: Capilano Blues 91, Filons de Thetford 89

The Capilano Blues captured game six of the CCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship, completing a dramatic comeback to book their spot in the bronze semi-finals.

Capilano jumped out to an early 12-point lead in the first as they were hot from behind the arc. Thetford was quick to answer back closing out the quarter strong, managing to tie things up before the quarter end.

The Blues Martin Bogajev caught fire from behind the arc in the second knocking down four threes on way to 12 points in the quarter. Thetford battled back late in the quarter as they trailed by just three points at the break.

The first half ended with the score in favour of the Blues 50-47.

Both teams came out energetic in the third quarter with nearly equal efforts in what turned out to be a 18-13-point quarter putting Thetford ahead by a basket for the first time since they lead at 9:42 in the first.

Thetford capitalized off their third quarter spark and continued to their tear into the fourth to the tune of an eight-point lead before a Blues bucket and calling a timeout. That effort would be tested as Capilano made it a tie-game with four minutes left to play.

The final minutes would see a flurry of baskets, turnovers and big dunks as both teams tried to outlast the other. Ultimately it was the Thetford foul and the made baskets by Capilano’s Tyrone Asenoguan that would put the game out of reach. The contest would come down to the final point-eigth of a second but would see The Capilano Blues advance to the Bronze semi-final match.

Thetford’s player of the game would be Ulrich Larochel with 15 points on 6-for-8 shooting coupled with 13 rebounds. Capilano’s Tyrone Asenoguan would earn similar honours, leading the Blues in scoring with 19 while dishing eight assists and showing defensive chops with three steals.

Player of the Game: Tyrone Asenoguan, Capilano and Ulrich Larochel, Thetford.

Match 5: Dawson Blues 92, MSVU Mystics 67

The opening match of day two saw the Dawson Blues keep their medal hopes alive, defeating the MSVU Mystics in impressive fashion.

The Blues were lights out in the first quarter, going 12-of-21 (57.1 percent) from the floor on way to 25 points and an eight-point lead. Isamel Aloulou led the way for Dawson in the quarter, recording seven points on a perfect three-of-three shooting.

Both sides clamped down on defence in the second, holding each other to under 40 percent from the floor in the quarter. Dawson was just a little better than MSVU in the frame taking a nine-point lead into the half.

The Blues never let the Mystics’ offence get going in the second half, pushing their lead up to over 20 points early in the fourth. Dawson closed out the win from there, as they led this one from wire-to-wire to book their spot in the CCAA bronze semi-final.

Jeremy Calixte-Bea was named player of the game for Dawson, recording a double-double on 18 points and 17 rebounds. Tariq Thomas earned honours for the Mystics finishing with 14 points on a game-high four three-pointers.

Player of the Game: Jeremy Calixte-Bea, Dawson and Tariq Thomas, MSVU.