Men's Basketball downs Camosun to earn CCAA bronze medal

SACKVILLE - Humber men's basketball won the CCAA bronze medal on Saturday, beating the Camosun Chargers, 66-58. The Hawks showed resilience, halting multiple Camosun pushes to secure the medal. Jalen Menzies led the way offensively with 15 points, but Malik Grant and Kameron David were the noticeable players for the Hawks. Grant had another complete game, scoring ten and adding eight rebounds, and David added 13 points and six boards of his own.

Game Recap

Facing the Camosun Chargers, it was all or nothing for Humber in this do-or-die medal game. At the risk of leaving New Brunswick without a medal, the Hawks had to dial in and win this game convincingly to end the season on a high note. It was a pretty even start to the game for both squads. The first two minutes came and went quietly, and neither team would create a meaningful lead. Camosun held onto a slim lead late in the quarter and went into the second leading 18-15. 

It was a tough start for Humber in the second quarter. The weekend of play had taken its toll on an offence that has been streaky all season. The team was tired. Camosun took advantage of sloppy passing and loose defensive coverage and created a 31-22 point lead with two minutes left in the quarter. The Humber's offence did what it has time and time again, though, catching fire for the quarter's final minutes and cutting the lead to just three. Thanks to buckets from Jalen Menzies and Isaiah Brady-Clarke, the Hawks left the half only trailing by three, 33-30. 

The start of the second half was a battle. Both teams were focused on playing intense, physical defence. Camosun got a quick six-point lead, but Humber caught fire shortly after. A nasty David Kameron three-pointer gave the Hawks some life, and they went on a crazy 17-2 run to close out the quarter. Malik Grant was more than noticeable, running the court confidently and the Hawks' offence beautifully. He had six points in the half but was a complete threat, adding two rebounds, two assists, and a block, all at crucial times. Humber led 54-42 after three quarters of action. 

It was another tough start to the quarter for Humber. Camosun went on a 6-0 run on its first two possessions, quieting the Humber fans early. The Hawks wouldn't turn back now, though, as they were in their final game. Humber had come too far to lose to a team that wasn't even nationally ranked entering the tournament. The Hawks calmed down, played their system and held off any offensive pushes made by Camosun. Humber closed out the quarter and won the CCAA bronze with a final score of 66-58 — a well-deserved medal for one of the best teams in the nation.   

Kameron David was named the player of the game for Humber. The fourth-year guard had a complete game, contributing 13 points and six rebounds.   

Jalen Menzies was named a CCAA First-Team All-Star, while Malik Grant was named to the second-team.

Humber Highlights

• Humber now has 16 CCAA national medals - tying Dawson for the most in the nation.
• The Hawks improve to 5-3 in CCAA bronze medal games.
• Romeo Osas Joshua concludes his career with two CCAA medals - one gold and one bronze.
• Humber improves to 6-1 at nationals during the Coach Miles era.
• The Hawks finish the 2023-24 campaign with an overall record of 20-6.