Sweet 16 for No. 8 Men's Basketball

By: William Shoukri
Humber Athletics Communications

OSHAWA - No. 8 Humber men's basketball (16-5) trounced No. 11 George Brown (16-5) 77-45 in the OCAA final to bring home provincial gold on Sunday. After beating the best team in the nation on Saturday, Humber compounded its performance by taking out the second-seed from the eastern division. The Hawks won all four quarters of play, gaining a lead in first and never looking back. Jalen Menzies led the Hawks in scoring with 19 points but the whole team put together complete performances to get the win. Malik Grant had ten points and added nine rebounds, and Kameron David had ten points with nine assists. 

Game Recap

It was a much faster start offensively for Humber in the gold medal game than the semi-finals. After facing the best defensive team in the OCAA, the Hawks happily took advantage of the looser system that George Brown played. Humber was the better team throughout the quarter, playing solidly on both court ends. Offensively, Kameron David and Kwabena Antwi controlled the floor. The two guards showed a masterclass in spacing and off-ball movement, giving the Hawks open looks and drawing fouls. Humber closed out the quarter with a 15-8 lead.

The Hawks didn't slow down after the break. George Brown was getting shots off, but Humber contested everything the Huskies attempted, and George Brown shot an abysmal percentage from the field. The Hawks started the quarter by going on an 8-2 run, creating a double-digit lead for the first time. The Huskies would make several serious pushes, putting together a streak of five and six points, but the Hawks would bear down defensively and hit the shots they needed to. Humber would maintain that double-digit lead and carry it into halftime, leading 30-20.

The Hawks continued to be consistent and thriving after the half. The game seemed even on the surface, but George Brown couldn't get a shot to fall. Defensively, the Huskies fell asleep at the wheel, and Humber made them pay. The Hawks know exactly what it takes to win games like this, and they showed it. Fantastic ball movement allowed Taujh Motiki-Stephens to get a couple of highlight reel slams to give Humber the energy it needed to put together a run to take the game out of reach entirely. The Hawks showed pure dominance all quarter long, turning the gold medal match into a blowout. Humber led 56-34 through three quarters of action, having outscored George Brown 26-14 in the quarter.

It was more of the same during the fourth quarter. Humber was in its moment, it had earned its spot in this final and were now blowing out a team that was ranked higher than itself all season long. The Hawks' lead stayed around 30 for the entire quarter; the game was not even a contest. George Brown shot the basketball abysmally, chucking up contested threes and midrange shots all game. The Hawks continued their takeover, doubling George Brown in the fourth quarter. Humber would close the game comfortably and bring home OCAA gold with a final score of 77-45.

Jalen Menzies won MVP honours; Humber's best player all season long, Menzies put up 19 in the most important game of the season. He spoke for the team after the game "The job's not done yet. We have three more dubs to get."

Malik Grant and Kameron David were named to the all-tournament team.

Humber Highlights

• This is Humber's 16^th OCAA gold medal.
• Omar Miles collects his second OCAA gold in his third season at the helm.
• Romeo Osas Joshua was named the player of the game and earned his second career OCAA title.
• Humber finishes the OCAA postseason with a point differential of +89, an average of +22.3 per game.

What's Next?

Humber will compete for the National Championship in New Brunswick. The tournament is scheduled for March 13-16. Visit ccaa.ca for more information.